How to do Lawn Striping in 3 Easy Steps

Lawn striping is a new technique that gives your yard a manicured look. However, the method isn’t easy because you’re mowing in different directions or even a straight line.

Success in lawn striping will depend on the kind of grass in your lawn, the time of the year, or the type of mower you use. Lawn striping has rules to follow, depending on whether you need a basic or a fancier design. 

If you want to do lawn striping, this is the right place. We have highlighted various ways on how to do lawn striping below.

Let’s get started:

How to do Lawn Striping

How to do Lawn Striping

When creating stripes in your lawn, you have to bend the lawn mower blades in opposite directions while mowing. Light will reflect differently on those grass bent from one direction to another.

While mowing, you have to keep the basic principle in your mind. You also have to do other things like choosing grass variety and mowing equipment.

These factors will help increase the bend for it to hold longer.

Here are the steps to consider while striping your lawn:

1. Pick a Pattern

The first step to successful lawn striping is deciding on the pattern to create. This will help, particularly when you do it for the first time.

You will need a sketch of what will fit your lawn because of the endless lawn striping patterns.

2. Watch How You’re Mowing

While mowing, you need to keep watching how the patterns are forming. Unless you want a wavy pattern, you must mow in a straight line.

Use a driveway or sidewalk as the reference line. If they are straight in your lawn, mow parallel to have a straight pattern.

However, to keep mowing in a straight line on your lawn, always look ahead about 10 feet. Don’t look at the ground right where you’re mowing to avoid losing the pattern.

After completing one row, you must lift the mower deck while turning and continue to mow in the opposite direction to the previous pass.

Perhaps you want a fancy checkerboard look, for example, mow your lawn at 90 degrees for a second time after the first mowing. And you can finish by making stripes at the edges of your lawn.

3. Intensify Your Stripes

After mowing, you may have created a basic pattern that will not get your neighbors talking. So, the next thing is what will make the patterns more pronounced.

If you want to intensify the stripes, the secret is bending the grass blades, which you may need a lawn roller. And if you don’t have a roller, you have to splurge or rent one.

Once you have it, go back over the mowing stripes, and roll the grass into the direction you mowed. You can see a dramatic difference, and that will bring you well-deserved shout-outs.

Also read: Which riding mower works best in lawn striping

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Tips to Strip Like a Pro

If you want to strip like a pro, consider these tips:

1. Understand that Grass Matters

The first thing to consider is the lawn. The yard should be smooth and evenly planted. These features will provide a perfect lawn strip.

Perhaps you have fescue, ryegrass, or bluegrass types of grass; that is an added advantage for you. These are grass species that work best for striping. That is because not all types of grass are fit for striping.

Longer grasses with fine leaf blades are excellent in striping. They tend to stay flat after rolling.

Also read: Universal baggers for Zero turn mower

2. Choose Mowing Tools

Most homeowners will create pale striping, which is worth trying. However, that may not provide the dramatic effect you want.

You need to ensure the blades of grass will blend appropriately. Therefore, you will need a striping kit such as a Harrison Specialities striping kit or a mower having a full-width roller.

3. Start-Up the Lawn Mower and Try Striping

Choose a striping design layout you want. In some designs, you may need to have a ruler. But you can try with a straight sidewalk, straight edge, or a driveway as a guide.

Mow parallel to the straight edge, and when you want to pivot, lift the mower deck. Also, consider mowing in the opposite direction of the first pass.

Also read: Miniature toy lawn mowers

4. Practice Striping

Keep your gaze 10 feet ahead to help you achieve confidence while practicing. The other is to mow high, to keep grass soft and long, thus more pliable. It will also be easy to tamp down using a roller.

5. Pick a Pattern

Now you have mastered stripes; it’s time you pick the pattern you want. You can choose from countless patterns, but you should start with simple stripes. That can help you practice consistently.

Once you understand how to stripe, you can consider trying some of these patterns: circles, waves, checkerboards, or diamonds.

See also: How to ask your neighbor to cut their grass

FAQ: How to do Lawn Striping

Is lawn striping suitable for all grasses?

There are grasses suitable for lawn stripings, such as fescue, ryegrass, and bluegrass. These grasses can stay healthy when cut at high heights.

They also have fine textures and don’t bend too much, which means not all grasses are suitable for lawn striping.

Can I strip my lawn without using a roller?

If you don’t have a roller, you can strip your lawn. Cut the grass to the desired height. When you start lawn striping, lower the lawn mower at its lowest setting.

Run the lawn mower up and down in a straight line. At the end of the lawn, change the directions of your mowing to form stripes.

Should I use striping kits?

You don’t need to have a striping kit. With a standard mower, you can still get the stipes you need on your lawn. However, investing in a striping kit will make the lines cleaner and crisper.

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You can use your lawn mower to create the beautiful strips you see in other lawns. The stripes make the grass look like ballpark grass.

The process is simple; we have highlighted above how to do lawn striping like a pro in this article.

Lawn striping can be a fun activity, satisfying, or even meditative hobby that makes your neighbors jealous.

Author

  • Ricky

    Hi, I’m Ricky. I’ve been involved in lawn care and landscaping from when I was 15. To be honest, I didn’t like the idea of pushing mowers, collecting grass clippings, and maintaining flowerbeds at the time. But having seem the passion my parents had for gardening and outdoors and the effort they put in maintaining the health and beauty of our landscape, I couldn’t help but not only admire their hard work but also I became a part of it. As someone who loves to spend time with nature’s best, I find myself learning a lot more about gardening and outdoors on a daily basis. Not to mention I love to share the knowledge I’ve gathered over the years with my readers at We Mow Dallas. To be clear, I don’t have a Master’s degree in gardening or anything like that. Everything I’ve learned about gardening, landscaping, and lawn care spring from passion and engagement with my parents. And with a ton of free information out there, plus the ability to run tests and determine what works best for lawn care and landscaping, every day is an opportunity to learn and implement something new. My goal with We Mow Dallas is to teach you exactly how to maintain your lawn and landscape. And since I walk the talk in reality, you shouldn’t hesitate to join me in this wonderful world of landscaping and lawn care.

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