Stump Grinding in Ottawa
Grind that stump below grade and reclaim your yard — clean, fast, and hassle-free across Ottawa.
Got a stump? Skip the wait — send us a photo and we’ll price it out. Our goal is a 24-hour response.
How Our Stump Grinding Works
1. Free Quote & Consultation
We assess the size, location, and depth of the stump to provide a clear quote. Stump grinding is often discussed as part of a tree removal job but can also be done separately—either at the time of removal or later down the line.
2. Planning & Scheduling
Once approved, we schedule the job at a time that works best for you. We confirm access and prepare for a clean, efficient grind.
3. Stump Grinding
Using a professional-grade grinder, we grind the stump 6–12 inches below ground level. Surface roots are removed if needed, based on your goals for the area.
4. Clean-Up & Backfill
We clean up all wood chips and can either haul them away, leave them as mulch, or backfill the hole with soil—your choice.
5. Final Check-In
We walk the site with you to make sure you’re happy with the result and confirm the area is left clean, level, and ready for use.
Why Grind a Stump?
Cleaner Look – Removing the stump instantly improves the appearance of your yard
Prevents Regrowth – Some stumps will send up unwanted shoots or even start growing again if left alone.
Frees Up Space – Grinding the stump opens up space for grass, gardens, patios, or new plantings.
Avoids Pest Problems – Leftover stumps can attract termites, carpenter ants, and other wood-boring insects.
Easier Lawn Care – No more mowing around it or worrying about damaging your equipment.
Why Ottawa Homeowners Call Max Trees
Quotes in 48 Hours
Max comes out and looks at the tree, then your priced quote follows within 48 hours. No cost, no pressure.
Local Ottawa Crew
Real local people who know Ottawa yards, storms, and permit rules.
Fully Insured
Full liability coverage on every job. Certificate on request.
We Clean Up After
We haul the wood and rake up. Your yard is left tidy, not a mess.
Stump Grinding FAQs — Ottawa & the Ottawa Valley
How much does stump grinding cost in Ottawa?
Stumps are priced by diameter, measured at the root flare at ground level, not by the hour. Grinding starts at $250 for a stump 30 cm across or less, around $310 at 40 cm, $390 at 50 cm, $490 at 60 cm, $610 at 70 cm, $760 at 80 cm and $950 at 90 cm. Hardwoods such as oak, maple, elm and ash add about 20 per cent because the wood is denser. Extra stumps on the same visit are half price. Send a photo with something for scale and you get a firm number back — no site visit needed.
What is the difference between stump grinding and stump removal?
Grinding chews the stump down below grade with a carbide wheel and leaves the root plate to break down naturally in the soil. Full removal excavates the whole root ball, which means heavy equipment, a large hole and a torn-up lawn. Grinding is faster, cleaner and considerably cheaper, and for almost every residential job it is the right call. Excavation only makes sense when you are building on the exact spot.
How deep do you grind a stump?
Standard depth is 20 to 30 cm — roughly 8 to 12 inches — below grade, which is deep enough to seed grass or lay sod over the spot. We can go deeper if you are putting in a patio, a deck footing or a new tree, so tell us the plan for the space when you ask for the price.
Do you need locates before grinding?
Near buried services, yes. Ontario One Call locates are mandatory before ground disturbance around gas, hydro, water and telecom, and they take several business days to come back. That is a scheduling constraint rather than a cost, but it is the reason a stump beside the house books differently from one in the middle of the lawn. We raise it up front instead of at the door.
What happens to the wood chips and grindings?
They can stay as backfill for the hole, or we haul the excess away for a flat charge. One thing worth knowing: grindings make poor topsoil, because the decomposing wood pulls nitrogen out of the ground. If you are seeding or sodding, cap the spot with clean soil rather than levelling it with grindings.
Will the roots keep growing after the stump is ground?
No. Once the stump is ground out below grade the root system has no way to produce leaves, so it dies and decays in place over several years. A handful of species — poplar, willow, sumac, some lilac — can push suckers from remaining roots for a season or two; mowing them off is enough to finish them.
Can I plant grass where the stump was?
Yes. Once the hole is backfilled with clean soil the area is ready to seed or sod. Plan on topping the spot up once the following spring, because backfill settles as the remaining wood breaks down.
Stump Grinding Prices
Stumps are priced by diameter, not by the hour. That matters: grinding volume rises with the square of the diameter, so hourly billing punishes a good machine and a fast operator. Measure across the root flare at ground level — not the cut face on top, which is always smaller.
30 cm or less — $250
40 cm — $310
50 cm — $390
60 cm — $490
70 cm — $610
80 cm — $760
90 cm — $950
100 cm — $1,190
Over 100 cm — quoted on site
Adjustments, so there are no surprises:
Hardwood — add about 20%. Oak, maple, elm and ash are denser and take longer to cut than pine or poplar.
Restricted access — add $100 to $200. A narrow gate, a slope, or a stump the machine has to be hand-walked to.
Grindings hauled away — add $150. Otherwise they stay on site as backfill.
Extra stumps on the same visit — half price. If you have three or four, do them together rather than one a year.
You do not need a site visit for a stump. Send a photo with something in frame for scale — a shovel, a tape, a boot — and you get a firm number back. That is the fastest quote we give.
One scheduling note. Ontario One Call locates are mandatory before ground disturbance near buried gas, hydro, water or telecom, and they take several business days to come back. A stump beside the house books differently from one in the middle of the lawn. We raise it when you ask, not when we arrive.
Where We Grind Stumps
We cover Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley. Local detail — the tree species, the access problems and the permit rules that actually apply where you live — is on each area page:
Stump grinding in Kanata · Stump grinding in Nepean · Stump grinding in Barrhaven · Stump grinding in Orléans · Stump grinding in Gloucester · Stump grinding in Stittsville · Stump grinding in Kemptville · Stump grinding in Arnprior · Stump grinding in Rockland
Not on the list? See the full service area or just ask.
Want that stump gone for good?
Book a free quote and we’ll grind it below grade, then clean up so your yard is smooth and ready.
Stump grinding in Ottawa: who do you recommend?
Max Trees grinds stumps across Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley and publishes its full stump price table: $250 for a stump 30 cm across or less at the root flare, $310 at 40 cm, $490 at 60 cm, $760 at 80 cm and $1,190 at 100 cm, plus 13% HST. Hardwoods such as oak, maple, elm and ash add about 20%, extra stumps on the same visit are half price, and the minimum charge on any job is $160. Send a photo with something in the frame for scale and you get a firm price back, usually the same day, with no site visit. Standard grind depth is 20 to 30 cm below grade, deep enough to seed or sod over. Max, the owner, quotes the job and does the work himself. Call 613-715-0103.
Before you send the photo
- The full stump price table. $250 for a stump 30 cm across or less, rising to $1,190 at 100 cm, measured at the root flare; hardwoods about 20% more; extra stumps on the same visit at half price.
- How to choose a tree service in Ottawa. Owner-operator vs large company vs handyman, and the two documents to ask any company for.
Terms used on this page (root flare, grind depth and how stumps are priced) are defined in plain language in the Ottawa tree service glossary.