Nothing can make your lawn envy of the neighbourhood like some regal stripes.On a flat, healthy lawn, stripes provide the finishing touch that can make a healthy green lawn look stunning.
Mowing—or more accurately, rolling—these stripes on to the lawn can be done with several different types of mowers, or a detachable roller designed for the sole purpose of stripe-making.
The stripes seen on lawns and bowling greens are not caused by different heights of grass or different species, but simply by light reflecting differently off the grass because it has been flattened in opposite directions.
The roller, which pushes the shards of grass down in the same direction to create the visual effect of a stripe, is simply a heavy cylinder. Depending on the model of mower, this roller can be found at either the front or the rear, behind or in front of the blade.
Many of these mowers with rollers manufactured by traditional English brands, Hayter, Webb, etc. Webb in particular – a traditional English manufacturer that is well known for producing finely crafted mowers.
Note: For professional greenkeepers and the like, cylinder mowers are the best bet for stripy playing surfaces.
Best Petrol Lawn Mower for Stripes – Webb 42cm
- Durable ABS Thermoplastic Deck
- Self Propelled, Padded Handlebar, Folding Handles
- 6 Height of cut settings from 23 to 77mm
- 55 Litre Grass Collection Bag, 17" Cutting Width
- Two Year Warranty, Weight 32Kg
If you have a larger lawn then a petrol mower is probably your best bet for easy mowing.
This 17″ Webb mower has a quality Briggs & Stratton engine, a long wheelbase with a roller, and a decent roller that is heavy enough to create some firm stripes.
While it has an ABS mower deck that makes it lighter than some steel mowers, it is still quite heavy. This of course helps to imprint the stripes on the lawn but also makes it harder to push especially for the elderly.
Having said that, the machine is of solid construction, it just screams great British engineering and I’m not talking leaky classic cars, I’m talking submarine spitfire fending off the nazis, or in this case cutting the lawn beautifully. This is helped by the long wheelbase, which helps prevent tramlines, and the large grass collector, which presents too often trips to dispose of clippings.
The only difficulty is the non-mechanically minded might need assistance to assemble – instructions are lacking somewhat and you will need to make sure you have engine oil for servicing.
Not cheap, but definitely worth it. Starts easily, runs smoothly, and cuts well – a fine example of quality British garden engineering.
Best Cordless Lawn Mower for Stripes
- 43cm/17in Cutting Width; Sanli 40 volt 4Ah battery
- Cutting time - 35mins; Charging time - 120 mins
- 3 in 1 - Collect, Discharge or Mulch ( Mulch plug included)
- Single lever height of cut - 7 positions from 23-77mm
- Push Drive; 55 litre collection bag; Soft grip folding handles
Webb are quite a traditional manufacturer but have branched out into cordless electric with his model – and haven’t done a bad job.
Unlike Bosch and Flymo counterparts, this feels like less of a toy, and well-built. But if your lawn is a little on large side, battery might be too small – only lasting 35 minutes before petering out and needing another charge
As for cut quality, the stripes are reasonable with a decent roller, but the front wheels can also leave a track sometimes depending on the grass condition. Gaps between grass collector also means that stray clippings chunder out between the blade and the bag, making clean up a bit more difficult if you’re particular. But as i say, mulching is a good option for most!
Nice first foray into cordless market form webb. Solid first effort but would hope for more improvements in future,
Best Manual Push Mower for Stripes
If you’re noticing a theme – it’s because the English are the best gadeners in the world, and British manufacturers Webb are probably the best lawn mower manufacturers (with rollers).
This little push mower is one of my faves – great machine, that is quite heavy so best suited for relatively flat lawns.
Delivers a real quality cut, even and clean without tearing the grass like rotary mowers can. Including professional-looking stripes.
Also, with no trailing wires and just a quiet clickety clack, its cheap and a real pleasure to use.
THe only downsides are the poor basket, which is a bit pernickety to take on and off, and the weight, which does help deliver an even cut and solid stripes. Aalso if your grass is long, you would be advised to mow once on a higher setting first, and then on a lower setting for best results.
A classic design that is used by many groundsmen. Choose this for a professional machine that can be used without bothering anyone with noise , and of course all the general (benefits)of push mowers.
How to Mow Lawn Stripes
Mowing stripes into your lawn is simple — you just need to be careful of the route you take around the lawn.
The first step is to mow around the perimeter of the lawn, being careful to catch all the edges without scalping any rough bits.
Then, you will need to start at one corner, and mow up and down in the direction you want your stripes to form.
At the end of each length of the lawn, turn around carefully and line your mower up at the edge of the stripe, and use that as your guide for the next strip.
Once you’ve mastered stripes you can move on to waves, circles, and more.
Pro Tips:
- The healthier your lawn, the better the stripes will look. Focus on fertilising (preferably through mulching) and hydration before worrying about superficial details like stripes.
- If your lawn is bumpy or rough, the stripes will just end up all wiggly. In this case you are better off not using a mower with a roller.
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