Lawn slope survey sheet

By the Gladeburn team

Sources awaiting check

Illustrative garden lawn bordered by planting, with a spirit level resting on a timber batten on slate paving in the foreground

Prepare a record for your installer, rather than judging a whole lawn by one brochure number. This sheet organises measurements and questions; it does not approve a mower or an installation.

Record the geometry

Gradient (%) = vertical rise ÷ horizontal run × 100. Husqvarna uses this definition in its slope installation guidance. Use matching units for both distances. Distance along the grass is not horizontal run.

For the angle in degrees, use arctan(gradient ÷ 100), with the result expressed in degrees. The table below is Gladeburn's calculated conversion, rounded to one decimal place. These are geometry examples, not mower specifications.

Rise over a 1m horizontal run Gradient Angle
100mm 10% 5.7°
150mm 15% 8.5°
200mm 20% 11.3°
300mm 30% 16.7°
400mm 40% 21.8°
500mm 50% 26.6°

Only measure where you can do so safely. Leave hazardous areas for a competent site survey; do not use a mower as a test instrument.

Map each relevant section

Give each location a letter on a garden sketch. Record local steep sections separately from gentler areas.

Location Rise Horizontal run Gradient % Angle ° How measured / uncertainty
A
B
C
D

Date and ground conditions observed: ____________________

Sections left unmeasured and why: ____________________

Ask the installer to assess the context

Husqvarna distinguishes working-area and boundary slope limits, which vary by model. Its guidance also discusses slipping around obstacles, particularly when wet. A headline capability is therefore insufficient for a boundary or difficult turning area. Manufacturer guidance.

Location Lawn interior or boundary? Nearby pond, road, drop, obstacle or passage Installer's answer / action
A
B
C
D

Keep the exact-model evidence

Specs to check: complete this only after checking the actual model documents. No product capability is asserted by the conversion table.

Do not fill gaps with a limit from a similar model. Obtain a documented answer before treating an uncertain area as suitable.

Keep the wider plan

Gladeburn's wildlife-first approach means no night mowing. Ask for a daytime plan that also accommodates people using the garden; the geometry table does not set an operating schedule.

Related guides: slope percentages and degrees, installation survey questions and robot mowers for slopes. Keep this worksheet with the eventual survey and manual. It is not a substitute for either.

Sources