How to Cut Grass with a String Trimmer: Tips and Tricks

Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by Kyle Whitley

how to cut grass with a string trimmer

Have you ever thought, if I needed to, could I cut my grass with a string trimmer?  If so, then you need to know how to cut grass with a string trimmer.

While it is possible to cut a yard with a string trimmer, there are some things you need to keep in mind to make it a successful endeavor for you and your yard.

Cutting Grass With a Battery or Electric Powered Weed Eater

If you need to or decide to cut your lawn with a weed eater, weed whacker, or string trimmer, then need to be aware that this is a different task than pulling out your trusty old battery powered lawn mowers or an electric lawn mower and cutting the grass.

The old saying is to use the correct tool for the job.  Let’s see if cordless string timmers have the right tools to get the job done.

Getting an Even Cut

To ensure that you get an even cut, you should hold the head of the weed trimmer even with the ground and use short sweeping motions while cutting. Be sure to avoid cutting the grass too short. Start high and work your way lower.

Look out for Debris

 You should always check around the area that you’re going to trim. There may be some loose rocks or other debris that could cause damage to your home, car, or people if you happen to hit them.

I know from personal experience I have smashed my shins with rocks I didn’t see a few times trimming around my home.

Proper Technique is Key

Hold the weed trimmer close to your body while you’re cutting grass. You’ll want to position it so the head is at a comfortable height and the trimmer line is at a comfortable angle. Trim around and edge first.  Then start trimming that area with the weed whacker.

Steady as She Goes

You should be holding your battery powered or electric grass string trimmer level to the ground and making passes using a short swinging movement. As you go along you should overlap the passes to get the entire lawn trimmed. Tall grass can make this a little more difficult.

This is much the same as you would cut with regular lawn mowers, obviously without the swinging part.

Finish the Trimming

After you have finished cutting the grass to your desired height, make sure the grass is even. You will then want to use the weed trimmer for its designed purpose and that is trimming.

If you have a model where you can rotate your trimmer head, rotate the head into trimming mode, and begin trimming the areas of your yard that need edging. A non-rotating head trimmer will need to be turned over so the head is vertical and you can then trim and edge

 

5 Tips for Using Your Trimmer to Cut Grass Successfully

  1.  Use a good quality cordless string trimmer, weed whacker, or electric string trimmer
  2. Proper safety gear and equipment is a must: eye protection(safety glasses), hearing protection, closed-toe shoes, and long pants.
  3. Use a swinging side to side motion when cutting the grass
  4. Maintain a level trimmer head to keep the grass cut even
  5. Cut small areas at a time, overlapping areas to get a consistently even cut

string trimmer with grass covering its debris sheild

Maintaining Your Grass Edge Trimmer

While battery and electric grass trimmers don’t require a lot of maintenance there are a few things you need to do to make sure your next cutting experience is successful.

  • Clean off any grass on the electric trimmer head and shaft
  • Scrap off any grass or other vegetation that might have collected under the trimmer guard
  • Wipe off any dirt or debris that might have gotten around the motor housing and make sure the motor vents are clear of debris
  • Remove grass clippings from areas where you have trimmed or edged such as your patio, pool decks, or sidewalks
  • Use a leaf blower as a quick way to clean up your cordless electric string trimmer after a cutting session, it makes cleanup that much easier.
  • If you are using a corded electric string trimmer then you will need to make sure the cord is clean and stowed away correctly.  Extension cords should be taken care of as well to maximize  their useful life.

 

The Pros and Cons of Cutting Grass with a String Trimmer

As I have mentioned in this post, you can definitely cut a lawn with a battery or electric string trimmer.  There are some Pros and Cons of using a weed eater to cut the grass.

PROS

  • String trimmers are quick and convenient tools to use especially for smaller cutting jobs
  • They are easier to get into tight spaces and smaller areas that bigger lawnmowers can’t reach
  • Weed eaters are great for cutting grass in areas that are steep or have multiple obstacles that might be an issue for a lawnmower

CONS

  • Cutting at a consistent height is hard with a string trimmer or weed eater. Tall grass makes making a consistent cut harder.
  • Lawn mowers have levelers and height adjustments built into the mower for easy consistent cutting.
  • The electric trimmer line doesn’t make a precise clean cut of the grass blade. Mower blades cut more cleanly and evenly.
  • String trimmers tend to through objects they hit.  Trimmers can kick of rocks, branches, and other objects lying on the lawn.  Mowers have better debris shields to protect the string trimmer operator and property around the mower.

String Trimmer Manufacturers

 

Conclusion

If you don’t have any other option, say your lawnmower is out of commission or you don’t have a lawnmower but you do have a battery powered string trimmer, then you can cut your grass with a string trimmer.

String trimmers are really designed to trim areas, edge hardscapes, and flower beds,  or cut small patches of weeds and grass.  They were not intended to be used to cut a lawn.

Hopefully, this helped you find out how to cut grass with a string trimmer, but in my opinion, if you want to cut the grass regularly you need to get a good battery or electric powered lawnmower.