The Better To Cut Drywall

Drywall how to cut

How to cut with a hacksaw

It should be noted that most often a hacksaw is used to cut rectangular openings. In this case, you need to outline the drywall from the back side. In one of the corners of the drawing with a drill, make a hole with a diameter so large that the hacksaw blade can easily enter there. You can also punch holes on all sides. After the end of the operation, the edge, as in the previous case, is processed with a plane or a file, depending on the size of the hole made. Important: it is advisable for the tool blade to be perpendicular to the plane of the drywall sheet. In this case, the edges come out smoother.

How to make round holes in drywall

#1. First you need to determine how you can cut a hole in the drywall. There are several ways to do this. To do this, you can, for example, use a crown, ballerina or a small hacksaw.

• For more information about the types of drills and crowns, see the material: Types of drills. We select a tool for drilling metal, wood, concrete and tiles

We advise you to use a crown that fits into the chuck of an electric drill. It should be said that this is the fastest and most accurate method. It can be used to cut small to medium holes.

A set of crowns that can be used to cut holes in drywall.

Before you start making holes, you need to make the appropriate markings. To do this, you need to determine and outline the center of the future hole.

Mark the center of the future hole.

# 2. Select the correct size bit and attach it to the drill chuck. Now place the core bit in the center of the cut hole and start drilling. For a quality hole, we recommend cutting at medium speed and gently pressing on the drill.

Clever advice. Do not press too hard on the drill to prevent the bit from getting stuck in the cast. To make a quality hole, you need to be patient.

Drywall cutting rules

Many craftsmen, who first encountered the plating of gypsum plasterboard building structures, wonder how to cut drywall at home in the absence of a specialized tool. It’s simple. No special and expensive equipment is needed for work. The only thing that may be needed from this is a jigsaw, but it can be easily replaced with an inexpensive hacksaw for gypsum materials.

Photo 2. Layout of the sheet using a flight tire

Basic rules for high-quality cutting of gypsum boards:

• The gypsum plasterboard is very flexible, so it should be laid on a flat and stable surface.
• In the absence of a long ruler or rule, cutting the gypsum board along the length can be performed gradually.
• Work is carried out on a dry surface. If the drywall has absorbed moisture, it will not be possible to cut it properly.
• Cutting is usually carried out on the back side (the one that will be located against the wall during installation) so that you can hide the flaws formed during work.
• When cutting with a jigsaw, as well as cutting an already installed sheet, and in other cases where there is a high probability of getting gypsum dust into the eyes and respiratory organs, it is imperative to use personal protective equipment.

How to cut: tool selection

If you are going to cut drywall on a regular basis, or at least quite often, it is recommended that you purchase a professional tool once and not suffer from improvised means in the future. In any other case, you should have clerical. Construction, reinforced. Or assembly knives. The types of stationery are hardly distinguishable among themselves, but the construction is stronger. However, in any case, the cut from this knife is such that after that it is necessary to eliminate the formed notches.

A hacksaw for metal is quite applicable for the operation being performed. Its blade is thinner than that of a hacksaw for wood, so it wins in the accuracy of the subsequent result.

Another useful tool is a jigsaw. Its advantage is that there is no need to think about how to cut drywall, because you just need to guide along the drawn mowing line. For processing the edges, additional tools are used, such as a roughing plane, the effect of which can well be reproduced with sandpaper.

When we figured out how drywall is cut, we can go directly to the methods of cutting it, the number of which is also large and varied. Let’s consider some of them.

How to cut drywall at home?

As mentioned above, cutting drywall is carried out with a standard tool that every home craftsman has in stock. In this paragraph, we will consider in detail the existing tools for cutting gypsum board and the technology of work when using its main types.

The following describes the main devices that simplify the cutting of drywall sheets:

Many novice craftsmen are wondering how to cut moisture-resistant drywall. There is no fundamental difference in the cutting technology of gypsum boards of different types, therefore the same devices are used for work.

How to make round holes in drywall

#1. First you need to determine how you can cut a hole in the drywall. There are several ways to do this. To do this, you can, for example, use a crown, ballerina or a small hacksaw.

We advise you to use a crown that fits into the chuck of an electric drill. It should be said that this is the fastest and most accurate method. It can be used to cut small to medium holes.

A set of crowns that can be used to cut holes in drywall.

Before you start making holes, you need to make the appropriate markings. To do this, you need to determine and outline the center of the future hole.

Mark the center of the future hole.

# 2. Select the correct size bit and attach it to the drill chuck. Now place the core bit in the center of the cut hole and start drilling. For a quality hole, we recommend cutting at medium speed and gently pressing on the drill.

Let’s start drilling.

The hole is ready.

Cut a rectangular hole

#1. Determine the place on the drywall sheet where you want to make a hole. If a socket is supposed to be installed in this hole, then in the required place you need to attach a socket box and outline its outline. To do this, use a tape measure to measure the distance from the left side of the plate to the left and right edges of the box. Also measure the distance from the bottom edge of the hob to the top and bottom extreme points of the electrical box. With these dimensions in mind, use a rail to mark the location of the box hole on the plasterboard.

We mark the sheet and determine the place for the hole.

# 2. Drill with a large diameter drill bit and make 4 holes on the sides of the rectangle. As you can see in the picture, the holes must be made inside the rectangle and as close as possible to the cutting lines.

We drill holes in drywall under the jigsaw saw blade.

# 3. Insert a jigsaw file into each of the holes, cut a rectangular opening. Do this with great care, making sure that the file goes exactly along the lines drawn.

Cutting a rectangular hole in the drywall.

#4. After you have cut a hole in the drywall, you need to check its suitability. To do this, insert a box from a switch or an outlet into the hole made to see if everything is well done.

Finished rectangular hole.

Preparation and marking

In order to cut drywall, you will need the following:

Materials:

• Drywall sheet.

Instruments:

• Stationery knife;
• Flight bus;
• Roulette.

Tips:

• Use only a knife with a sharp blade;
• If it is supposed to fix drywall both on the ceiling and on the walls, then at the beginning it is necessary to sheathe the ceiling, and only then proceed to the walls;
• If you need to cut drywall along a complex path, then first cut the length and then the width.

Remember that when working and fixing drywall, it is very important to use as many whole boards as possible. This will reduce material costs, work less and the sheathing process will go faster. Therefore, you need to carefully measure and study the surface with which you are working, and then draw up a plan for using the plates so that you have to cut them as little as possible.

If you need to attach drywall to a large area, we recommend using 3.6m boards instead of 2.5m boards. This will save you time and material.

#1. Use quality tools to cut drywall professionally. If the sheets are large (120 cm wide), then it is better to cut them, leaning them against the wall at a slight angle. And small sheets (up to 60 cm wide) can be cut on the floor. If this is your first time cutting drywall, then it is better to practice doing it on the floor. In the beginning, you need to decide on which side to cut the drywall. To do this, make sure the drywall sheet is facing you. It is on this side that the incision will be carried out.

If you do not know the best way to cut drywall, then from our experience we can tell you that in most cases, it is best to use a good utility knife. But sometimes you have to use other tools. For example, a drywall hacksaw, it is convenient to use for cutting holes of various shapes.

The minimum set of tools you will need when cutting drywall.

# 2. First, you need to use a tape measure to determine the size of the cut plate. Do this very carefully, otherwise the stove may simply not fit. It will be either too small or too large. Also make sure the vertical edges are aligned with the center of the battens, otherwise the slab joints will not be rigid enough. Measure with a tape measure and mark in the desired place with a pencil. In our example, we want to cut the slab in half, so we mark in the middle.

Drywall sheet marking.

# 3. For a perfect straight cut, use a racer. If you want to achieve professional-level results and you have to cut drywall often and a lot, then we advise you to get a large flight tire and not use homemade or handicraft tools.

Slide the bus over the drywall until it reaches the desired mark.

Using a racer to cut drywall

We cut a sheet of drywall

#1. The gypsum board consists of two layers of paper, which are coated on both sides with a thick layer of gypsum. This combination creates a relatively strong building material that is also fire resistant. Therefore, in order to get an accurate and high-quality cut, it is enough to walk on the plate with a sharp knife and then break it in this place. To make an incision, run the knife along the drywall sheet from top to bottom several times. To make a correct cut, you need to guide the knife confidently, without jerking and precisely along the marked mowing line. When cutting through the paper layer, you need to firmly hold the tire in one position, otherwise the cut may turn out to be uneven.

The same procedure should be performed if you are less likely to drywall not on the floor, but leaning against the wall. While holding the bus down with your foot, run the knife across the drywall several times from top to bottom. No need to cut many times, this will only blunt the knife blade.

Sheet with cut paper backing.

As you can see in the picture, the cut should be perfectly straight. Otherwise, you will not be able to break the slab evenly. The goal is to completely cut through the paper layer and lightly grab the plaster.

# 2. Now you need to break the slab along the notch. If you followed the previous steps correctly, then the drywall sheet should break along the notch. Holding the sheet with your feet, just fold it.

Of course, there are a lot of options for how you make yourself break. It is rather difficult to explain all these procedures in two sentences, but we assure you: in practice it is very easy to do it. The most important thing is to make the correct cut. How you break it doesn’t matter.

But if you find it difficult to grab a large sheet with your hands to bend it, then press it down with your knee. If you are not sure if you can cut the slab well, practice on scrap sheets first.

Breaking down the drywall.

# 3. After the sheet is broken with a clerical knife, cut the paper layer on the back of the plasterboard. If you broke the drywall correctly, then you should have no problem cutting the back of the paper.

Trim the cardboard layer from the outside.

#4. Place the cut slab over the attachment point to see how accurate the cut is. If the cut plate is slightly larger, use a rasp to remove excess material. Remember that working with a rasp will create a lot of dust. Therefore, try to make accurate markings.

Cut sheets.

How and what to cut drywall and make holes in it

From this material you will learn how to cut drywall, in addition, we will consider how to cut drywall and make rectangular and round holes in it. To do this, you will need several tools and knowledge of basic techniques on how to do it. Plus, we’ll show you how to use materials efficiently, so you have less waste and still get great results.

We know from our experience that although the cutting process is not very difficult, it will take patience to master it. An unsatisfactory result can be obtained due to inaccurate measurements, the use of the wrong materials and tools. To learn how to cut drywall in the best possible way, read this article for tips on how to avoid common mistakes.

How to make holes in drywall

Next, we’ll show you how to make a hole in drywall. Learning how to make holes in drywall is very important as it often needs to be done to install new outlets, switches and other fixtures. In addition, you have to cut out round or rectangular holes in order to repair damaged areas of drywall.

Although it is quite easy to cut holes in drywall, in order to do it professionally, you need to use certain tools and have some skills. Therefore, we advise you to work with caution and follow our step-by-step explanation exactly before getting started.

To make a hole in drywall, you need the following:

Materials:

• Drywall sheet

Instruments:

• Flight bus;
• Pencil;
• Tape measure and stationery knife;
• Drill;
• Ring drill bit;
• Jigsaw;
• Drywall hacksaw.

Tips:

• Make accurate measurements to make rectangular holes;
• Be careful not to damage pipes or electrical wires when cutting holes;
• Wear a respirator mask to cut a hole in the drywall.

What tool to use to cut drywall

Even if you haven’t worked with drywall yet, you probably know that this material is produced in the form of large rectangular slabs. Therefore, no matter what structure you do, you cannot do without cutting drywall. Large slabs are only suitable for covering large areas.

The cutting tool is useful both for creating complex structures and for giving the drywall sheet the desired dimensions

For cutting drywall, craftsmen most often use an assembly knife, a hacksaw and an electric jigsaw. But if these tools are not at hand, you can cut drywall with both a cutting machine and a drill in the “angle grinder” mode.

How to cut drywall with a hacksaw

A hacksaw is necessary for cutting square and rectangular openings in drywall. The thinner the blade of the hacksaw you use, the better. To cut the opening, drywall is first drawn from the back side. Then, in one of the corners of the future opening, a hole is made with a drill of such a diameter that the hacksaw blade can freely pass into it. It is more convenient to cut if you drill holes on all the drawn sides. When the opening in the drywall is cut out, align the edge with a plane, and if the dimensions do not allow, use a file. When cutting drywall with a hacksaw, remember: the tool blade should be perpendicular to the plane of the sheet. Then the edges are as smooth as possible.

The hacksaw expands the possibilities when cutting drywall sheets. With its help you can cut small holes

How to cut drywall with a knife, jigsaw and hacksaw

Drywall sheets are used to make interior partitions, ceilings and shelves. In order to install these structures, you need to know how to cut drywall. This can be done in different ways.

How to cut drywall with an assembly knife

The cutting knife is suitable for cutting large longitudinal pieces of drywall. After making the necessary measurements and drawing the line along which you will cut, attach a metal ruler to this mowing line, and, firmly holding it with your hand free from the mounting knife, place the knife edge on the line. It is not necessary to use a metal ruler; any sharp-edged substitute will do. Carefully cut the cardboard straight along the mowing line.

Conventional cutting knife suitable for cutting long longitudinal strips

The cut sheet is bent and cut finally at the fracture site

If you are cutting material on a table, slide the board so that the notch protrudes 1-2 cm beyond the edge of the table top. Break the core with light tapping, then turn the board over and cut the drywall at the break. If you are cutting on the floor, you can place a piece of wood under the drywall to break it. When the core is broken, the bar is removed from under the sheet, the sheet is turned over and an incision is made. To make the resulting edge even, you can process it with a plane.

To make the edge even, you can additionally process it with a plane

A tool for marking and cutting drywall will help you get correct and even cuts

Cutting drywall with a jigsaw

The fastest way is considered to be the method of cutting drywall using an electric jigsaw. You will definitely have to spend money to buy this tool (if you don’t already have one), but a jigsaw is worth the money. After all, with its help, you can cut not only apertures of a strict shape, but also make curved mowing lines. Just line the slab as you want, and then place the sheet on two stools, leaving a distance between them so that the cutting line goes through this space.

The jigsaw perfectly cuts drywall, coping with difficult lines and saving time and effort

With the jigsaw blade positioned at the beginning of this mowing line, start smoothly cutting out the drywall pieces of the desired shape. Round holes should be drawn with a compass. To cut drywall inside the circle, drill a hole and pass the jigsaw blade through it. Cut the required circle along the traced mowing line.

Cutting drywall with a jigsaw does not require serious physical effort, takes less time and produces less waste

If you are cutting drywall with an electric jigsaw, the resulting edges will need minimal processing, since of all drywall cutting tools, only the jigsaw can be held strictly perpendicular to the sheet surface. For this, a special sole is provided in its design.

Sometimes you need to cut drywall in the shape of the letter G (for example, for a doorway). Then you need to use several types of drywall tools. The short part is cut with a hacksaw, and the long one is cut with a mounting knife. The slab is broken and cut from the reverse side. This work can be done on an already installed sheet.

How do you cut drywall? How to cut drywall correctly

Today drywall is widely used in construction and renovation. You can work with this material yourself. However, you should first find out what the drywall is cut with so that there are no difficulties in the repair process. Below are the main ways to work and the tools you will need.

Straight line cutting

First, you need to put the drywall on a flat horizontal surface and

Some people think they can do it well without a ruler. However, you should not neglect it. It is rather difficult to make a straight cut without it. Of course it is possible, but you will have to take the time to get a neat edge. Everything is done much faster with a ruler.

When the cuts are deep enough, the drywall sheet should be placed on its edge and tapped on the back. Usually, a few light blows will cause the drywall blade to break along the mowing line. Now all that remains is to cut the cardboard layer with a knife.

Cutting tools

How do you cut drywall? There are special devices for cutting it, which

First of all, you need to mark the drywall sheet to cut it straight. This is done with a tape measure, a simple pencil and a long ruler.

Several tools can be used to cut the material. So, than the drywall is cut:

• A hacksaw for metal;
• Construction knife;
• Jigsaw.

In rooms with high humidity, moisture resistant plasterboard is used. It differs from ordinary material in the presence of antiseptic additives in its composition. Some people have a question about how to cut moisture resistant drywall. It doesn’t differ much from regular material. It can be easily recognized by its green color. The same tools can be used to cut it. We will tell you in more detail how to work with each of them.

Curly cutting

There are situations when you need not a straight cut, but a curved or round.

They need to work slowly, following clearly along the marked lines. The saw should be narrow with small teeth. It must work at high speed. Cutting neatly will result in a smooth edge.

If you don’t have a jigsaw, you can use a hacksaw or a construction knife and hammer. Make deep cuts strictly along the lines. Place the drywall on a flat, indentable surface under the hole to be cut. Now hit this place with a hammer. After the unwanted part has fallen off, turn the drywall over and cut off the excess paper.

How to cut drywall correctly

There are some helpful tips to make your job easier:

• Drywall is a flexible material. In order not to break it during work, you need to put the sheet on a stable flat surface.
• When cutting a large sheet, it should be done gradually.
• The workplace should be free of moisture, otherwise the material will get wet and become unusable.
• Which side to cut drywall on is not so important. However, it is best to cut on the surface that will attach it to the wall.
• When cutting a profile, don’t worry about uneven edges. They will subsequently be covered with a drywall sheet.
• When working with the material, it should be understood that it can crumble strongly and create dust. Be sure to protect your eyes and respiratory system.

Edge processing

When the drywall is cut, the edges should be leveled slightly so that they do not have

The final stage of material preparation includes its fascination. To do this, you need to cut off a few millimeters of gypsum from each edge (approximately two-thirds of the sheet thickness). The chamfer is removed with a plane or knife at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.

After installing drywall, all gaps between the material canvases must be putty. When the seams are dry, you can start painting the surface or pasting it with wallpaper.