If you’re in the market for an aluminum fence, then it’s likely that the fence surrounds a beautiful lawn that requires a healthy amount of TLC. To some, lawncare is enjoyable, relaxing, and prideful. For others, lawncare is stressful and burdensome. Installing an aluminum fence in your yard adds a new obstacle to mow and trim around.
Homeowners may find it tricky to keep the grass neatly trimmed beneath the horizontal pickets. But with these tips and tricks, you’ll be able to keep your lawn in the same tip-top shape that it was in before!
Lawn Mowers and Aluminum Fences
As a homeowner, there are many obstacles that must be avoided at all costs while mowing the lawn – there are hidden stumps, rocks, fire pits, and even the occasional soccer ball left outside by the kids. Throwing an aluminum fence into the mix is just another obstacle that will become second nature to avoid in no time at all.
Aluminum fences are typically installed around the perimeter of your yard – which can actually be beneficial to your lawnmowing abilities. Having a straight fence line as a perimeter to work around will help you mow those perfect, mesmerizing lines in the yard starting at the first pass. It’s recommended that you start at the perimeter and follow the fence to start a perfectly straight cut.
The type of lawnmower that you have will play a large part in how easy it is to mow around your aluminum fence. Push lawnmowers can be exhausting but are incredibly easy to maneuver around an aluminum fence.
Zero-turn lawnmowers are becoming increasingly popular and offer homeowners much more control in direction. Zero-turn lawnmowers can easily maneuver the corners of your yard and turn on a dime to ensure a perfectly straight cut.
Riding lawnmowers, on the other hand, are a bit more challenging. Although they do a great job with the center portions of your yard, they struggle with making tight corners and turns. But have no fear! Do the best that you can with the riding lawnmower and then take out the weed whacker to finish the job.
Almost all modern lawnmowers nowadays have guards around the blades, so you shouldn’t have worry about damaging your blades. Just make sure that the guards are functioning and not damaged before getting too close to the aluminum fence.
Thanks to the sturdiness of aluminum fences, it’d be difficult to do any damage with a lawnmower. In fact, if you run into an aluminum fence, then you might end up doing the most damage to your lawnmower!
Lawn Mowing and Gate Width
The placement of your gate is extremely important – so be sure to think it through before you get your aluminum fence installed. First and foremost, you’ll have to make sure that your gate is wide enough to get a riding lawnmower through.
A typical self-propelled push mower has a width of about 22”. This is small enough to easily fit through any gate. Be aware that the deck width listed by the manufacturer typically refers to the cutting deck (how far out the blades can reach). Keep in mind that with blade guards, the deck is even wider.
Zero turn and riding lawnmowers are much wider and are designed to mow larger lawns more quickly. These cutting decks range from 42” all the way up to 72”. You’ll have to consider your deck size when installing your aluminum fence gates.
Aluminum Fences Direct offers gates in 3’, 4’, 5’, and 6’ wide options. Small 22” push mower decks can easily fit through the smallest 3’ option, but you have to be careful if you have a riding mower. A 42” mower deck will be a tight squeeze through a 3’ gate. Something as large as a 72” deck will most likely require a double gate.
8’, 10’ and 12’ wide are residential graded double gates offered by Aluminum Fences Direct. Commercial grade double gates are offered by Aluminum Fences Direct are offered in 14’ and 16’ wide options. Even the smallest largest 72” mower deck can easily fit through the smallest 8’ double gate option.
Weed Whackers and Aluminum Fences
Weed whackers, weed wackers, weed eaters, string trimmers, or whatever dialect you like to use, this is an essential lawncare tool if you own an aluminum fence. Whether you own an aluminum fence or not, it’s likely that you already own this tool to trim around your bushes, driveway, and walkways.
After you’re done mowing, it’s time to bust out the trimmer. A weed whacker will come in handy to get those tough spots under and around the fence that the lawnmower blades simply can’t reach. You’ll probably need to work both sides of the fence to adequately trim the fence line.
One important thing to consider is the thickness of your string trimmer lines. The thinner the line, the more likely it is to break off once you hit a picket. It’s inevitable that you hit a picket when trimming. This ensures the closest, cleanest trim as possible. The more spaced out your pickets are, the easier it will be to trim. This makes Appalachian, Carolina, Commercial, Floridian, Manhattan, Outback, and Sierra varieties all great options offered by Aluminum Fences Direct.
String trimmer lines vary from 0.065” to .110”. For light trimming, 0.065” to 0.085” is ideal. For thicker weeds and to minimize the risk of breakage on aluminum fence pickets, 0.085” to 0.110” is ideal.
Conclusion
Lawncare with an aluminum fence doesn’t have to be difficult. With the proper planning, mowing your lawn with an aluminum fence by Aluminum Fences Direct is no different than mowing one without. Things to consider into gate width, mower deck size, weed whacker string trimmer line thickness, and mowing pattern. With these tips and tricks, your lawn is guaranteed to be looking better than your competitive neighbors.
