How to cut drywall at home

Rectangular holes in drywall

To cut holes, a hacksaw is used. A rectangle is marked with a pencil on the sheet. In the corner of the rectangle with a drill make a hole so that the hacksaw can fit through it. Hold the saw perpendicularly to the plane of the sheet.

If the rectangular hole is on the edge of the sheet, the horizontal cut is made with a saw, and the vertical. with a knife at. Then simply break off the sheet at this point.

Cut a circular socket for a power outlet or switch

Circular socket or switch sockets can be cut out either by using a drill with a special mandrel with the required diameter, or with a jigsaw or narrow hacksaw. The first option allows you to perform the task most easily, requiring only a few seconds of time. All openings are often cut on site after the drywall has been fastened to the subgrade, otherwise the strength of the material can be damaged, and often even a slight tilting during handling or installation can cause a break.

In the case of cutting holes through a hacksaw or jigsaw, determining the middle is done with a compass that allows you to draw the cutting line. Next, on the strip is drilled with a drill 2 openings as close as possible to each other. After that, the hole should be neatly connected by means of a saw, continuing to cut along the sawing line of the contour.

Cut the drywall with the jigsaw

Since dust is knocked out from under the blade, it is better to make markings with a black marker, it is clearly visible on the white material.

• Lay the sheet with the free space for cutting. There should not be any tension on the sawing line. A support is needed so that the sheet does not break under pressure.
• Set the jigsaw at the beginning of the marked mowing line or bring the drywall to the tripod.
• Turn the device on and guide it smoothly along the marking.
• Treat the edges of the cut material.

How to cut drywall at home: tools and cutting methods

You are going to wrap the walls or the ceiling with drywall? You may have complex designs in this versatile material? In any case, you can not do only with whole sheets, so it is important to know how to cut drywall at home, and what is needed for this.

Gypsum plasterboard is an easy-to-work material and practically any structure can be constructed of it. Even a beginner without special tools can cut it. Professionals have their own ways and devices to make cutting a large number of sheets fast, easy and accurate.

How to cut drywall at home: the technology and the necessary tools

Drywall can be without exaggeration called the most popular material for alignment of walls and ceilings for their further finishing. It is very widely used in creating partitions, the construction of complex decorative structures, becoming the decoration of the interior. Such popularity is no accident. as drywall has all the qualities you need for residential applications. It is very easy to work, and the technology with its use is quickly mastered even by beginners. There is another important point. it is quite an affordable price for drywall sheets, compared to other building materials.

When first acquiring this material for certain purposes, many novice masters involuntarily ask the question of how to cut gypsum board at home, so as not to spoil or break the sheet, so as to obtain blanks with even edges and the required dimensions. There is nothing particularly complicated about it. the following will discuss the various options for cutting, processing and fitting drywall sheets for a particular area of work.

Ways to cut drywall

To cut the drywall was even, without defects, when performing the work in any way, you need to follow the sequence of actions and a number of rules. There are 5 options for cutting sheets.

By straight mowing line

The most used method. Allows you to cut pieces of sheeting to cover the remaining blank areas of the wall after the main drywall finish. A circular saw is usually used for cutting. For cutting thick arched sheets or simultaneous cutting of several plates, an electric jigsaw is optimal.

• Take measurements on the wall.
• Measure the distance on the drywall sheet.
• Using the ruler, draw a line for cutting with a pencil.
• Pressing the ruler down firmly, carefully notch the sheet along the line mark, deepening the blade a maximum of 5 mm.
• Lay the plate on the horizontal board and move it so that the cutting line is approx. 15mm over the edge of the table. Tap the bottom protruding surface of the sheet with your fist until the gypsum core breaks away.
• If the plate is installed vertically, pull on its edges, trying to fold it in half. Knock on the face side that is not notched.
• Turn the drywall over, cut along the scythe line of the break.
• Smooth the edge of the sheet with a planer.

Cut rectangles and squares

If you need to make a hole for a plumbing inspection hatch, socket or other communication object, proceed as follows:

• On the rough side of the drywall, make a pencil mark.
• Drill a 10 mm hole in the corner of the drawn figure, so that you can insert the blade of the hacksaw.
• Carry out the same manipulation in the other corners of the rectangle.
• Hold the hacksaw perpendicular to the drywall plate when cutting along the scythe line.
• Knock on the rectangle to squeeze it out.
• Use a planer to straighten the edges. Or file if the rectangle is small.

If the hole is in the middle of the drywall plate, it is more convenient to cut the material when it is already attached to the wall. If the cut lines of the rectangle run parallel to the metal profile, then an angle grinder is used for cutting, and the gaps inevitably formed during sawing are putty.

Cutting a round hole

Small circles are usually cut after the drywall has been affixed to the wall. A drill is more convenient. Feather- and core bits are suitable for work. Marking a circle in this case is not required, you only need to make a central point mark for drilling on the guide.

You can also cut a circle with a narrow hacksaw. In this case the marking is made with a compass. Then a hole is drilled for the blade of the hacksaw, and carefully cut along the scythe line. With this method of work, the hole is usually obtained with defects. It has to be worked with a file or emery board.

Circle-cutting

The malleability of plasterboard allows you to make any shape. To cut a curved line with a large radius, a hacksaw or a jigsaw is used.

To shape-cut drywall, lay it on two horizontal surfaces so that the cutting line is between them. It is important that the support legs are stable and wide enough, otherwise the plate can break while working.

How to cut the drywall correctly for complex shapes:

• Mark the cut lines on the sheet. If necessary, use a template.
• If you use a jigsaw, use it to bring the file up to the workpiece until it snaps into place.
• Slowly, carefully cut along the mowing line, not pressing the tool hard into the material.
• If the pattern includes sharp corners, first cut them with a smooth line. Then shape it with a file or hacksaw.

Cutting without tools

If you don’t have a hacksaw or jigsaw, you can use a knife and hammer. But during such work, the edges of the drywall will turn out with defects, so you’ll have to putty the surface.

How to cut drywall at home without the right tools:

• Cut the cardboard from the rough side, going a little deeper into the plasterboard.
• Tap the edges of the resulting shape with a hammer to squeeze it out.
• Cut the cardboard from the front side along the formed contour.

What is the best way to cut drywall

Jigsaws come in two kinds: for metal and for wood. Use a metal hacksaw for drywall. It has a thinner blade. This makes it easy to cut it, and the edges of the material are smooth without jagged edges. Place the sheet on the support, and cut along the marked scythe line.

For thin sheet you can use a regular box cutter. If it is dense, it is not enough. Use a utility knife with a double-edged blade. Such a knife will cut through it easily. To make the edges even, first draw a line of markings, and then apply a metal ruler. Use a utility knife to cut through the fishing line.

Use an electric jigsaw for shaped cuts. The jigsaw is handy for making shaped cuts. When working with gypsum board it is recommended to buy saws with fine teeth, which are used for metal.

The structure of the material

To properly cut the material, it is worth learning about how it is constructed. The inner layer consists of gypsum, in which fillers are added. The outer layers are formed by cardboard, which contributes to the strength. Since gypsum is a brittle material, without cardboard the sheets can fall apart from light mechanical action.

Plasterboard is divided into several types:

Waterproof plasterboard is used during the work on the walls in rooms with high humidity. Fire-resistant material is necessary when finishing walls around stoves and fireplaces. Ordinary is used during the finishing of other types of premises. To understand how to cut drywall at home, it is worth considering the peculiarities of using different tools.

How to Cut Drywall EFFICIENTLY!

How to cut round and rectangular holes

Very often it is necessary to make holes in the sheet for pipes, sockets or switches.

To do this, it is necessary to mark the places of their location on the sheet, using a tape measure.

Rectangular holes:

• Accurately measure the distance of the edges of the hole from both sides of the sheet, as well as from its top and bottom. Draw the outline of the cutout.
• Next, a drill with a thick drill bit to make 4 holes on the sides of the marked rectangle. in them should pass the jigsaw. They must be as close to the cutting lines as possible inside the rectangle.
• Insert the saw into each of the holes in turn and cut through the opening. It is necessary to work very carefully, strictly along the outlined lines.
• Once you have the cutout, check how well the switch or socket fits into it.
• Finish the edges if necessary with a rasp.

Round holes:

• Use a small drill bit or hacksaw for this purpose.
• Draw the center of the future hole on the sheet.
• Fit the core bit into the drill chuck of the correct size.
• The drill bit should be placed in the center of the hole and drilled while gently pressing the drill (if you press hard, the nozzle can get stuck in the plaster). It is best to use a medium speed tool for this.

If you don’t have a drill and accessories, you can also make a round hole with a knife, but it’s not as convenient.

Use a knife to make the hole like this:

• Draw the outline of the future hole on both sides of the sheet (and do not make a mistake when doing so).
• Then use a knife to cut through a layer of cardboard on both sides.
• After that, you need to lightly tap the plaster with a hammer, knocking it out.
• Check how well the box or tube fits into the hole formed.

Any curved shapes with smooth lines are cut according to the markings with the jigsaw. If it is absent, you can use a hacksaw for metal, but it is very inconvenient.