Unfortunately, if you have trees, the time does come when some may need to be removed. If it’s been in a horrible storm and the wind beat on it but it didn’t fall over, it may be just too damaged to save and needs to be put out of its misery. It could be a victim of a fungus or other diseases that just didn’t respond to your efforts to save it. Perhaps it succumbed to the same thing we all eventually do, namely old age. Whatever the reason, you have a tree that needs to be removed.
Once the tree is removed and the detritus cleaned up, there remains one thing – the stump.
What do we do with a tree stump?
Our tree removal service in Hampton, VA provides stump grinding. This involves a machine that grinds the stump down to the soil line or close to it. It also makes a nice pile of mulch, which can be used in flower beds and other things in the yard. But are there other things you can do with a stump? You’ll be surprised at the creative uses for a tree stump, especially the larger ones.
Planter or Birdbath Stand
Many people use their tree stumps as decorative stands for potted plants or a birdbath. Taller stumps have even been festooned with small potted plants hung on the stump at different heights.
Planter
You can use the stump as a planter itself. Hollow out a space inside the trunk, line it with gravel for drainage, fill it with potting soil, and put in your plants. The tree material itself will eventually break down, providing more nutrients for your plants.
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Furniture
If your trunk is an unusual shape or has an attractive grain, how about making a small table or footstool from part of it? You can also make things such as a small side table, perhaps with a space cut out of the middle to hold magazines or your TV remote. Wood oil or varnish will help bring out the grain and natural beauty, but depending on the type of wood you have, you may not even need to use anything on it. If you’re lucky enough to have a cedar stump, you’ll also have an instant room freshener, providing a great, natural fragrance to your room. Many people have used thick slices of the trunk to create unusual small tables or stools, especially if the shape is unusual and the grain is visible. Really large ones make a great, unique coffee tabletop.
Outdoor Furniture
If your stump is large enough, you can use it for a table. It will need to have the top made level and sanded, but what a conversation piece you’ll have when you are done. You can even make smaller stumps into stools to go around your new table. You can even leave part of the trunk longer so your seats will have natural backrests. Stumps or logs can also be used for things such as a lamp or lantern holders around your fire pit or patio. Partly hollowed-out smaller trunks or logs are great candle holders.
Treehouse
If your trunk is large and sturdy, you might have it cut off at a rather tall height, and use it as the base for a treehouse. You’ll have a great base to attach supports and you’ll be the most popular parent in the neighborhood.
Stepping Stones or Light Bases
Cutting slices out of your trunk, treating them with wood preservatives, and placing them along a path can create a really creative pathway leading to your garden or fish pond. A hole in the middle of these slices can hold outdoor lighting and help keep you from running over the lights with the mower.
If you are using the stump cut-off, as for indoor furniture, you’ll need to let it dry until it’s easy to remove the bark. This may take as long as a few months, depending on its size and the time of year. After that, you’ll need to sand it and apply some sort of wood stabilizer or wood sealant.
Preserving the stump while it’s still in the ground is much the same, except that you can’t wait for it to dry out. In-ground stumps attract insects such as termites and also all sorts of fungi, which can cause rot. Remove all bark and sand all the surface smooth. Clean it with a damp cloth to remove any lingering debris, then seal it with polyurethane wood sealant. This will prevent fungi from forming and causing rot.
For tree services in Hampton, VA, contact https://mypatriottreeservice.com. We’ll be glad to look over your job and tell you just what we can do for you.
