Drywall installation can be an important aspect of most home improvement projects. Whether one is renovating a room, repairing a hole, or building a new wall, knowing how to cut drywall is one of those critical skills that may save time, money, and frustration. This detailed guide will help a person through the drywall-cutting process, from choosing the right tool to the actual cut with precision to make the project a success.
How Drywall Works
Before getting into how to cut it, a little background may be helpful to understand exactly what drywall is, and why such prevalent use of the material is evident in construction today. Drywall, otherwise known as gypsum board or plasterboard, is a panel made from calcium sulfate dihydrate, better known as gypsum, which is sandwiched between thick sheets of facer and backer paper. It is an economical, easy-to-install wall and ceiling material that resists fire. The tools you will need include:
- Cutting drywall requires a number of tools. What you will need to get the job done right is described below.
- Utility Knife: It may be the most common of all tools used to cut drywall. You can make clean and straight cuts with one.
- Drywall T-Square: This is used to guide your cuts and make sure they are straight and true.
- Measuring Tape: If you’re doing drywall work, you need to take accurate measurements.
- Drywall saw/ Keyhole saw: It is handily used to make holes in the wall for electrical outlets, switches, or other fixtures. Also useful in cutting around or right through a pipe or similar obstacle found behind the drywall.
- Rasp or Sanding Block: Smoothen the edges of the cut drywall. Pencil: Mark your measurements and cutting lines.
- Level: Allows you to make perfectly horizontal or vertical cuts.
- Drywall circle cutter: Perfect for those light fixtures or other round openings to be made in circular cuts. Step-by-Step Guide on How to Cut Drywall
1. Measure and Mark
Before you start cutting, measure the area of the wall where it would be installed. Take the height and width using the tape of the space. Remember, “measure twice, cut once” is the gold rule when working with drywall.
After you measure out what you need, transfer your measurements onto the drywall sheet. Mark, with a pencil, where the cuts will be made. Take a drywall T-square and draw from top to bottom in order to make straight cuts. If there is a need to cut an outlet or switch, take a measurement of the location and size and mark it on the drywall.
2. Score the Drywall
With your measurements marked, it is time to score the drywall. Take your sharp utility knife and carefully cut down the line that you just penciled. Press down firmly to enable the knife to penetrate through the surface paper of the drywall. Do be careful not to cut too deep-you only want to score the top layer of paper.
For straight cuts, run your knife along the edge of a T-square. If you’re cutting out a shape-for example, an outlet hole-follow the outline with your knife carefully.
3. Snap the Drywall
Scored, the drywall is now ready to snap along the scored line. With both hands, gently lift the drywall and bend it away from the scored side. If the drywall is scored well, it will snap neatly along the scored line. If not cleanly broken, score it again and try to snap it once more.
It will snap, leaving the back paper intact. Use your utility knife to cut through the back paper, completely separating the pieces.
4. Smooth the Edges
After cutting, the edge of the drywall may be rough or even jagged. Take a drywall rasp or sanding block and smooth out the edges. This is quite an important step because it ensures the drywall sits tightly against other adjacent pieces to give you a neat, professional finish.
5. Cut Holes for Outlets and Fixtures
If you’re hanging drywall over existing electrical outlets, switches, or light fixtures, you will have to cut holes for each of these items. Here’s how:
Electrical Outlets and Switches Using a tape measure or ruler, note on the wall the exact location of where the outlet or switch will be placed. Transfer these dimensions onto your sheet of drywall. Keyhole saw Cut out the shape. Place the tip of a keyhole saw in the small hole drilled in the outline and cut out the shape.
Light Fixers: For round holes, such as those for light fixers, a drywall circle cutter is used. You will need to set the cutter at the diameter that you want and press the blade through the drywall, rotating it to create a perfect circle.
6. Cutting Drywall for Corners
There is an art to cutting drywall for corners; however, this can be mastered quite easily if done right.
Inside Corners: Inside corners require a fitting together of two pieces of drywall in a fashion that will snugly fit within the corner. The first piece runs along one wall, and the second should butt up against it on the adjacent wall. Allow a slight spacing of about 1/8 inch between the drywall and the floor for any expansion.
Outside Corners: Outside corners take a little more finesse. This requires a corner bead, which is a strip of metal or plastic that covers, supports, and protects the corner. After you cut the drywall to fit the corner, attach the corner bead with drywall screws or nails, then apply joint compound to smooth out the transition.
Tips for a Pro Finish
1. Use Sharp Tools
A sharp utility knife is critical to make clean cuts. Dull blades could tear the paper of drywall, hence leaving your edges rough and giving an unprofessional finish. Always change your knife blades the very instant they begin to dull.
2. Handle with Care
Drywall is a pretty fragile material, and once cut, it is even more so. Be very careful not to break or otherwise damage the edges of the material. When moving cut pieces, always support them along their length to avoid snapping.
3. Double-Check Your Measurements
Mistakes can be very costly when working with drywall. Always double-check your measurements before making any cuts. This simple step can save you from having to redo a section of your project.
4. Practice Safety
Drywall dust is not good for your lungs. Always wear a mask when you cut or sand drywall. Safety goggles are not a bad idea either. Protect your peepers from dust and debris.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with the best preparation in the world, mistakes can happen. Here are some common pitfalls to watch out for:
Too Much Cutting: A little less than what is needed is advisable and then trimming a bit more later. Overcutting: Gaps are left behind, which are difficult to fill up.
Not Taping the Tapered Edges: Drywall sheets have tapered edges at the ends for when two are put side by side, seams are not much visible after taping and mudding.
Not Supporting the Drywall: When cutting, make sure that the sheet of drywall is well supported. Sheets that are unsupported might break or crack, especially when along a scored line.
Advanced Drywall Cutting Techniques
Once you get used to the regular drywall cutting, you may be confronted with several situations in which you will need more advanced techniques. Here’s a few of those:
You can cut drywall into a curved shape for those projects that call for curved surfaces, like archways. With your arc drawn, carefully follow it with a drywall saw. For smooth curves, you can utilize a flexible metal guide to help in the cutting process.
2. Bevel Cuts
Bevel cuts come in handy when you want to fit two pieces of drywall together at an angle, such as in vaulted ceilings. To create a bevel cut, simply set your utility knife at the desired angle-usually 45 degrees-, and carefully score along the line. Snap and finish as usual.
3. Cutting Drywall on the Ceiling
The drywall cutting and installation on the ceiling is rather challenging due to the nature of the work being overhead. To make it easy:
- Use a Drywall Lift: This tool can hold the drywall in place while you secure it. It saves your arms from fatigue.
- Measure Twice: Ceiling measurements are usually tricky. Let the cuts be proper, or you may expect gaps thereafter.
- Get Help: Ceiling drywall is heavy and unwieldy to handle solo. A helper can make the job a lot easier.
Conclusion
Knowing how to cut drywall into workable pieces is an invaluable asset for any do-it-yourselfer or professional contractor. With the right tools and techniques for the job at hand and great attention to detail, one can always be assured of a professional outcome on any given drywall job. Remember to always measure carefully, handle the material with care, and never compromise safety. At this point, mastery of these techniques will assist you in getting closer to realizing your home improvement projects with a heightened level of confidence and precision.