Cover Your Roof With Aluminum Shingles for $60

By D. Simmons
Published on May 1, 1981
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The roof of the author's home, covered with aluminum shingles, was durable and saved energy.
The roof of the author's home, covered with aluminum shingles, was durable and saved energy.
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To make your shingles, fold a one-inch pocket over the template and snip two cuts in the 1/8
To make your shingles, fold a one-inch pocket over the template and snip two cuts in the 1/8" doubled edge (The arm holding the tool belongs to the author's 9 year old daughter). 
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Place the strap iron along the right slanting fold, bend the metal triangle over itself, and lift the tab between the two cuts.
Place the strap iron along the right slanting fold, bend the metal triangle over itself, and lift the tab between the two cuts.
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Diagram shows method of fitting aluminum shingles together
Diagram shows method of fitting aluminum shingles together

A number of years ago, I covered my home’s entire 1,800-square-foot roof with aluminum shingles–a job that would have set me back more than $2,000 if it had been done commercially–for a cost of only $60!

I chose aluminum because it can last a lifetime, is fire- and rustproof, and will often reduce heating and cooling expenses. In addition, such shingles are lightweight–an important consideration when you have to lug hundreds of them up a ladder. What really clinched my choice, however, was the discovery that this roofing material can be easily salvaged from inexpensive, used printing plates!

Shop Around

A little research convinced me that the best print-shop “leftovers”–for shingle use, at least–were 0.009″ thick and measured 24 5/8″ X 36″. Telephone calls to several local presses proved that such plates vary quite a bit in availability and in price. However, I finally located one small-job printer who had thousands of the shingles-to-be that he was more than willing to unload for the bargain price of 10¢ apiece!

So, I drove to his shop and carefully selected undamaged plates that had a sturdy, 1/8″ doubled-over edge (created when the aluminum was locked in the press). In two hours, I had loaded 600 of the metal sheets in my truck … and had thoroughly blackened my clothes and gloves. (Printer’s ink soils everything it touches, so always don old stained garments when you work with this recycled aluminum.)

Cut ‘Em Up!

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