Tree Removal
Dead, leaning or too-big trees brought down piece by piece and hauled away.
Stump grinding & removal
Stump Grinding in Decatur, IL
Decatur Elite Tree Service offers stump grinding in Decatur, IL for single stumps, old stumps left by someone else, and whole yards full of them. We grind about 8 inches below the grass, rake the chips back into the hole, and the spot is ready for topsoil and seed.
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Grinding Beats Digging
A stump grinder is a spinning wheel with carbide teeth that chews the stump into small chips a few inches at a time. It goes below the grass without tearing up half the yard the way digging does. We've found that the roots left behind just rot away quietly underground.
Decatur Elite Tree Service also provides stump removal and surface root grinding to Decatur and nearby Illinois towns, including Mount Zion, Forsyth, Long Creek, Macon and Moweaqua. Our tracked grinder fits a 36-inch gate, so fenced back yards are no problem.
Contact UsTypes of Stump Work We Do
Tell us how many and how big. Snap a phone photo with a shoe beside the stump and we can price it fast.
Standard Stump Grinding
About 8 inches below the grass, plenty for sod or seed. Chips raked back into the hole.
Deep Grinding for Replanting
Down to 12 inches or more where you want a new tree, a patio or a fence post.
Surface Root Grinding
We grind out the roots that catch the mower blade or hump up the lawn, all along their run.
Chip Clean-Up and Backfill
We haul the chips off and fill the hole with black dirt so it's ready to seed.
Stump Grinding Costs in Decatur
- First stump, up to 18 inches across: $125 to $200
- Medium stump, 18 to 30 inches: $200 to $325
- Large stump, over 30 inches: $325 to $450
- Each extra stump, same visit: $50 off
- Chips hauled and black dirt backfill: $60 to $150 per stump
Free with any removal over $1,500 (one stump).
What Every Grinding Includes
- JULIE called to mark buried lines first
- Grinding about 8 inches below the grass
- Surface roots near the stump ground out
- Chips raked back into the hole
- Plywood laid where the grinder crosses lawn or walks
- Shields up to keep chips off siding and glass
How Much Does Stump Grinding Cost in Decatur, IL?
Stump grinding in Decatur costs $125 to $450 per stump in 2026, depending on the width across the cut and how hard it is to reach. National guides put the typical range at $150 to $500. Every extra stump on the same visit is $50 off, so doing a whole yard at once saves real money.
| Stump | Width across | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Ornamental or small pine | Under 12 inches | $125 |
| Ash or maple, average yard tree | 12 to 24 inches | $150 to $275 |
| Big silver maple or oak | 24 to 36 inches | $275 to $400 |
| Huge old cottonwood or oak | Over 36 inches | $400 to $450 and up |
| Five ash stumps, one yard | Mixed | $600 to $900 |
We measure across the stump at the ground, not across the top of the cut. A stump with a wide root flare takes longer than its top suggests. Our record is 23 stumps in one Mount Zion back yard, all done in a day.
Why We Call JULIE Before Every Stump
JULIE is the free statewide locate service. Somebody calls 811 at least two working days ahead, and the gas, electric and cable outfits come spray paint and flag their lines. Our grinder wheel cuts down about a foot, and in some older Decatur yards the gas line runs shallower than you'd guess. We make that call, not you.
Private lines are on you, though. JULIE won't mark a buried wire out to the garage or a yard light, and it skips sprinkler pipe. Point those out when we walk the yard and we'll stay clear.
Stump Grinding vs Stump Removal
Grinding leaves the roots down there to rot slowly, and in a lawn that's no problem at all. Full stump removal is a different job: an excavator rips out the whole root ball. You'd only pay for that ahead of a foundation or a new driveway, and it runs several times the price. For grass and garden beds, grind it.
What About Leaving the Stump?
Some folks keep a stump as a seat or a planter, and with dead ash or oak that's fine. A live silver maple, poplar or elm stump is another story. It'll keep sending up sprouts for years, and a rotting stump can bring carpenter ants. Can't decide? Ask us.
After the Grinding
The hole ends up full of chips and dirt. Those chips rot down and sink over a season, so we'd let it settle before topping it with black dirt and seed. In a hurry for grass? Have us haul the chips and fill the hole with dirt on the same visit. We did that for about 300 stumps last year.
Storm Claim? We Document It
Photos before we cut, a written description of what fell and what it hit, and an itemized invoice your insurer can read.
Contact UsWinter Trimming List
Get on our December to February list. Dormant trees, frozen ground and 10% off trims over $400.
Contact UsQuestions we hear
Stump Grinding FAQs
How deep do you grind stumps?
Around 8 inches under the grass unless you tell us otherwise, and that's deep enough for seed or sod. Planning a new tree in the same spot, a fence post or a patio? Then we go 12 inches or more. Mention it on the walk-around and the stump grinder goes as deep as the plan needs.
Can you grind a stump in a fenced back yard?
Yes. Our tracked machine is skinny enough for a regular 36-inch gate, and the rubber tracks spread out its weight so the lawn doesn't rut. Narrower gate than that? We can usually pull one fence panel, roll through and put the panel back before we leave.
Will the stump grow back?
Ground oak, ash and spruce stumps stay dead. Silver maples, elms, poplars and a few others may push up some shoots from the leftover roots for one season. Mow over them or clip them, and they quit. Grinding deeper cuts the sprouting down a lot.
How long does stump grinding take?
Figure 20 minutes to an hour for one stump. Five or six average ones in the same yard is a half-day job with the cleanup. A big old stump with a wide root flare eats more time, and we'll tell you so up front when we write the price.
Our Other Tree Services
Tree Trimming
Deadwood out, limbs off the roof, crowns thinned for the next storm.
Emergency Tree Service
Storm calls 24/7: trees lifted off roofs, cars and driveways.
Crane Tree Removal
Giant trees over houses lifted out one piece at a time.
Land Clearing
Brushy lots, fence lines and building sites cleared and hauled.
Commercial Tree Service
Trims, removals and storm work for businesses, HOAs and landlords.
Free walk-around
Got a Tree That's Bothering You?
Leave your name, number and a line about the tree. We call back to set up a walk-around, and the written price follows within 48 hours.
- Written price within 48 hours
- 24/7 storm and emergency calls
- Clean-up included in every price