A stump grinder chews a stump below grade with a spinning wheel of carbide teeth, and you hire it by cutting depth and by how wide the machine is. Handlebar walk behind units run about $100 to $190 a day and pass most side gates. Tow behind and self propelled tracked machines cut deeper and faster and reach around $400.
Size to the stump and to the gate
A small walk behind grinder handles stumps up to roughly 18 inches across and about eight inches below grade in one setup. Anything above two feet, or a row of them, wants a self propelled unit. Measure the narrowest access first, because the wheel guard and handlebars decide what fits, not the engine.
How long a stump actually takes
A softwood stump a foot across can be gone in fifteen minutes; a two foot oak with buried surface roots takes an hour and blunts teeth doing it. Grit in the bark is the enemy, so brush or wash soil off before starting. Most homeowners underestimate by half and end up extending the hire.
What is left when the machine stops
Grinding leaves a heap of chips roughly twice the volume of the stump and a hollow underneath, and the machine removes neither. Decide before starting whether those chips are mulch or waste. Root runs beyond the stump stay in the ground unless you chase them, and chasing them can double the time.
Guarding, eye protection and the neighbours
A grinder throws chips and stones hard and a long way. The federal rules on hand and power tools require guards in place and protection for the operator, and a plywood screen on the street side saves somebody's windshield. Locate buried services first; a cutting wheel finds an irrigation line instantly.
Questions people ask about renting a stump grinder
How deep should a stump be ground?
Four to six inches below grade is enough for grass to grow over it. If a new tree, a post or a path is going in the same spot, take it to eight or ten inches and chase the main roots, which is the point where a bigger machine saves money.
Can I grind a stump close to a wall or fence?
Only with a machine narrow enough to sit square to it and something solid between the wheel and the surface. Cutting wheels swing sideways through the stump, so clearance is needed on both sides. Very tight stumps often come out faster by hand or with a mini excavator.
Do I need a chipper as well?
Not for the stump itself, since the grinder reduces it to chips where it stands. A chipper handles the branches and brush from felling. If the tree is still standing, that is a felling job first and the two machines are hired for different days.