I have often wondered why is my lawn mower not cutting well? When I feel my lawn mower is having this issue, I take it to my mechanic.
Cutting clean patterns on the grass is not done with top-tier lawnmowers only. With little changes, you can turn your old lawnmower into a new one in no time.
In this article, I am going to teach you ways you can have a beautiful cut of your grass with any lawnmower.
If you want your lawnmower to give you a good cut, get its blades sharpened, and clean it of the debris on the grass catcher under the deck. Clean its air filter also. You will notice a difference when you clean the blades.
Do not go mowing in the morning because the moisture on the grass will clump the grasses. You will not have an even cut.
This article will teach you how to get a better cut from your lawnmower. You will give tips that will be easy for you to apply.
In addition, I will tell you the effect dull blades will have on your lawn, including how to maintain the sharpness of your blade. Here is what to do if your mower is not cutting well:
Sharpen the Blades
You require a sharp lawnmower blade to have a neat and healthy lawn. It will increase the speed with which you mow and you will have a clean-cut lawn too.
When your blades are not sharp, they will give you a rough and uneven cut. You will discover that the grass blade’s end will have torn tips. All you will see are brown patches everywhere. This will increase the chances of the lawn spreading diseases.
You can use a bench grinder, a hand file, a rotary tool, or an angle grinder to sharpen your mower’s blades. The faster, easier, and more accurate way of getting your lawnmower blade sharpened is by using a sharpening stone and a specially made drill.
There are blades you will need to remove from the machine to sharpen, and there are others you sharpen in the machine. It all depends on how the machine is designed. However, you will have the opportunity to inspect the blade for damages and examine its cutting edges.
You can get a detailed guide on how to sharpen your lawnmower blades from your mechanic.
Adjust the Mower’s Height
The beauty of your lawn depends on the adjustment of your lawnmower. You use it to determine the height of the grass you want. Your lawnmower will not cut much grass if it is set too high, making it ineffective.
If you set it too low it will hinder the growth of the grass, and gives your lawn a bald look. You must select the right height that will make the mower cut the tips of the grass blades so that the grass will grow back to look like a thick beautiful rug.
Clean the Underside of the Deck Regularly
The performance of the lawnmower is increased when you clean the undercarriage. It will allow the grass to stand upright as you mow, and you will have an even trim. If the debris and dried grass that enter the lawnmower deck are not removed, they will push down the grass blades. This will make them not to be cut very well.
The lawnmower blades may be stopped from rotating by the dried grass and debris that entered the lawnmower deck. This is why you are advised to clean your lawnmower at least two times during each mowing season. You should also clean your lawnmower before you park it for the winter. Make cleaning your lawnmower a regular activity, especially when you mow long or wet grass.
Remove Debris from the Filter and Grass Bag
To prevent dirt, and debris from entering your lawnmower engine through the carburetor when you are mowing, you need to clean your air filter always. It will also increase the efficiency of your lawnmower.
You must clean the lawnmower grass bag regularly during lawn care. Doing this will make the bag last longer, and increase the performance of your lawnmower as well. You should give the grass bag a thorough cleaning, and every dust in it removed. Get it washed if you can.
You can clean it further by removing mold, grass stains, and fungus from it.
Don’t Mow Too Early
You should not base your mowing time on your convenience. If you mow at the wrong time, you may destroy everything you have done well on your lawn. You should not mow early in the morning because the grass will still be wet by then.
The grass will fold together in wet lumps and cause an accumulation of grass in your mower blades. This will make you waste a lot of time removing grass clippings from your mower.
Furthermore, you will not have a clean cut as you had wished, and you will be forced to rake up the clumps. Mowing early in the morning helps to spread diseases. The wet grass and wet blades will become a handy medium for spreading diseases.
Get the Right Wheels
Considering the topography of the place you always mow, go for the right wheel size for your lawnmower. The normal size of the front wheels of lawnmowers is 8-inches in diameter. The wheel size in the mower’s rear is the front wheel size of low-wheel models of lawnmowers.
You can replace the rear wheels of the high-wheel model of a lawnmower with 9 to 12-inch diameter wheels. Rutted or uneven ground is difficult for standard-sized wheels to work on.
If you are mowing with the smaller wheels, you must follow the mowing area’s curves. It will make the mowing deck scalp the lawn. The best lawnmower to use on uneven terrains is larger wheels because its chances of scalping are low.
Wrapping It Up
You do not have to see cutting your lawn as a difficult task. If you use the right blades, they will perfectly cut the grass and you will have a visually appealing, smooth, and even grass level. You will get it right if you follow the steps we outlined on this page.
FAQs
Why is my lawn mower not cutting well?
There are some common reasons a lawnmower will cut unevenly. They include damaged wheels, a loose, bent, or dull mower blade, a bent crankshaft, and a clogged or damaged cutting deck.
What setting should my lawn mower be on?
Most times 3 inches is the highest setting in most landowner types. You will prevent diseases, promote deep digging roots, help the grass conserve water, improve turf density, and improve turf color when you mow at 3 inches or more.
How can I make my mower cut better?
If you want your lawnmower to give you a perfect cut, sharpen the blades, and empty its grass catcher of debris, clean the deck, and the air filter. You will make a huge difference by cleaning the blades. Do not mow in the morning. The grass’s moisture will clump them, and you will not have a clean cut.