Stump grinding in Beaverton, Oregon
A grinder chews the stump down below the lawn so you can topsoil, seed and forget it was there. We request the 811 utility locate before every grind, shield windows and cars from flying chips, and haul the grindings or leave them as mulch. It works for stumps we cut and for ones that have sat in the yard for years.
Harry Fauver, founder. Updated September 2026.
How deep should the grind go?
It depends on what goes on top.Before
What sticks up out of the lawn is the small part. The flare below ground and the first few feet of the main roots hold far more wood. Left alone in Beaverton's climate, a Douglas-fir or cedar stump will still be there in twenty years.
Standard grind
About 4 to 6 inches below the lawn. It is enough depth for topsoil and grass seed, and it is what most front and back yards need. The main roots stay in the ground and rot slowly where they are.
Deep grind
About 10 to 12 inches, for planting beds, shrubs or sod, where a shallow grind would leave wood in the root zone of whatever you plant. It takes longer and makes noticeably more grindings, so say in advance if the chips are being hauled.
Surface roots too
Maples, cottonwoods and old cherries run thick roots along the surface that catch the mower and lift the edging. The grinder follows each one outward from the stump as far as you want it gone. We flag sprinkler lines first, because surface roots and irrigation pipe like the same few inches of soil.
What stump grinding does, and what it doesn't
A stump grinder is a heavy steel wheel with carbide teeth that swings side to side across the stump and shaves it into chips. It takes the stump and the root flare down to the depth you choose and leaves a shallow bowl of grindings.
It doesn't remove the roots. They stay in the soil and decay over several years, and the ground above them can settle a little as they go. For a lawn, a bed or a path that doesn't matter. Where something heavy or permanent is going on the spot, such as a slab, a footing or a fence post, you want full stump removal instead, and we'll say so when we see the site.
Getting the machine in
Our standard grinder needs a gate about 36 inches wide. For narrower gates, steps and steep banks there is a smaller machine that is slower but fits almost anywhere a wheelbarrow can go. Tell us about the access when you call. Before grinding, plywood shields go up in front of windows, siding and parked cars, because a grinder throws chips and the occasional stone.
Will it grow back?
It depends on the tree. Conifers don't resprout, so a ground fir, cedar or pine stump is finished. Bigleaf maple, cottonwood, willow, cherry, plum, locust and tree-of-heaven send up sprouts from the stump and the roots. Grinding the stump thoroughly removes most of the buds. Any suckers that appear from outlying roots are cut or mown off, and they give up within a season or two once there are no leaves feeding them.
The 811 locate comes first
Grinding is digging, and Oregon law treats it that way.
We request a locate from the Oregon Utility Notification Center for every stump. The law requires at least two business days' notice, so grinding can't be booked for tomorrow. We mark the work area in white paint, and each utility sends a locator to paint or flag its own lines:
- Red: electric power.
- Yellow: natural gas, oil and steam.
- Orange: telephone, cable TV and fiber.
- Blue: drinking water.
- Green: sewer and storm drains.
- Purple: reclaimed water and irrigation mains.
- Pink: temporary survey marks.
Within 24 inches of a marked line, Oregon's rules call for hand digging, so that's what we do. We expose the line first, then grind what can safely be ground.
What the locators don't mark
The locate covers lines that utilities own. Anything installed for the house is private and shows up on nobody's map: sprinkler pipe and valve wire, low-voltage lighting, invisible dog fences, a gas line to a grill or fire pit, power to a shed or hot tub, downspout drains, and on county lots outside the city, the septic tank and drain field. Walk the yard with us before the grind and point out whatever you know about. It takes five minutes and prevents most of the surprises.
The chips, and the lawn afterward
Grindings take up several times the space the stump did, because solid wood becomes loose chips mixed with soil. A large maple stump can fill the back of a pickup. You have three choices, and the estimate names the one you picked.
- Haul them. Best for lawns. We take the grindings and leave a clean bowl ready for soil.
- Leave them as mulch. Fresh grindings work well on paths and around established shrubs. Keep them a few inches off trunks and siding.
- Rake them back into the hole. The easiest option, fine for a back corner. Expect the spot to sink as the chips rot.
Getting grass to grow on the spot
Don't seed straight into grindings. Rotting wood ties up the nitrogen that seedlings need, and you get a thin yellow patch for two years. Rake the chips out, fill with topsoil, mound it an inch or two above the lawn to allow for settling, and seed in early fall or in spring. In the Tualatin Valley's clay soils, early fall seeding usually takes best, because the rain does the watering.
Local notes
Street tree stumps. A stump in the planting strip is in the public right-of-way. When a street tree comes out under a city permit, a replacement is normally required, so we grind deep enough and offset the new planting spot.
Honey fungus. If the tree died of Armillaria root rot, which shows as white fans under the bark and honey-colored mushrooms in fall, the stump and big roots are a food base that lets it spread to nearby shrubs and trees. In that case we recommend a deep grind with the roots chased, or full removal.
Ash stumps. Washington County is inside the emerald ash borer quarantine. Ash grindings stay on site or go to a disposal site inside the quarantine area.
Before we grind
- Tell us what is going on the spot afterward: lawn, bed, path, or something built. That sets the depth.
- Measure the narrowest gate or path to the stump.
- Clear rocks, edging, pavers and ornaments from around the stump. Stones wreck grinder teeth and become projectiles.
- Flag sprinkler heads and any private lines you know about.
- Move cars, grills and patio furniture well back, and keep kids and pets indoors while the machine is running.
If the stump can be cut lower with a chainsaw first, we do that before grinding, because it saves time. Most stumps take well under an hour once the machine is on them.
Related services and guides
Stump grinding questions
How deep do you grind a stump?
A standard grind goes about 4 to 6 inches below the lawn, which is enough for topsoil and grass. For planting beds, shrubs or sod we go about 10 to 12 inches. Tell us what is going on the spot and the estimate will name the depth.
Can I plant a new tree where the stump was?
Not in the exact spot. Even a deep grind leaves roots and chips that settle and tie up nitrogen as they rot. Plant a few feet to one side, or have the stump fully removed if the new tree has to go in the same hole.
Do you call 811, or do I?
We request the locate for every grind. Oregon law requires at least two business days' notice before digging. You mark what the locators won't: sprinkler lines, lighting wire, invisible dog fences and any private gas or power lines.
What happens to the wood chips?
Your choice. A stump makes far more grindings than people expect, a mix of wood chips and soil. We can haul them, leave them piled as mulch, or rake them back into the hole. For a lawn, hauling and filling with topsoil gives the best result.
Can you grind a stump next to a fence, sidewalk or foundation?
Usually yes. The grinder can work right up against concrete and a few inches from a fence, with plywood shields to stop flying chips. It can't reach under a slab, and roots running beneath a sidewalk are cut at the edge, not pulled.
How long does a stump take to rot on its own?
In Beaverton, years to decades. Douglas-fir and western redcedar are rot resistant and can outlast the homeowner. Maple and alder rot faster but sprout in the meantime. Old stumps also attract carpenter ants and can harbor honey fungus.
Request an estimate
Tell us about the tree and we'll call to set up a site walk. For emergency service, skip the form and call.