Lawn Slope Calculator: How to Measure Your Lawn Slope

Lawn Slope Calculator Guide.

All robot lawnmowers have limits on the slope that they can work. Some are much better at dealing with bigger slopes than others. For example, the Husqvarna Automower 435 AWD 4×4 can handle slopes of up to 35°. But how do you know if you need this for your lawn?

We have put together this guide to help you work it out simply depending on what you have available at your home to calculate it.

So, we will do the calculation depending on what tool you have for doing it.

One other thing to remember is that we recommend getting a robot mower that has a little more slope capacity than the steepest section of your lawn. What we mean by this is that if your lawn has a slope of 20°, we recommend a mower capable of a slope of 22° or more.

Measuring Lawn Slope

This is just in case there are any lumps or holes in your lawn that may cause the mower to tilt a little further, causing it to stop with the safety cut-off.

Also measuring at several places is a good idea to make sure that you have a good idea of the angle all over your lawn.

Option 1 – SmartPhone

Get the iHandy Level for your device from the link below. Then all you need to do is take your phone out and measure the slope.

It’s a good idea to take a piece of wood or something long to put your phone on to get a good measurement and keep your phone from getting wet or grass on it.

Lay your phone or tablet on its side on the piece of wood and there you have it. Your measurement reading is all done.

iHandy Level for iPhone

iHandy Level for Android

Option 2 – Protractor (with or without spirit level)

So, the first piece of equipment will be the easiest to use as there is no calculation required. You will need to get your hands on a protractor, this is the little semi-circle plastic measurement device you would have used in school.

It looks like this.

Firstly, find the steepest part of your lawn. Once you have found it position yourself so you can look across the slope.

Then either use a spirit level or you can look at the side of a house or something else that is level, sometimes a fenceline to measure against. You just need to line up the bottom of the protractor with the ground, again a piece of wood or something to put it on is a good idea, and take your measurement.

Option 3 – Level and a tape measure

So for the final option if you don’t have a smartphone handy and you don’t have a protractor then you can do it the complicated way. Just kidding its not that hard but the first two are much easier.

You will need a spirit level and a tape measure or ruler.

1. Find the steepest part of your lawn.
2. Hold the spirit level at its level position out from the slope.
3. Rest on the end of your spirit level at the top of the steepest part.
4. Measure the distance from the end of the level straight down to the ground (h on our diagram below). Make sure you are measuring straight down at a 90° angle to the spirit level.
5. Measure the length of your spirit level
6. Input the dimensions to the calculator below or use the following formula on your own calculator.

Our Free Lawn Slope Calculator

View our other online tools and calculators HERE!