Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Can you mow over steel lawn edging safely?

Updated: October 2026

You can mow over steel lawn edging only when the top sits below the mower blade and the installed edge is firm enough not to lift or buckle. A low 1.6 mm spiked section set around soil level is a different object from an 18 cm panel left proud or a 0.6 mm coil held loosely in a shallow slot. Start with your mower’s cutting height, not the product’s marketing label. The [main lawn edging metal comparison](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/lawn-edging-metal) records face heights, gauges and fixings for the saved UK listings. This guide turns those dimensions into a mowing and strimming decision. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You can mow over steel lawn edging only when the top sits below the mower blade and the installed edge is firm enough not to lift or buckle.

Our top picks

CORE EDGE CORE EDGE 65 mm black

Best overall

CORE EDGE CORE EDGE 65 mm black
8.2/10about £38.49
View offer
CORE EDGE CORE EDGE 100 mm black

Alternative

CORE EDGE CORE EDGE 100 mm black
8.2/10about £44.98
View offer
VOUNOT VOUNOT 10 m galvanised

Best value

VOUNOT VOUNOT 10 m galvanised
8.0/10about £23.49
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.When the mower can cross
  2. 2.Strimmer cord and a thin top
  3. 3.Tall faces left above the grass
  4. 4.A mow strip is a different object

When the mower can cross

The blade must clear the steel throughout the cut. Steelscapes sets a lawn edge at soil level so grass and thatch sit above the metal. EverEdge’s rule of thumb is roughly 10 to 15 mm below cutting height. Garden UK describes flush or about 5 mm below the turf. These are supplier notes, not one legal depth. The mower should cross turf above the steel, not strike a proud edge. Check clearance with the mower switched off and isolated. One wheel dropping into a bed can lower the deck. Test joins, corners and settlement. CORE EDGE’s 65 mm section is the clearest saved example: the maker calls the 1.6 mm steel mower-safe, and a UK reviewer says the mower goes over the fitted edge. That claim is for this section at the right height, not for every strip. Setting height starts at installation, covered in how to install metal lawn edging.

Strimmer cord and a thin top

A strimmer comes from the side. CORE EDGE says its 1.6 mm domestic section is strong enough to strim against. Do not hold the cord on one point. Contact can mark a coating. Do not transfer that claim to a 0.5 or 0.6 mm roll. One UNIGARDIA reviewer strims up to the bed and also calls the metal thin enough to bend underfoot. Compacted soil may allow light cord contact. It has less reserve against a heavy head or a blade. A line that wobbles is not ready for a powered tool. Cord throws grit, rust and stones. Wear eye protection and keep people, pets and glazing clear. Do not use a metal brush or blade unless both tools are designed for that contact. A VOUNOT reviewer shielded a wall with the panel. The 0.7 mm steel has no listed pegs. That use is not a rigid mow-over edge.
CORE EDGE CORE EDGE 65 mm black

Testsieger

CORE EDGE CORE EDGE 65 mm black
8.2/10about £38.49
View offer

Tall faces left above the grass

Too much metal above the lawn is a hazard. VOUNOT’s panels are 18 cm. Focefec’s title says 8 in, about 20 cm. Buried deeply they can separate a bed. Left proud they stand in the blade path, and a wheel over the border can tilt the deck onto the steel. The 100 mm CORE EDGE is 1.6 mm with an integral spike, but the finished height still controls clearance. Choose the deeper face to retain material, not because more visible steel mows better. The UNIGARDIA corten rolls state 14 cm by 0.6 mm. Exposed, that face can wave or kink. Thickness, face and fixing belong together in the metal lawn edging buying guide. Around children and pets, do not leave a sharp top. A reviewer of the 100 mm CORE EDGE raised that point. Check every cut end, not only the title.

A mow strip is a different object

A mow strip is a horizontal band that carries the mower wheels, often paving or concrete. One landscape guide uses about 100 mm as a useful width. That is not the same as a 100 mm-high steel face. The band lets the mower cut close to a raised bed without crossing the barrier. A vertical mow-over edge is more discreet if the top stays below the blade. Settlement or a poor joint can still create a high point. Reset any section before it meets the blade.

Common questions

Can you mow over steel lawn edging?
Yes, when the steel is firmly installed at soil level or below the mower’s cutting height and no joint stands proud. Check clearance with the machine switched off and isolated. Do not cross a raised panel simply because it is sold as lawn edging. A wheel dropping into the bed can lower the deck onto steel that looked clear on flat ground.
How far below the grass should the top sit?
Maker guidance varies. EverEdge suggests roughly 10 to 15 mm below cutting height, while other UK guidance uses soil level or about 5 mm below the turf. Use the mower’s actual blade path and allow for uneven ground rather than copying one depth blindly. These figures are supplier notes, not a single legal depth.
Will a strimmer damage a steel edge?
Light cord contact with a firm 1.6 mm section may be acceptable where the maker permits it, but repeated contact can mark coatings. Thin rolls may flex under a heavy head. Metal blades or brush heads should not strike the edge unless that contact is specifically approved for both the tool and the steel.
Is an 18 cm face a mowing edge?
Only if it is installed so the top remains safely below the blade. An 18 cm panel left mostly above ground is a barrier, not a mow-over edge. Its height may suit bed separation. The mower should stay away from any face that still stands in the blade path after you have finished burying it.
Does a 0.6 mm roll take the same knock as 1.6 mm?
No. The thinner roll is easier to curve and also easier to kink or bend. Soil support can improve stability, but the roll should not inherit mower-safe or strimmer-resistant claims made for a specific 1.6 mm section. A line that already wobbles is not ready for the cord or the blade.
What is a mow strip?
A mow strip is a flush horizontal band, often paving or concrete, that carries the mower wheels. It is wider than a vertical steel line and useful beside raised edging. A shared 100 mm figure can mean either a strip width or a steel face height. Those are different objects and they solve different gaps.

Related pages

Corten or galvanised edging

Lawn edging metal

Best metal lawn edging: spiked, panel or thin coil

Metal lawn edging buying guide: thickness and height

How to install metal lawn edging without denting it

Sources

Public UK sources for this comparison. Prices and star lines were saved from amazon.co.uk on 19 October 2026.

  1. GPDO 2015 Schedule 2 Part 2 Class A (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. RHS: how to maintain lawn edges (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. EverEdge FAQs (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. CORE EDGE product page (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Kinley: how to choose landscape edging (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Straightcurve: steel lawn edging in the UK (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, Part 1 Chapter 2 (retrieved 19 October 2026)