Stump removal machine hire lets you grind out old stumps yourself instead of digging for days. A stump grinder has a spinning wheel with hard teeth that chews the stump down below the surface and leaves a heap of chips and soil. Grinders come walk-behind, tracked and towable, and the right one depends on your gate, your slope and how many stumps you have. This page covers machine types, access, buried services and when to hire an operator. Send one request and hire yards near you send free quotes, with no obligation.
Walk-behind, tracked or towable
- Walk-behind grinders are small and narrow, fit through most garden gates and suit a few small to medium stumps on level lawns
- Tracked grinders climb slopes and soft ground, are steadier on bigger stumps and still fit many side passages
- Towable grinders are larger and faster but need open access for the vehicle and trailer
Tell the yard how wide the stumps are and how many there are. A big gum stump on a small machine can take most of a day.
Measure the gate and the route
Measure the narrowest point between the road and the stump: gate, side passage, steps or gap between a wall and the house. Ask the yard for the machine's width and weight. Steps, steep banks and soft wet lawns all matter. Plan to lay boards over soft lawn or paving you want to protect. Ask too how the machine is unloaded: a grinder delivered on a trailer needs a level spot near the gate and room for a ramp. Stumps right against walls, paving or foundations may need hand work or a smaller machine, so mention them when you ask for a quote.
Buried pipes and cables
Before grinding, find out what is under the ground. Water pipes, irrigation, drains, electrical cables to a gate motor or garden lights and gas lines often run close to old trees. Mark them, and grind slowly near anything you are unsure of. Clear stones from around the stump, as they wreck teeth and fly out hard. Fence off the area, wear a visor, ear muffs and boots, and keep everyone well back.
When to book an operator or a service
Many yards hire grinders with an operator, and for big or many stumps that is often the better deal: they know the machine and finish faster. If you would rather not run it at all, stump grinding teams quote per stump. For digging out the whole root plate, see stump removal. Ask about resprouting too; gum, wattle and syringa stumps may need treatment.
What to include in your request
- Number of stumps and their widths
- Narrowest gate or passage width
- Level, slope or steps on the route
- With or without an operator
- Delivery address and dates
Stump Grinder Hire for different clients
- Homeowners: grinding out an old stump so the lawn, paving or a new bed can go over it
- Estates, complexes and body corporates: clearing several stumps along roads and common areas in a day or two
- Farms, smallholdings and plantations: grinding stumps left from felled gums and old orchard trees
- Businesses and commercial property: removing stumps from parking lots and landscaped verges before resurfacing
- Schools, churches and municipalities: grinding stumps in parks, schools and cemeteries after old trees are felled
- Developers and building sites: clearing stumps on a stand before foundations and services go in
- Servitudes and fire breaks: removing stumps from servitudes so access roads stay clear
- Tree fellers, landscapers and garden services: garden services hiring a grinder to finish a felling or landscaping job
Frequently asked questions
How much is stump grinding hire per day?
How deep does a stump grinder go?
Is stump grinding rental worth it for one stump?
Can you send someone to grind my stumps?
Stump Grinder Hire by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg