How to Balance Lawn Mower Blades – and the Simple $10 Tool That Could Save Your Grass This Spring

Spring is on its way and that means it’s almost time for the first mow of the season. But before you fire up your lawn mower, there’s one key bit of upkeep that can make all the difference for your lawn and mower.

Learning how to balance lawn mower blades is vital to the health of both your mower and your grass. Luckily, the tool you need to do this task only costs around $10 and it’s an easy job to check off your spring gardening list.

I’ll reveal why balancing your lawn mower blades is an important part of growing a lush, healthy lawn. Then I’ll walk you through exactly how to do it and what you’ll need to make sure your lawn mower is in tip-top shape for the season ahead.

Do My Lawn Mower Blades Need Balancing?

The beginning of the spring season is the ideal time to do important maintenance on your essential gardening tools. And one of the most used pieces of equipment for many gardeners and homeowners is the lawn mower.

Each spring, ensure that your lawn mower blades are balanced and sharp before making that first cut of the season. This prevents problems with your lawn mower itself and helps you grow a healthier lawn as well.

Sharp and even blades make cleaner cuts that look better and prevent common lawn diseases. Ragged and uneven cutting caused by dull or unbalanced blades leaves your lawn looking patchy and leaves grass vulnerable to infection as well.

How to Tell If Blades Are Unbalanced

You can tell if your lawn mower blades are unbalanced if you notice rattling or difficulty turning your mower. You may also feel a lot of vibration and even discomfort while mowing the lawn.

You’ll also notice the effects of an unbalanced lawn mower blade in your lawn itself. You will see patchy, uneven cuts and certain areas with grass that's longer than in other spots. If you want to grow a perfectly uniform lawn, a balanced blade is a must.

Balanced blades are necessary not only for aesthetics and ease of mowing, but they also keep your mower in peak condition. Unbalanced blades can wear on the motor, bearings, and other parts of your mower. Balancing blades helps extend the life of your lawn mower by ensuring that it is in proper working order.

The easiest way to tell if your blades are imbalanced, though, is by looking at them. If one side of the blade has more visible wear and tear or is shaped differently, then your blade is probably imbalanced.

What You Will Need

How to Use a Lawn Mower Blade Balancer

First, remove and clean your blade of any grass clippings, dirt, or debris. Next, place your blade on top of the blade balancer. The blade will tip to one side or the other if it is imbalanced. One side will be lighter because it is more worn down, thus causing the imbalance.

To fix the imbalance you need to file down the heavier side. Take the side of the blade that tilted down on the balancer and file that side with a file from Home Depot, a blade sharpener from Amazon, or a blade balancing kit like this one from Amazon that includes both a balancer and a drill attachment for sharpening.

Use a vice to hold your blade steady and then use your tool of choice to sharpen the blade’s cutting edge. Do a couple rounds of sharpening, then check the blade again on the balancer. Continue the process until the blade sits evenly on the balancer and doesn’t tilt to either side.

Now your blade is balanced, sharpened, and ready for the first mow of the season!