Q: I need to replace some flashing on my roof. Is there a trick to shaping the roll of aluminum material to fit?
A: Wearing gloves to protect your hands, you should be able to cut and bend small pieces of flashing on flat surface with a straight edge. In some cases you’ll be able shape the flexible material freehand, but other times it might help to nail down one edge and bend the piece directly over a stationary straight edge. Clamp the piece over a 2×4 or 2×6 to make long bends. For complicated shapes such as chimney flashing, it will help to have an old piece to serve as a template for making the same cuts and bends in the new piece. Use metal snips to make the cuts.
