Last Updated on June 9, 2023 by Georgie Smith
You may be thinking, well this is just an added chore. The good news is that it is more than that. You can mow your lawn and add professional stripes at the same time. Lawn striping, yard art or landscapes is a great way to make your garden lovely.
Think of how great it looks on sports fields. Striping is a crucial part of the overall look of the yard, and this is where the best lawn striper comes in handy. It conveys professionalism and cleanliness. At the same time, it reminds you of summer and ballparks.
You must understand that the length of the grass is not the most important thing to consider. The most important factor is how the light reflects on the blades. This art, therefore, involves the bending of grass in different ways so they can receive rays of lights from different angles.
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For instance, when the grass gets bent away from you, it appears lighter. However, when turned towards you, it is darker. With the best lawn striper, you can finally achieve those crisp patterns flawlessly. This article gives you all the information you need to make sure that you have all you need to get those perfect stripes.
Essential Factors on an Excellent Lawn Striper
Getting stripes on your lawn can be fun, but it requires much deliberation. There are numerous things you need to consider before buying a striper. Here are a few of the most critical factors to consider:
The Weight
The last thing you want is to have a roller that is too heavy for your grass. You need to consider the fact that you may need to change the pattern at a time. You also do not want the grass to be bent too much so that they die.
Ensure that your yard can handle the weight of the roller you buy. If it is a manual one, you need to be able to push it for a couple of hours as you get the pattern right.
You also need to consider the weight depending on the intensity of the stripe you want. The heavier the roller, the more intense the look.
The Width
You need to consider the width that you want the rows. Typically, the rollers are between 60 and 72 inches wide. If you do not have a huge yard, you do not want the rows to be extra wide, or it would be weird.
However, if you have a big yard; a smaller width will cause you frustration because you would have to go over the yard several times. Make sure you choose a diameter that is appropriate for the size of your yard.
Material that Fills the Roller
You must consider the fact that you have to load and maybe empty the roller. Do you have the material and time to keep filling it? For instance, if the one you buy has to get filled with sand, do you have enough sand laying around to fill it? If not, it is probably not an excellent choice for you.
The Material Used to Make It
The roller can be polyester or steel. You need to consider how each of these materials will affect your grass in the long term. While stainless steel gets praised for not rusting, sometimes it can show signs of it for various reasons. If this rust sips to your lawn, it may make your once-healthy grass weak.
Therefore make sure you care for your striper because it will affect the health of your grass. The material used will also affect the price you have to pay for the device. Choose one that will be within your budget, and that will allow you to keep your grass healthy.
The Science of Lawn Stripping
First, you need to know the best practices when striping your lawn. Unknowingly, most homeowners damage the overall look of the stripes by doubling back on the same line they worked. You need to double back on the adjacent or parallel path to make great impressions.
Striping works by flattening the raw grass so that it faces one direction. The adjacent row should get bent in the opposite direction. You need to remain predictable so that the patterns are symmetrical.
With one raw lighter and the other darker, you get a sharp contrast. Other than the features of the striping devices, your grass must have specific characteristics for it to get the patterns you want. Here are a few aspects of the perfect green to stripe.
The Length
Think of your grass like the hair on your head. Sometimes it is cut too short that the hair refuses to lie down. Even the best gels cannot put the hair down and let it remain down for an entire day. In the same way, if your grass is too short, it may not bend as you want it. You, therefore, need to grow your grass so that it is long enough to bend and remain down without help.
According to major leagues, the grass needs to be at least 2 inches long. The striper should go over the grass with the blades disengaged. However cold-season grasses can be as short as 1 inch and still have prominent stripes.
The Type of Grass
Cold-season grass is better than warm-season grass when it comes to striping because the blades have water which makes them pliable and bending receptive. The best cold-season grass to go with is fescue, rye, and bluegrass. The best warm-season grasses to work with are Zoysia and Bermuda.
The following are the leaders in Lawn Striper for Push Mower and Riding Mower:
Picture | Product Name | Features |
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Toro Lawn Striping System | – Use with or without bagger attachment – Easily removes while not in use – Heavy-duty construction material – It Easy to assemble |
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Toro 30″ Lawn Striping System | – Convenient for time master kits – Strong, durable construction – Easy to assemble – High-grade steel |
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Lawn Striper Striping Kit | – Adjustable design – Heavy-duty material construction – Pre-programmed with multiple patterns |
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Lawn Stryper LM408111R | – Made in the USA – Easy to use – Three custom colors – Adjustable design – Durable material construction |
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Turf Striper for Pre-2009 | – Made in the USA – Steel material construction – Fits various mower sizes – Easy to assemble |
Toro Lawn Striping System
Mowing is somewhat a tricky activity. It takes time and lots of energy. However, you can make the experience sweet, memorable, and exciting by introducing the Toro lawn stripping system. It gives you different mowing patterns to ensure your yard standouts amongst many within your neighborhood.
The best thing is that this stripper has several patterns programmed to allow you to strip your yard to your expectations.
Additionally, this tool attaches to your mower to allow you to mow and add attractive strips all at the same time. You can also use it with or without a bagger attached and still get the same professional and exceptional results.
It has a heavy-duty construction, which guarantees you strength and durability of the tool. You can also use it to strip through harsh terrains such as sharp slopes and still attain unusual patterns.
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John Deere Tractor Grass Groomer Lawn Striping Kit – LP1001
Keep your lawn attractive neat and clean by introducing John Deere Tractor Grass Groomer Lawn Striping Kit. This time you have an easy-to-maintain and attach design, which makes it suitable for anyone to use. The system is large enough to ensure you can strip through a large piece of the yard within a short period.
Instead of mowing your backyard and leaving it looking empty and unattractive, you can acquire the help of this stripping system for a professional look.
This system is designed using high-grade steel material to enhance its durability and stability. Additionally, the steel material is powder-coated to protect the system from rust and other harsh weather conditions. Therefore, you are sure to use it in different weather conditions without fear of any system breakdown.
Also, the system allows you to choose the way you want to integrate your patterns with every mowing. Another exciting thing about this system is that you can either use it while mowing or independently without a mower attached.
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Lawn Striper Striping Kit for 60″Exmark Lazer Z Ultra Cut Series
If you want all your neighbors to envy your backyard and want you to train them in stripping techniques, then bring this professional stripping roller kit onboard. The roller perfectly fits many mowing machines to ensure you are on the safe side.
It does not require any particular attaching skills for it to function. Therefore, the kit is suitable for all time use without any specified supervision. Unlike other stripping kits, it has an affordable price tag, which guarantees you that even with a low budget, you can still own it for a stripped compound.
However, apart from the low pricing, this tool has a strong and durable construction with the best materials on the market. Lawn Striper Striping Kit for 60″ Exmark Lazer Z Ultra Cut Series can withstand several weather changes, which makes it suitable for all-season use.
This kit in itself guarantees you years of performance with the same great stripping results. Its design and construction are durable to ensure you pass it down to other generations after you.
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Husqvarna Zero Turn Mower Grass Striping Kit
With this lawn Stryper lawn stripping Husqvarna system, you are sure of keeping your yard with a professional look all the time. You can attach it to any machine from walk-behind mowers, hand driver mowers to powered lawnmowers.
You can adjust this stripper system’s height, width, and length to ensure it fits perfectly to your mower. Therefore, you will not have to buy another mower to attach to this system for you to enjoy its services.
It has convenient and top-quality material construction, which guarantees that the system will give you years of a well-kept lawn. It comes in three different colors to provide you with the freedom of selecting the right one for your comfort.
Assembling this tool will only take a few minutes; therefore, it will not waste much of your patterning time. Additionally, even with its easy assemble and use design, this stripper will ensure you attain professional results on your lawn.
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Turf Striper for Pre-2009 Exmark 60″ Ultra Cut Deck Lawn Striping Kit
This Turf striper lawn stripping kit is one of the best stripping kits you will ever find on the market. The manufacturers have been in the lawn stripers construction and servicing business for years, which guarantees that the final product is outstanding in various ways.
With this stripping roller kit, you are sure that it will fit your big-size mower thanks to its construction style. However, if your mower has different spacing brackets, you can always reach out to the company to ensure you get the right roller based on your particular requirements.
Additionally, this roller is designed using high-grade steel to give you years of stripping like a pro. It comes with all the required hardware for assembling, which makes the activity easy for everyone. The brackets have a powder coating to ensure that the system is highly durable and robust for harsh weather conditions.
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Best Type of Lawn Striper
Two types of rollers can be great for landscaping:
- Manual small roller
- Mechanical roller
It is the most expensive category of lawn rollers. It allows you to use your gas or electric mower. It can easily be attached to it and pulled. If you have a large lawn to go over, these are the best types to buy. They give you the freedom to sit on your riding mower, and have your lawn mowed, and the grass bent at the same time. Their main disadvantage is that they can cost up to 5k dollars.
Some motorized rollers are electric or use gas to fuel them. There are also some that allow you to ride them as you get your lawn shaped.
Manual Stripers
These are generally great for people with smaller lawns because they tend to be lower in cost. However, they are not easy to attach to a mower. A user, therefore, has to push them to get the patterns. They can be tedious and inconvenient. These have sand or water.
Checkmate vs. Toro Lawn Striper vs. DIY Lawn Striper
Checkmate | Toro | DIY |
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You need to drill holes to your mower | Easy to get on | You make yours with the best measurements |
Heavy duty quality | Made of plastic and gets damaged fast | You can always use a bigger PVC for weight purposes |
How to Make Lawn Striper for Riding Mower
If you do not have enough money to buy a roller, it does not mean that you will not have that great pattern. You can make your roller from the materials that are readily available at home.
What you will need:
- PVC pipe
- Two PVC end caps
- Drill and drill bit
- PVC primer, handsaw, and glue
- Sand
- Two eye hooks
- Two lengths of rope about 4 foot each
- A wrench
- Washers and nuts
How to Make a Lawn Striper for a Push Mower and Riding Mower:
- Measure the width of the back of your mower and cut the PVC pipe to be that width
- The end pipes and drill holes at their center
- Slide the washer to the eyebolt and tie the ropes through each hole
- Prime the PVC and glue one end of the caps so that it permanently holds to one side
- Pour the sound into the PVC
- Attach the roller to a mower using the ropes
How to Stripe a Lawn with a Riding Mower or Push Mower:
Do you have a particular pattern in mind? Well, most teams have professionals who can make their logos on the grass using rollers. You are not a professional (yet), but you can also get reasonably great results even during your first try. Here’s how to do it:
The first thing you need to do is survey your land to find and remove any foreign objects. Whichever pattern you select, there are three turning methods that you can employ to keep the patterns intact:
- Reverse
- At the end of the row, you are working on, enter the perimeter and veer towards the next row
- Drive forward into the next row
There are Three Types of Patterns That Are Most Common, These Are:
Stripes
Start the row at the perimeter around the property. Move in opposite directions through the remaining areas in your property.
Make sure that you are careful while turning so you do not cause turf damage. A “Y” turn, while simple, will prevent damage as you prepare to mow the next row. You may have to go over the lawn again to remove any irregularities.
Checkerboard Stripes Pattern
Here, start by moving through the perimeters around your property. After that, mow in opposite directions and make sure you do not damage the turf. Next, move perpendicularly in all directions of the original pattern.
Diagonal or Crisscross
It uses the same mowing method as the checkerboard pattern above by just following an oblique direction.
Zigzags
Begin with a pattern similar to that of the checkerboard. Make the light stripe at the center of the checkerboard and mower across the intersecting dark parts and on to the light element. Move the mower so that the light stripe is 90 degrees to the right.
Then move across to the tan lines and on to the light one. Ensure the mower turns 90 degrees left. Repeat this on the light colored sections. For all these patterns, finish by going over the design again removing irregularities and deliver a clean look. [2]
FAQs:
Q: How do you know if it will fit your lawn mower?
A: Then best way to get a perfect fit is to ensure that the measurements at the back of your mower line up to those of the striper.
Q: Will they work for any lawn mower brand?
A: Yes, these should fit perfectly to any lawn mower regardless of the brand
Q: Does the bottom side matter?
A: Yes, if the bottom side is not smooth, it will show on your lawn.
Final Thoughts
You can now get the lawn you deserve. At first it will be much hard work, however, once you get the hang of it, it will be a piece of cake. You need to make sure that you have a clear pattern in mind, so you do not seem confused. The design on your perimeter will guide you.
Did you love this article? Do you know people who need to have these patterns on their yards? Well, share this article on the best lawn striper for a push mower and riding mower with them.