Root removal

Luvbigboytoys · Aug 12, 2002

About 5 years ago I built a garage with a slab on grade concrete floor. I had to have a rather large tree cut down about 5 ft. from a front corner of the garage. I had the stump removed by a guy who used a stump grinder. I now want to extend the apron in front of the garage over the area where the stump was and have run into a problem. I have been excavating some of the area to get it to the proper grade and have run into all the roots from the old tree. When I hit them with the scarifier teeth in my box blade the tractor comes to a screeching halt. I try to use my FEL to remove them, but no luck with that either. So the question is, if I rent a stump grinder can I grind away the roots in that dirt, then use my FEL to move the dirt out of the way, or should I rent a back hoe to dig up the roots and move the dirt? Also, if I used a back hoe is there a chance of cracking the floor of the existing garage if some of the roots run under the floor and I am pulling on them with the hoe?

MarkV · Aug 12, 2002

Sounds to me like a stump grinder is the way to go. If the stump was only 5’ from the garage slab, there is a good chance some of the roots will be running under it. A backhoe could cause some problems with the existing slab and you may end up with much more disturbed soil than you want for the new slab. I've ended up with some big holes digging out stumps and roots.

MarkV

beenthere · Aug 12, 2002

You have a dilemna (sp?). If you leave the roots, they will eventually decay, leaving a void that may or may not cause a problem. I would be sure the concrete slab you pour is thick enough to bridge any voids underneath. If the roots are not growing, probably they will not cause a problem otherwise.

Luvbigboytoys · Aug 13, 2002

Guess I'll rent a stump grinder and try to get all I can get out with it. Haven't done that before, should be a learning experience.

Thanks.

Boondox · Aug 13, 2002

I haven't had the best of luck using a stump grinder on anything that tends to move around...and roots move if the soil is loose enough. My low tech low budget way is to expose a bit of root, wrap a chain around it and tug with the tractor from different angles till I have freed up most of it...then trim off as much as possible with a bow saw.

Pete