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You are here: Home / Tutorials / Cans / How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum

By Noreen 25 Comments




There are lots of great crafts you can make from aluminum cans.

And the colorful logos on the cans add to the finished project.

For most projects you need to first turn a soda can into a flat sheet of aluminum.

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum - Crafty Journal

When I’m cutting aluminum cans, I like to wear a kevlar glove on the hand holding the can to prevent cuts. The can edges are really sharp when cut.

Kevlar Glove Protects Hands

The kevlar glove (also called a fisherman’s fillet glove) can be found in Walmart or Harbor Freight. This glove is specifically made to protect against cuts and gashes.

Cutting aluminum cans creates very sharp edges, so proceed with care.

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum - Crafty Journal

Supplies.

Soda Can

Scissors or Tin Snips

Metal Ruler

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum.

1. Wash the can and let it dry.

2. Remove the tab and save it for tab crafts.

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum - Crafty Journal

3. Use the point of the scissors to poke a hole near the top of the can, on the side where the fine print is.

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum - Crafty Journal

4. Cut part way down the side of the can.

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum - Crafty Journal

Cut down the middle of the fine print so you don’t spoil the front of the can.

5. Cut part way around top of the can, just inside the ridge.

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum - Crafty Journal

If you leave any of the ridge, the can won’t flatten completely.

6. Finish the side cut to the bottom.

7. Finish cutting around the can top and remove it.

8. Cut off the bottom, staying inside the ridge.

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum - Crafty Journal

9. Trim ragged and jagged edges.

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum - Crafty Journal

10. Flatten with metal ruler edge.

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum - Crafty Journal

Place a ruler edge against one end of the aluminum on a hard flat surface.

Pull the aluminum sharply past the ruler. Repeat if it isn’t quite flat.

How to Turn a Soda Can into a Flat Sheet of Aluminum - Crafty Journal

11. If you want to remove the color from the aluminum, scrub with very fine sandpaper or steel wool.

Recycle the top and bottom of the can if you don’t plan to use them.

Ways to Use the Flat Sheet of Aluminum.

Draw shapes on the aluminum to cut with scissors.

Punch with dull punches to sharpen.

Punch out shapes.

Run through a die cutter.

Use an aluminum can to make a dimensional star.

Aluminum Can Dimensional Star - Crafty Journal
Aluminum Can Dimensional Star

Make Shamrock Soda Can Lights

Shamrock Soda Can Lights by Crafty Journal
Shamrock Soda Can Lights

 

or Heart Soda Can Lights,

Heart Soda Can Lights by Crafty Journal
Heart Soda Can Lights

or Star Soda Can Lights.

Colorful Star Soda Can Lights by Crafty Journal
Star Soda Can Lights

 

Noreen Doll

Crafty Journal

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Filed Under: Cans, General Craft Tips, Recycled, Tips, Tutorials Tagged With: cans, recycle, tips

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Comments

  1. Julie says

    June 3, 2014 at 7:44 am

    When I saw your post title the word that sprung to my mind was “carefully!”
    I see that you were! I remember cutting up cans years ago and boy, those edges do get sharp. Like you say though, there are lots of great things you can make with them. thanks for the really helpful tips.

  2. Donna Wilkes says

    June 4, 2014 at 1:00 am

    Love this idea. Thanks!

  3. Carmody says

    June 4, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    Great Tutorial!

  4. Julia says

    June 4, 2014 at 9:29 pm

    This is cool! <3

  5. Stephanie Pass says

    June 6, 2014 at 1:23 am

    I’ve always wondered how to do this. Thanks for sharing! I’ve had a project in mind for using this exact thing.

  6. Ricki @ The Questionable Homesteader says

    June 6, 2014 at 9:05 am

    Love this! Like you said there are lots of crafts you can do with the aluminum from pop cans (several of which I would like to do) and a nicely cut piece is ideal. Thanks for the great tutorial and sharing at The Weekend Social. Looking forward to seeing what you have for us next week.
    Ricki

  7. Gentle Joy says

    June 6, 2014 at 2:02 pm

    What a helpful article! I have way too much to do already to start something like this, but the possibilities of things to do with this idea are many…. hmmmm…. 🙂 Thank you for sharing this.

  8. Shirley Wood says

    June 7, 2014 at 10:14 pm

    Great tutorial. I actually did want to know how this was done safely. I keep seeing great projects on Pinterest. Pinned to my Wake Up Wednesday board.
    Shirley

  9. KC the Kitchen Chopper says

    June 8, 2014 at 4:55 pm

    Wow! You are one handy individual! Thanks so much for coming to our party. Off to pin! 🙂 “the Kitchen Chopper”

  10. zoe says

    June 9, 2014 at 1:20 am

    Thanks ! I have a ton of things I’ve wanted to try but just never got to them but now the hurdle of the first step is much clearer!

  11. Kristina & Millie says

    June 9, 2014 at 2:21 am

    too cool! thanks for sharing such an awesome tute!

  12. Miranda @ Someday Crafts says

    June 11, 2014 at 2:58 am

    What a neat idea. I had honestly never even thought of doing something like this. Thanks for linking up at Whatever Goes Wednesday last week. Your tutorial was the most viewed link at last week’s party, so we’ll be highlighting your post at tomorrow’s party! We hope you’ll come party with us again!!!

  13. creativejewishmom/sara says

    June 11, 2014 at 2:01 pm

    Thanks so much for sharing on craft schooling sunday, great to know!

  14. Sharon Mitchell says

    December 16, 2014 at 3:41 pm

    What glue would work best to create long lasting projects with cans? I have heard hot glue will not last long, e6000 is messy, and jbweld is a mess. Thanks.

  15. Noreen says

    December 24, 2014 at 4:01 am

    One of the best places I’ve found to learn what glue to use for a project is:

    http://thistothat.com/

    Otherwise, the best way to learn is to experiment with different glues. Often, by reading the info on the bottle you can get a pretty good idea of what a glue will work on.

  16. jonna says

    April 2, 2015 at 1:56 am

    what would a person use to keep cans together..such as a can shirt?

  17. Noreen says

    April 2, 2015 at 3:49 am

    You could duct tape the cans together. Or punch holes around and stitch them. I’d love to see what you make.

  18. Sylvia says

    October 13, 2015 at 1:20 am

    Thank you for sharing your craft ideas for using cans. Did you know you can use a can opener to take the top off? This might make cutting the cans a bit easier.

  19. Noreen says

    October 14, 2015 at 12:41 am

    I never thought to try using a can opener on the soda cans. I’ll give it a try. Thanks for the tip – I appreciate it.

  20. Jen says

    October 23, 2015 at 2:28 am

    When you cut the shapes, is there a way to smooth off the sharp edges? Would sandpaper work?

  21. Noreen says

    October 24, 2015 at 1:07 am

    The edges don’t seem to be particularly sharp after you cut the shapes, but you could certainly file or sandpaper them if you want to.

  22. Susan says

    September 4, 2016 at 6:56 pm

    I use these aluminum sheets to make heat proof templates for appliqué. Especially good for making smooth circles – baste around the edge of your fabric circle, place the template in the centre, draw up the basted stitches to gather the fabric , and iron the heck out of the sucker to make a nice crisp even turned under edge to your appliqué piece. Sometimes you’ll need to staple two thicknesses of the aluminium together to make your template stiff enough.

  23. Noreen says

    September 6, 2016 at 3:33 am

    That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing it.

  24. Lee Hawes says

    November 9, 2019 at 11:14 pm

    There is an easier way to cut them up…
    Cut around the folded edge that holds the top on to the rest of the can. Cut the bevil off of the top.
    You can use the cut off edge as a flower stem.
    Sorry I cannot add pictures.

  25. Michael Lewis says

    February 24, 2020 at 3:19 pm

    So helpful for my school recycling project, especially cause the site is not blocked.

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