How to Burn a Tree stump

If you decide to remove a tree in your yard, you will have to deal with the stump that remains after the tree is cut. Removing stumps is a tedious job, especially old and deep-rooted trees. However, there is an easy and inexpensive way to burn the stump. By taking steps to make the stump more flammable and burning it until it burns to ashes, you can get rid of the annoying stump in no time at all.

Table of Contents

Make the stump flammable

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Clear flammable materials around the base of the tree. Clear wooden materials and structures around the base of the tree. Use a rake to clear dry leaves or small twigs from the surrounding ground. ^{[1] X Research Source}

You might also consider fencing a trellis around the base of the tree for added safety.
Always keep a bucket of water or running water nearby while burning the stump.

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Drill a hole in the center of the tree from the top down. Attach a 2.5 cm flat drill or other wood drill bit to the drill and drill a hole in the center of the tree at a 30-degree angle. Drill about 20-25 cm deep.

If the stump is shorter than 20 cm, just drill deep enough to reach the roots.
Remember to remove any debris from the hole you just drilled.

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Drill additional holes all over the top of the stump. After drilling a hole in the center of the stump, you will continue to drill more holes all over the top of the stump, each about 2.5-8 cm apart.

Similar to the center hole, each hole needs to be about 20-25 cm deep. If the stump is shorter, you still need to drill at least 8cm deep. ^{[2] X Research Source}
Clear debris from all holes drilled.

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Drill holes around the base of the tree if it is higher than the ground. If the stump remains above the ground after the tree has been cut, you’ll also need to drill holes around the circumference of the trunk so that the stump can catch fire and make it easier to burn. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Just like the holes in the top of the stump, the holes around the base should be spaced about 2.5cm apart.
Make sure these holes connect to the holes drilled down from the top of the stump. The more air that circulates through the stump, the more flammable it is.

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Use a shovel to uproot the tree to shovel the potassium nitrate into each hole. This substance will help the stump burn well. Pour potassium nitrate into the hole until it is about 1 cm from the mouth of the hole. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

To ensure safety, you need to wear protective clothing such as gloves, masks and goggles when working with potassium nitrate. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
Remember to wash your hands thoroughly after using potassium nitrate. Store this chemical in a well-ventilated place and in an airtight container when not in use. ^{[6] X Trusted Source United States Environmental Protection Agency Go to source}
Charcoal can also be used as a substitute for potassium nitrate. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
You can also use kerosene to make the stump more flammable. However, you will have to wait a week for the stump to soak up the kerosene before burning it. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

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Pour hot water into each hole to dissolve the potassium nitrate. Put hot water in a bucket and use a cup with a spout to pour the water into the holes in the base of the tree. Continue pouring hot water into the holes until all the potassium nitrate is dissolved. ^{[9] X Research Source}

You can also place a funnel over each hole and pour water directly from the bucket into the funnel.
The water will spread the potassium nitrate around the base of the tree and make it more flammable.
You do not need to pour water on the stump if you use charcoal or kerosene instead of potassium nitrate. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Burn the stump

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Build the sticks into a cone around the base of the tree. One end of the stick rests on the ground, the other end is clustered with the other sticks above the stump to form a cone. ^{[11] X Research Source}

This is a common technique of stacking firewood to make a fire flammable.
You can also stack wood chips on top of the tree, but it will take longer to burn.

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Light a fire on the wood and wait for the stump to catch on fire. Use matches and firewood to light the wood from below. DO NOT use gasoline to light a fire. ^{[12] X Research Source}

The time it takes for the stump to catch fire will vary from case to case. You may need to wait up to an hour for the stump to catch on fire.
Dried leaves, dried bark, even lint are all good types of fireflies. Any material that is dry and easy to tear can be used as a spark plug. ^{[13] X Research Source}

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Add more wood to keep the fire burning if necessary. It took several hours, even days, for the stump to burn out. You need to add more firewood if necessary so that the stump continues to burn until it turns to ash.

With small stumps, you probably don’t need to add more wood to the fire; The initial flame is usually enough to burn off the stump.
If it takes a day for the stump to burn out, you need to add wood to the fire until midnight, then let it burn until morning. The fire will burn smaller at night but will hardly go out.

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Watch the stump until all the wood has burned to ashes. When the stump is smoldering and the wood has turned to ash, you need to keep an eye on the stump to make sure the fire is under control and not rekindled.

Be ready to put out a fire with water or earth if it begins to rise uncontrollably or threatens to spread to the surrounding area. ^{[14] X Research Source}
Choose a free time to burn the stump; it may take you at least 1 to 2 hours to burn.

Clean up burned stumps

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Use a shovel to break and clean up the remaining stump. When the stump has stopped smoldering and all the wood has been burned, use a shovel to break up any pieces of roots or stumps that are still in the holes. ^{[15] X Research Source}

If the roots are still stuck in place and difficult to remove with a shovel, you can chop them up with an ax for easier handling. ^{[16] X Research Source}

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Scoop the burned crumbs into a bucket or fireproof container. DO NOT shovel on the grass around the base of the burned tree, as the debris is still smoldering and can cause a fire. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Be careful when handling coal ash; you could get burned if the coals are still pink. Use heat resistant gloves if possible.
Porous concrete or wood composite are fireproof materials that you can use.

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Fill the hole with soil after burning the stump. When you have cleared all the coal ash, shovel back soil into the hole left by the stump to level with the surrounding ground. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Sprinkle grass seed on the soil just filled in the hole so that the grass grows in the new patch of soil. ^{[19] X Research Source}

Advice

Remember to stay in touch with your local fire station when burning stumps. They certainly want to be notified if you plan on setting up an outdoor fire!

Warning

Be careful when handling and storing potassium nitrate, as it is a flammable and explosive chemical.
Burning stumps can lead to fires. Avoid using this method to remove stumps during the dry season or if fires are prohibited locally.

Things you need

Power drill
Wood drill or flat drill
Potassium nitrate
Dry firewood
Hot water
Tree shovel
Shovel

Steps