Stump removal is a necessary part of gardening and most people simply opt for stump grinding, but all wood is beautiful and even the most unsightly stumps can be turned into beautiful works of art or fun and functional pieces of furniture. All you need is a little time and a good dose of imagination and you will be able to create something unique and useful out of what was once an eyesore.
A basic DIY stump project is to leave the stump where it is, level the surface and add a wooden top to create a quick and easy garden table. Then you can take pieces of a tree stump, sand the two ends, seal with varnish and place around your garden table as stools. But if you want to take it one step further, here are five ideas that may take slightly longer but are worth the effort.
Padded tree stump stool
A relatively easy stump project that does not require advanced DIY skills is a basic stump’s tools with padded seat. For this project, all you will need is a tree stump the height and size of an ordinary stool, sturdy upholstery or home fabric, upholstery foam and glue. Cut the upholstery foam to the size of the stump. Cover the foam with fabric – you can either sew or glue the fabric together on the underside of your foam cushion. Glue the cushion to the top of the stump and there you have it, a quick and easy padded stool.
Round stump coffee table
This project will depend on the size and shape of your tree stump. If you have a large stump removed and you want to turn it into a unique and stylish coffee table, ask the stump removal expert who takes the stump out to cut it into a disc that is between 20 and 40 cm thick. Sand and seal both sides of the disc with a waterproof sealant. For the legs, you can attach a funky set of metal or wooden legs that you can buy on the internet or you can get a narrower piece of the stump to use as the base of your coffee table.
Stump side table with metal legs
Making this stump table could not be easier and all you need are a few stump disks that are 10 or 20 cm’s thick and three or four metal legs per side table. Sand the top so that it is nice and smooth, seal the wood with an appropriate waterproof wood sealer, attach the number of legs that you desire, and you are done.
Rustic stump server, side table or bench with metal legs
After you have had a stump removed from your garden by a professional tree service company, ask them to cut the stump lengthwise so that you are left with a solid chunk of wood that you turn into a rustic server or side table. Buy a pair of metal chevron table base legs or trapezoid legs, choosing the height according to your needs and attach them to your stump and you have one-of-a-kind server or side table. You could use the same principle to make a bench, just buy the appropriate legs.
Fun stump placemats
If you have a small or narrow stump removed from your garden and it isn’t suitable to make a piece of furniture, ask the tree service company to cut it into eight or ten 5 cm thick discs that you can use as placemats. Sand both surfaces of the disc and then simply hand paint or stencil a design onto one side or paint it a solid colour. Seal the wood with a waterproof wood sealant and you have a beautiful set of durable placemats that will be the hot topic of conversation at your next dinner party.
With a little imagination, you can turn a simple old tree stump into something beautiful. But it is important to have your stump removed by a professional like Martin’s Tree Service, and if tree stump art or furniture is not your thing, then Martin’s can also perform stump grinding to remove the stump from your yard.
With a little imagination, you can turn a simple old tree stump into something beautiful. But it is important to have your stump removed by a professional like Martin’s Tree Service, and if tree stump art or furniture is not your thing, then Martin’s can also perform stump grinding to remove the stump from your yard.
Steve Martin
I have a profound interest in trees and their natural beauty. I grew up on a hobby farm ten minutes north of Waterloo and spent many winters in the bush collecting firewood to heat our family home. It was definitely work, so I wasn’t always eager as a young boy to help my father and big brother, but I learned to love the process... READ MORE