--- title: How Deep Do You Grind a Stump? url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/how-deep-do-you-grind-a-stump/ business: Battle Born Tree Service address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701 phone: 775.232.8243 hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood) --- - [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/) - [Questions and answers](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/) - [Stump grinding](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/) - How deep do you grind a stump? # How deep do you grind a stump? The depth depends on what you plan for the spot, and we have not published a standard depth, so ask when you call. A lawn needs less than a place where something will be built or planted. ## Start with the plan Grinding always stops somewhere, and the right place depends on the next use. Grass is happy with a shallower cut than a garden bed, a new tree or a patio footing. If you will be digging there later, say so, because it changes what you want left in the ground. ## What the estimate should say The estimate is the agreement. Tell the arborist at the visit what you intend, and ask that the depth be written in plainly. Some of our reviewers have described stumps taken below grade; one wrote that the tree trunk "was shredded below the ground" (Richard V., Google review). Treat that as a customer's experience, and treat your estimate as the promise. Grinding leaves a mound of chips in the hole. See [what to do with the hole and grindings](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/what-to-do-with-the-hole-and-grindings/). ## What grinding does not do Grinding takes out the stump and the top of the root crown. Larger roots further out stay and decay over the years. If you want the stump and main roots out completely, that is stump removal, which leaves a larger hole. Our site says grinding "effectively removes the stump" and prevents new growth from the roots, but some species sprout anyway, so ask about yours. Before any grinding below grade, call 811, and point out sprinklers and private lines. Depth is also a matter of the species and the roots. A tree with a wide root flare needs more cutting than one with a narrow trunk, and a stump with surface roots may be ground in several passes. If you want an exact number in inches written into the estimate, ask the arborist at the visit, who can measure the stump and the roots and tell you what is reasonable. Ask what will be left in the soil, so you know what to expect when you dig. ### Sources - [Call 811: Know what's below](https://call811.com/) (read October 1, 2026) ### Talk to the office [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) | Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered | Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service. [Free estimate](#quote) ### Keep reading - [Stump grinding and stump removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/stump-grinding/) - [Stump grinding vs full stump removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/stump-grinding-vs-stump-removal/) - [Call 811 before stump grinding](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/call-811-before-stump-grinding/) - [Stump grinding questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/) ### Terms on this page [Arborist](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/arborist/) [Root flare](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/root-flare/) [The full glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/) ### All stump grinding questions - [Stump grinding questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/) ## Other stump grinding questions answered [Can you grind the surface roots too?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/can-you-grind-surface-roots/) [Can you grind a stump next to a fence, wall or foundation?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/grinding-a-stump-next-to-a-fence-or-foundation/) [What do I do with the hole and the grindings after stump grinding?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/what-to-do-with-the-hole-and-grindings/) [Can you grind a stump from a tree someone else cut down?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/can-you-grind-a-stump-someone-else-cut/) [Will stump grinding harm my sprinklers or nearby plants?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/will-stump-grinding-harm-sprinklers-or-plants/) [How long does stump grinding take?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/how-long-does-stump-grinding-take/) [Next question: What do I do with the hole and the grindings after stump grinding?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/stump-grinding/what-to-do-with-the-hole-and-grindings/)