Shingles: They’re Great for More Than Just Roofing

Winter Storm Jonas sure was something. The kids have had a great time sledding and building snowmen, and everyone’s enjoyed not having to go, well, anywhere for the last several days, but there’s a bit of cabin fever setting in. You’re looking for any, and everything you can do to keep yourself busy until you can get out of the house and back to some sense of a normal routine.

For now, at this minute, that means purging the garage. You’re making piles, and more piles; you’re making plans to donate this, and toss that out. It’s all going relatively well… until you find the leftover shingles from when Style Roofing replaced your roof last year.

Should you keep them? Should you kick them to the curb with the rest of the rubbish? If you do keep them, what are they good for?

Well, in short:

Yes, keep them. No, don’t throw them out.

And when wondering what leftover shingles are done for, consider this:

You can walk a little safer in the wintertime.

Forget salt that could damage your concrete (not to mention your favorite boots); the best way to protect your family and anyone who visits from falls as they travel your icy walkway in the wintertime is with a row of asphalt roofing shingles. The rough surface of the shingles will give traction and eliminate the risk of dangerous slips and skids.

You can get creative.

Natural slate or wooden shingles make a great medium for your next art project. Depending on how many you have on hand, create a striking accent wall, a stylish mural, or use them as your canvas for oil paint. (A note though, if you’re going to paint on wooden shingles: Coat both sides with matte acrylic to preserve their natural color and prevent warping.)

You can prep the ground for your springtime hardscaping project.

The best way you know to get through winter is to begin planning your spring projects, and top priority this year is the construction of a new stone patio. Keep those leftover asphalt shingles and ask your hardscape designer to set them first; doing so will keep stones or pavers from shifting out of place, and will keep the weeds out too.

You can even cook your dinner.

Now that’s a kitchen gadget with a story behind it. Of course, these shingles need to be of the cedar variety (and not chemically treated in any way). Unsure? Ask your northern VA roofer to verify the safety of your shingles for kitchen use. Check for splinters; sand lightly; wet, and then use as a base for planked salmon, other fish, or vegetables on your grill. YUM.

In a word: Repairs.

There’s winter weather, and then there’s two-and-a-half feet of snow on the ground… and on your roof. Even the sturdiest of roofs are at risk for damage when a storm like Jonas ravages its way through northern Virginia; when and if that happens again, you’ll be glad you kept a few of those extra shingles to patch the weak spots left behind.