Stump Grinding in Cary, Raleigh and Apex, NC
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"Danny was extremely professional and went above and beyond to help me out." - Rick
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"Showed up on time, did quality work quickly and at a fair price. I highly recommend!" - Tom
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Your Stump Grinding Pros in The Triangle Region of North Carolina
At Piedmont, our stump grinding service is all about helping you reclaim your property. Safely, cleanly, and completely. Old stumps aren’t just an eyesore; they get in the way of mowing, new landscaping, and outdoor enjoyment. That’s why we remove them the right way, ensuring your land is smooth, usable, and ready for whatever comes next.
We’re proud to serve homeowners and property managers across Cary, Raleigh, Apex, and the greater Triangle area of NC. Whether you’ve got a single stump that needs to go or an entire lot to clear, we bring the right equipment and experience to get it done quickly and with minimal disruption to your yard.
No matter the size or number of stumps, we’ll show up ready to help you take your property back. You’ll end up with a clean, level area that blends naturally with your landscape, no roots sticking out, no hazards left behind.
We offer free, no-obligation quotes so you know the cost and scope of the job upfront. Start your stump grinding quote today.
Getting Your Stump Grinding Started Is Simple
1. Contact Us
Use any contact form on the website, or call or text us at (919) 397-4970. Let us know about your stumps.
2. Get Your Free Estimate
After reviewing the work, we’ll provide a clear estimate. No hidden fees, just straightforward pricing you can trust.
3. Schedule & Relax
We’ll work with you to find a time that fits your schedule, then we will take it from there. All you need to do is enjoy the results.
Frequently Asked Stump Grinding Questions
We provide professional stump grinding services across the NC Triangle, including:
- Apex, NC
- Cary, NC
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Clayton, NC
- Durham, NC
- Fuquay-Varina, NC
- Garner, NC
- Holly Springs, NC
- Knightdale, NC
- Pittsboro, NC
- Raleigh, NC
- Wake Forest, NC
We also serve smaller surrounding communities and towns throughout the NC Triangle. To get started, simply call or text us at (919) 397-4970 or fill out any form on this website for a free estimate.
No, you don’t have to hire a pro. You can absolutely try stump grinding as a DIY project. But before you head down that road, let’s look at what it actually takes to do the job yourself.
First, you’ll need to rent a stump grinder. Most rental shops charge around $100–$125 per day. The models available are usually smaller, gas-powered units which are either handheld or walk-behind. Compared to a diesel machine, they pack a lot less horsepower.
That lack of power makes a big difference. Rental grinders usually don’t include hydraulics, which means you’ll be doing all the heavy pushing and blade movement yourself. Without hydraulics, the work is far more labor-intensive and time-consuming.
Then there’s transportation. Do you have a truck or trailer to haul the machine? If not, you’ll need to rent one, borrow one, or pay extra to have the grinder delivered. That adds cost and hassle right from the start.
And unless you’ve done stump grinding before, you’ll also need to spend time learning how to use the machine safely. A mistake can cause serious injury, damage your property, or simply leave you with a half-finished job and the same ugly stump staring back at you.
So while it’s true you don’t need to hire someone, the reality is different. By the time you rent the machine, fuel it, figure out how it works, and power through the labor, most people find it’s faster, easier, and often cheaper to let a professional handle it.
Stump grinding prices depend on several factors, so there’s no way to give an exact number without knowing the details of your property. What we can do here is give you a general idea of how pricing usually works.
On average, stump grinding costs about $3.00 per inch, measured from one side of the exposed root system to the other. Most companies also include a flat service fee to cover the trip out to your property.
That’s the basic guideline. But if you want to know the actual cost for your yard, the easiest step is to use our free stump grinding estimate form. You can even upload pictures, which helps us give you the most accurate quote possible.
There’s no pressure, no obligation, and no sales gimmicks. We’re not here to sell you something you don’t need. We’re here to grind stumps. You’ll get a clear estimate at no cost, and if you want to move forward with us, great. If you’d rather compare a few more quotes first, that’s fine too.
There are a lot of variables that factor into this question.
If you want a general answer, most stump grinding jobs take 30 minutes to an hour for Piedmont Stump Grinding to complete. Depending on the situation, it can take a little less time or quite a bit more. Here are some of the biggest factors:
Equipment Used
This is often the biggest difference maker. With Piedmont Stump Grinding, you don’t have to worry. We run a powerful machine designed to get the job done quickly. If you’re tackling the job yourself, it usually takes longer with smaller rental grinders. And without hydraulics, the job becomes even slower since you’ll be doing a lot more manual work.
Size of the Stump
Pretty straightforward: bigger stumps take longer to grind no matter what equipment is used.
Rotten vs. Solid Wood
If the stump has been rotting for a while, the wood is softer and easier to grind. Fresh, solid wood takes more time.
Type of Wood
Hardwoods like oak, maple, and hickory take longer to chew through than softer woods like pine, spruce, or redwood.
Location of the Stump
A stump in the middle of an open field is simple. We can roll right up and start grinding. A stump close to a house, fence, or near underground utilities requires careful planning, which adds time. Even yard layout matters. If the stump is in the backyard and we have to get equipment through a narrow gate, setup takes longer than a front-yard job.
In short, the more open and accessible the space, the faster the work gets done.
Yes, we strongly recommend marking all water, gas, and power lines before any stump grinding begins.
Many utility lines are buried only a few inches below the surface. Since grinding requires cutting beneath the soil, there’s a real chance of hitting them if they’re not marked.
The good news is that getting your lines marked is simple and free. Just call 811.
When you call, your request is routed to a local call center. In North Carolina, you can also submit a ticket online at NC811.org. After your request is in, utility representatives will visit your property and mark where the lines are located.
State law requires “tolerance zones” around marked utilities. In North Carolina, no digging can take place within 24 inches on either side of a marked line. If your stump is within that zone, companies cannot grind deep in that area for safety reasons.
It’s also smart to mark sprinkler lines and heads before grinding, since those won’t be flagged by utility companies.
Bottom line: always call 811 before you dig or grind. It’s free, it’s easy, and it keeps your property safe.
We run a RayCo RG80 on every job. It’s a heavy piece of equipment built to handle stumps without dragging the process out. The engine puts out 85 horsepower, which is more than enough to grind through hardwoods like oak or hickory. The cutter wheel is driven hydrostatically, so the power transfers smoothly and keeps the work moving.
The grinder itself is just over 35 inches wide when set up for tight spaces, which means it can fit through most gates. It weighs a little over 3,200 pounds and stands about four and a half feet tall. That weight helps keep it steady while it works.
RayCo, out of Winn, Michigan, has been building machines like this for decades, and it shows. The RG80 is dependable, strong, and built for this exact kind of work.
You know you want the stump gone. The question is what comes next.
Many of our customers already have a plan for the space, but sometimes they’ll ask us, “What would you do?” If you’re still deciding, here are a few options to think about:
Use the wood as mulch
Depending on the size of the stump, grinding produces a lot of wood chips. If the wood is healthy and free of disease, you can use the byproduct as mulch and create a natural ground cover where the stump used to be.
Plant another tree
Grinding goes deeper than the surface. We can go up to 15 inches into the ground, clearing enough space for a new planting. You wouldn’t want to place the new tree right on top of the old root system, but planting three feet or more away works well. Experts also recommend choosing a different species of tree than the one that was removed.
Grow grass
This is the most common choice for front and backyards. If you want a smooth lawn, the leftover wood needs to be cleaned out and hauled away, which we can take care of for you. The next step is filling the area with topsoil and adjusting the pH and nutrients to match the type of grass you want to grow. Some homeowners hire a landscaper for this step, but it’s also something you can research and tackle yourself. One thing to watch for: the ground may settle after the first heavy rain, leaving a dip where the stump was. You’ll want to refill as needed so the yard stays level.
Create a landscape feature
Another great option is to turn the spot into something new. Flower beds, a small fountain, a bird bath, or even a swing can all be ways to use the space and add character to your yard.
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