How to Cut Metal Roofing for Your Patio

Whether you’re renovating your home or building a new one from the ground up, it pays to know what materials are best for certain kinds of jobs. Take metal roofing, for example—it is an affordable and long-lasting option that has its own set of drawbacks. If you want to start cutting roofs today, here’s how!

The “cutting corrugated metal with circular saw” is a tool that can be used to cut through metal roofing. This will allow you to create a patio or other outdoor space.

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Other than roofing, metal roofing may be utilized for a variety of applications. I’ve used it for fence and a patio roof, but I’ve also seen it utilized in outdoor bar paneling, outdoor showers, and raised vegetable beds, to mention a few applications. Cutting the panels is the most difficult aspect of employing metal roofing for projects.

There are a few different types of corrugated metal roof panels, but they all feature elevated portions that make cutting a straight line with standard hand tools difficult. Before being delivered to the project site, most metal roof panels are cut to size using a big machine.

When I’ve utilized metal panels in the past, I’ve had them cut to particular measurements as much as possible, but you still have to cut the metal in certain places to wrap around a pipe or other item. I’ll show you the various equipment I use to cut metal panels for my backyard projects in the video below.

 

Contents Table of Contents

  • Snippets of Tin
  • Grinder with an Angle
  • Metal-Cutting Blade Circular Saw
  • Shears made of metal  
  • Conclusion

Contents

Snippets of Tin

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Depending on the thickness of the metal panel roofing, you can use hang tools such as Snippets of Tin to cut through it. When I’m using metal panels for projects other than roofing, I get the the thinner panels, which is 29-guage. These thinner gauge panels can be cut fairly easily with Snippets of Tin.

Snippets of Tin come in three different types. A red handled tin snip cut left, while a green handled tin snip cuts right. A yellow handled tin snip cuts straight and left or right. So depending on if you’re trying to cut a straight line or a curve in the metal will require you to use different Snippets of Tin. I actually just have the yellow snips which gives me the most flexibility cutting different shapes in my metal panels.

To use the Snippets of Tin to cut the panels, you should mark a line across the panel where you want to cut it. I use a level and a sharpie to mark my line. Because of the raised grooves, I rest my sharpie next to the level and continue at the same angle to make a straight line.

Start the cut and bend up the opposite side of the panel from the hand used for cutting, as shown in the picture above. Getting one half of the panel out of the way of the Snippets of Tin is crucial to help keep them in a straight line. You may need help from another person to help keep the panel bent when the panel is 3 feet or longer since the metal can get heavy holding it only with one hand while cutting with the other.

 

Grinder with an Angle

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When working with thicker gauge metal or a large number of panels, you may wish to use a power tool to help the operation go faster. Before cutting anything metal with a power tool, be sure you have the right personal safety equipment (PPE). You should wear safety eyewear, a face shield, thick gloves, and spark-resistant clothes to protect your arms and legs.

An Grinder with an Angle fitted with a metal cutting disc is by far the best choice to cut metal roof panels. It can easily cut through the thicker metal and help you keep a straight line if marked properly.

Mark your cut as mentioned above with Snippets of Tin, then get a piece of lumber to put underneath the metal panel just to the left of the cut. You don’t want to cut the panel straight off the ground as the cutting disc will also cut into the concrete or whatever is underneath the panel and dull your cutting disc quickly.

You want to cut the metal in the opposite direction of the sparks. Use both hands on the Grinder with an Angle to keep it steady and guide it along the marked line keeping one foot on the panel to keep it from moving.

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Metal-Cutting Blade Circular Saw

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If you don’t have an Grinder with an Angle and don’t want to purchase one, you can use a regular circular saw to cut the metal panels. You will need to get a blade specifically used for cutting metal but the blade will be cheaper than an Grinder with an Angle.

You will need the same PPE to use the circular saw since it will also generate a lot of sparks when cutting the metal panel. The cutting technique is similar as with the Grinder with an Angle but you will have to navigate the circular saw up and down the metal grooves which can prove a bit difficult if your saw is heavy.

Shears made of metal  

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The metal-power shears, an upgrade of the tin tip for cutting thicker gauge metal or if you have a lot of panels, are similar to the tin tips.

They are used in the same manner as the Snippets of Tin where you want to hold one side of the metal panel up while using the shears.

If you don’t have to purchase specific Shears made of metal, they now have shear attachments for your cordless drill.

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Conclusion

We’ve shown you several different methods for cutting metal roofing panels depending on the tools you have. Before I started accumulating power tools, I used my Snippets of Tin a lot to cut metal panels and still do when it’s just one or two small cuts.

Now that I’m older and have more tools, I always use my Grinder with an Angle to cut metal panels when I have a lot of cuts to make. An Grinder with an Angle is a good tool for any homeowner to purchase as they can be used to cut so many different materials.

Good luck with your metal panel cutting in whatever backyard project you’re working on. Fencing is my next metal panel project.

Some patios may need a permit; go here for additional information on patio permits. You may also be interested in our articles on how long a propane tank lasts for a patio heater and how to set up an outdoor patio table. All of these elements will help to bring your patio to life.

 

Cutting metal roofing with a grinder is an easy way to remove the old and install new. It can be done by using an angle grinder, which is a tool that has two small wheels on one end. The other end has a spinning wheel that cuts into the metal. Reference: cutting metal roofing with angle grinder.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest way to cut metal roofing?

A: There are many different ways to cut metal roofing. I would recommend using a reciprocating saw with circular blades.

What is the best way to cut corrugated metal roofing?

A: The best way to cut corrugated metal roofing is by using a circular saw.

How do you cut angles on a metal roof?

A: I am not sure what this question means. You can use a reciprocating saw to cut metal roofing, or you could hire an experienced contractor who specializes in cutting angles on roofs.

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