Today you are going to read the complete Easy Tutorial On How To Stripe A Lawn Perfectly (A Professional Opinion) [Essential Information Step by Step]. Stripping a lawn does not require practice or special talents. It is done by simply make the grass bend in a different way of directions to make it looks darker or lighter depends on how we stripe it by using the tools needed.
In this article, we will guide you from the basic things to advance steps on how to stripe your lawn perfectly. We make this tutorial in details and super easy to understand so you can follow the steps one by one easily especially if you are going to do it for the first time.
Keep reading!
Basic Things for you How To Stripe a Lawn
The main thing you need in order to stripe your lawn is a tool called a lawn striper. You can either buy a lawn striper kit or build it by modifying your mower using a PVC pipe, sandbag or other suitable materials according to your creativity. Making your lawn striper will give the best result same as if you buy the kits that available at the tool shop.
For the best experience, choose a cool-season grass as it contains enough humidity to bend perfectly and gives out the best result as the stripes can be seen clearly enough. You can search for perfect types of grass to be striped as the first step when you decide to design your lawn.
Another thing to remember, make sure you already sharpen your mower blade before starting the striping process. This is to prevent uneven cutting which looks like the grass has been torn instead of cut. Plus, it will help to ensure the grass bend perfectly.
There are a lot of benefits when you stripe your lawn such as firstly, it will make your grass grow healthier. Secondly, ease your work when you plan to plant a new seed of grass and lastly, having an amazing stripping lawn will be one additional attraction to your house. Also, you can visit and see How Much Grass Seed Do I Need to Overspeed? (Essential Information)
How To Stripe A Lawn With A Riding Mower
Stripping your lawn can be done much easier by using a good quality riding mower. This tool will help you to get the outstanding looks that you desired effortlessly while saving more time.
Now, let’s proceed to the steps and tips!
➢ 3-Section Y turn
A 3-section Y turn is an important thing you need to know for a smooth process of stripping your lawn. It is done when you turn the riding mower to proceed to the next lane.
Steps:
- Turn over (around 180 degrees), when you are about to reach the end of the perimeter.
- Then, reverse back and moves forward to the direction where you came from to make the next lane oppositely. It should leave an overlap that makes a “Y-shape”.
By using a riding mower, you can make three types of designs or patterns which are;
- The basic linear design which is known as stripes.
- Chessboard-look which is known as checkerboard.
- Intersecting straight line which is known as criss-cross or diamond.
The basic steps for all these three patterns you need to follow are:
- Firstly, pinpoint a starting point. From there, start to mow around your lawn according to the grass perimeter. This is to create a border or ‘frame’ of your workspace.
- Next, select any area to start. Then, start mowing in one direction and straight line. By doing this, you actually just done your first and main stripe.
Tips: To make your work easier, look for any marker that parallel and straight to your yarn such as a sidewalk. This will helps you to maintain the line straight.
- After finish did the first stripe, turn your mower in the opposite direction and raise your mower’s deck. Continue to stripe in opposite direction from the previous lane. By doing that, another new lane is done now.
Tips: Make sure there is an overlap over the previous lane a few inches. Use the first mowed lane as the guideline to make it straight and uniform.
Then, you can proceed with your desired pattern as listed below:
➢ Stripes
Stripes pattern is the most basic design for a lawn. It also usually becomes a ‘base’ for another pattern. From this pattern, various types of design can be created. To make stripes pattern, simply continue the basic steps you have done as listed above.
- Move your riding mower parallelly to mow the whole lawn completely.
- Mow every lane in opposite direction to the adjacent lane.
Tips: Do not forget the make Y turn after each row before proceeding to the next row oppositely. Plus, remember to rise your deck alternately. The mark of Y turn will be covered as long as you follow the steps accordingly for the whole process.
➢ Checker Board
The checkerboard pattern is the same as a chessboard pattern. Imagine that design and turned it into your lawn. In order to create a checkerboard, you only need to follow the exact steps like stripes pattern with only a few additional steps.
- Do the three basic steps listed above then continue mowing the whole yarn in parallel with the opposite direction of each lane.
- After finish creating the parallel stripes, turn 90-degrees of your riding mower position at the last row to start the new stripes.
- Then, repeat the steps; mow alternately the line in the opposite direction and do not forget to do the Y turn. No worry, all the Y turn marks will be covered at the end.
Tips: Make sure the lines are straight even after you change your mower position. Straight lines will keep the width for every lane is uniform and makes your lawn looks neat.
➢ Criss-Cross
Creating a criss-cross pattern has a bit different steps from stripes or checkerboard pattern. The criss-cross pattern forms a diamond shape as it created from a diagonal lane intersecting with each other.
- Firstly, you need to create a border for your lawn by mowing according to the grass perimeter same as the basic steps mentioned above.
- Next, select one corner to start. Mow the lane diagonally, from corner to corner. Then, continue mowing like stripes pattern for the whole yarn. The difference is, for stripes or checkerboard pattern you mow the grass in parallel while for this pattern (criss-cross), you need to do it diagonally.
- Then, at the last row turn 90 degrees of your riding mower position. Repeat the same process to create stripes as before.
Tips: Mow around the border (perimeter) again to remove all the uneven cutting and cover the unnecessary mark if have as the final step for every type of pattern.
How To Stripe A Lawn With A Quality Zero-Turn Mower
Other than using a riding mower, you should make a zero-turn mower as your compulsory option especially if you want to mow a large or wide area of your lawn. This type of mower complete with a seat that gives you comfort and saves your energy in doing long-duration work.
Below are the steps to stripe a lawn by using a quality zero-turn mower.
1.Decide A Pattern
Before starting, make a clear plan and decide a pattern you want to create. This will help you get the goals you wish such as making your lawn look longer, suits the building, and others.
Tips: Do not forget to remove all things on the yarn to ease the stripping process.
2. Make A ‘Frame’
By using your zero-turn riding mower, make a frame/border according to the grass perimeter, or the perimeter that you have set. Do it at least two laps. This is the step to make your yard looks tidy and nice. Plus, set up the area of your workspace.
3. Start Stripping
Select one starting point and start mowing. Follow the basics steps listed in the riding mower part, and then continue with the required steps for the pattern you want to create.
By using the zero-turn mower, you can create more advanced patterns effortlessly such as:
➢ Stripes, Checkerboards, Criss-Cross
1. The steps are similar when you use a riding mower; Mow in the opposite direction for every adjacent row in parallel for the whole lawn.
2. Next, if you want to make a checkerboard pattern, turn 90 degrees of your zero-turn mower at the last parallel line. Then, start mowing. The overlapping lane will create a checkerboard pattern.
3. Meanwhile, if you want to make a criss-cross pattern, start from one selected corner and mow to the other corner diagonally. Repeat the steps like stripes pattern. Then, at the last lane, turn your mower to 90 degrees to change the direction. Continue to mow diagonally for the whole lawn.
➢ Advance pattern i.e; circles.
- After finishing mowing two laps around the perimeter, bring your mower to the center area where the first circle will be created.
Tips: Turn off your mower when you bring your mower to the center.
- Create the first and small enough circle as you can.
- Then, create another circle (bigger than before), in the opposite direction.
- Continue the same step alternately, and the circle size should become bigger until the whole lawn fits.
- Finish your work by repeatedly mowing the edges of the yard according to the perimeter.
Other than a circle, you can create another fantastic pattern according to your creativity.
Useful Hacks When Stripping Your Lawn:
Always practice Y-turn techniques.
Please be extra careful when you want to turn at the end of the perimeter. Making a Y-turn can help to reduce damage on grass when you want to proceed with mowing the next row.
Height of the grass.
Make sure your grass height is not too short when you want to strip it. Cut it slightly only if needed, and do not let the grass have less than 2-inch height. Types of grass also affect the stripping process. Choose a suitable type of grass for a perfect result.
What To Do If There Are Permanent Obstacles?
One of the common problems when stripping the yard is sometimes there are permanent obstacles present in the yard’s area such as a big tree or any unmovable objects.
To handle this problem, just mow around the object. If there is any unwanted mark in doing so, just mow over it according to the direction of the lane.
Use a high-quality lawn striper kit
If your grass cannot bend well, use a high-quality lawn striper kit for a more impactful result. High-quality lawn stripers will be able to put the required force onto the grass to make it bend well.
Conclusion
To sum up, striping a lawn is fun to do as long as you know the right steps to follow in order to create the desired pattern. Be attentive and creative to get amazing and professional look results as you wish.
What are waiting for, ready to transform your lawn into something new and fantastic like you have seen on the international field right now.
Good luck and happy stripping!
