How to Cut Roof Slates
The roof is any home's first line of defense against the outside elements. Most types of roof materials require periodic attention to maintain the roof, but slate is one of the most durable roofing materials available and usually requires little if any attention. Slate is extremely heavy as compared to other roofing materials, but is also the most fragile to handle. Because of its fragility, the key to cutting slate roofing is to weaken the area to be cut and to support the weight of the slate piece while the cut is made. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Lay the slate piece onto a flat surface, and use a tape measure to measure the length of slate that will be installed onto the roof. Draw a line across the slate with a piece of chalk to mark the location where the cut will be made.
-
2
Use a nail set and a hammer to punch a series of holes along the length of the marked line. Contrary to its name, a nail set is actually a single tool originally designed to recess the head of a nail into the nail's surface. However, its pointed tip is commonly used to create holes through slate pieces before they are cut. The holes serve to weaken the integrity of the slate piece so that the cut is as clean as possible.
-
-
3
Place the slate piece between two pieces of wood, just like a sandwich. Position the slate piece so that the line marked on the slate lines up with the sides of the two wood pieces and the portion to be cut extends away from the wood pieces.
-
4
Tap the portion of the slate to be eliminated with a hammer to make the cut.
-
5
Smooth the rough spots out of the edge of the final slate piece by gently tapping them out with a hammer.
-
1
