If you love the look of a striped lawn, you might be wondering whether a manual lawnmower is capable of mowing stripes.
Here, we’ve answered the question: “Can a manual mower leave stripes on a lawn?” We’ve also discussed other things you’re probably keen to know about achieving a striped lawn, including our opinion on the best lawn mowers for this purpose.
✅Key Takeaways:
Most manual mowers don’t leave lawn stripes because they’re not heavy enough.
Some manual lawn mowers have a rear roller, but they’re only suitable for mowing smaller, flat lawns, and may require you to mow the same route multiple times for the stripes to show.
You’ll get better-defined stripes with a heavier petrol or electric mower.
Table of Contents
🤷♂️ Can A Manual Mower Leave Stripes On A Lawn?
No, manual lawn mowers can’t usually leave stripes on a lawn because they’re too light and most don’t have a rear roller.
There are two essential mower features for creating lawn stripes: a rear roller and enough weight to cause this roller to press onto the grass as you mow, rolling it flat.
A manual lawn mower is built to be as lightweight as possible because, unlike a rotary mower, it doesn’t have an engine, so it needs to be easy to push with very little resistance. That means this mower type usually has only the essential features. Rear rollers are more of an added luxury that you’re only likely to find on larger, more expensive mower models.
With that said, there are a few manual mowers that have a built-in rear roller, like the Bosch AHM 38 G Manual Garden Lawn Mower (<Amazon link).
From our own testing, this mower will leave very light stripes on your lawn. If you continue to walk the same route every time you mow, you’ll get some light striping. But it’ll take more effort than using a heavier mower. Check out the customer reviews to get a better idea of the results you can expect.
Related: How Do Manual Mowers Work?
🔁 How Lawn Mowers Leave Stripes
A lawn mower can only leave stripes on your lawn if it has a built-in rear roller.
A roller sits at the back of the mower. Some mowers have a rear roller instead of back wheels, and some have a roller behind the wheels.
When you push the mower forward, the roller flattens the grass in the direction that you’re mowing.
Most people mow their lawns in back-and-forth laps. With each lap, your mower is pointing in a different direction. That means the grass is flattened in opposing directions, and the way it reflects off the sunlight gives your lawn a striped effect.
🧐 Why A Manual Lawn Mower Can’t Leave Stripes
Even the best manual lawn mowers usually can’t leave stripes on your lawn because they’re not designed for this purpose.
Here are a few reasons why a manual mower normally can’t be used for creating lawn stripes:
🔘 No Rear Roller
The main reason why a manual mower can’t typically leave lawn stripes is that it doesn’t have a rear roller.
The majority of manual cylinder mowers have basic designs that consist of the mower frame, the handle, and the blade. Some mowers have a grass collection box to collect grass clippings.
It’s unusual for a manual lawn mower to have a rear roller because the primary intention of the mower’s design is to keep it lightweight (as we’ve mentioned below), making it easier to push.
🏋🏻 Too Light
Another reason why manual mowers can’t leave stripes is that they’re too light to flatten the grass on your lawn.
Even if a manual mower did have a rear roller, the mower would usually be too lightweight to put enough pressure on the roller to flatten the grass.
The lightweight design of a manual mower has several advantages, including ease of use, portability, and easy storage. But it’s not optimal for creating stripes on your lawn, where a weightier mower is actually advantageous.
🏞 Struggles On Uneven Terrain
Manual mowers often struggle to evenly cut grass on a bumpy terrain due to their lightweight design. The mower may jump as you mow over ruts and bumps, lifting at one or both sides.
As well as affecting the quality of your lawn, a manual mower’s inability to evenly mow on bumpy terrain may also affect its ability to flatten your grass evenly.
Imagine that you have a hilly lawn that causes your mower to tilt or lift partially off the ground as you mow. The rear roller won’t stay flat on the ground, so certain sections of your lawn won’t be flattened.
🤨 Best Alternatives To Manual Mowers For A Striped Lawn
So, if you want to achieve a perfectly striped lawn, what’s the best mower to go for?
This depends on your situation.
In our experience, a petrol lawn mower is the best overall mower type for creating lawn stripes. Petrol mowers are heavier than other mowers because they have large engines and are usually made from metal parts, rather than plastic. They tend to have the largest rear rollers and are weighty enough to press grass flat as they’re pushed over a lawn.
However, petrol lawn mowers are too big and bulky to use practically in a smaller garden, and they’re the least environmentally-friendly mowing option. If you’re specifically looking for a smaller, more eco-friendly lawn mower for stripes, without the hassle of a power cord, we recommend an electric cordless mower with a rear roller.
Not all battery-powered mower models have rear rollers – but some do. These mowers have the advantage of being more affordable and better for the environment than petrol mowers, and they’re heavier than manual mowers because of their battery-powered motors. With that said, we haven’t yet found a cordless lawn mower with a rear roller that has equal sturdiness and weightiness as rollers on a petrol mower.
Looking for recommendations on specific mower models that are capable of mowing lawn stripes? We’ve reviewed the best lawn mower models for striped lawns in this guide: Best lawn mowers for lawn stripes in the UK.
Corded Electric Lawn Mower
Cordless Battery Powered Lawn Mower
Petrol Lawn Mower
🏁 Final Word
To sum up, nine times out of ten, a manual mower won’t create stripes on your lawn. There are very few manual mowers that have the all-important rear roller, and those that do aren’t heavy or sturdy enough to flatten grass as effectively as a petrol or electric lawn mower.
If you’re looking for a new lawn mower and your absolute priority is to create a beautifully striped lawn, our top tip is to consider rotary mowers. Go for a cordless mower if you want an environmentally friendlier alternative to petrol-powered mowers.
Or, if you do decide to go for a manual mower with a rear roller, we only recommend using it on a flat lawn to achieve noticeable results.
Whatever you choose, make sure it’s sold by a reputable manufacturer and has plenty of positive customer feedback. Check customer reviews (Amazon is a great place to find these) and look specifically for before-and-after lawn photos to show you a real-life example of a mower’s stripe-producing capabilities.