In this article we will learn how to cut drywall at home. In the previous lesson, we completely made a frame to which you can already attach drywall. But the gypsum boards themselves must first be cut to size. Now we will figure out how this is done.
How and with what to cut drywall at home
The answer to the question of how to cut drywall at home is very simple - for this we need an ordinary sharp painting knife.
It is highly undesirable to use it for cutting gypsum board electric jigsaw.
How to cut part of a leaf
So, we place a sheet of drywall with the inner (back) side on the floor (table) or place it upright, with its elbow on the wall, with the inner (back) side facing the wall, the outer (front) side towards you. Using a tape measure and a pencil, mark the distance that needs to be cut on the outer (front) side of the gypsum board. Make two marks on the top and bottom of the sheet with a pencil:
Then we take a rule (a building level, a level lath), apply it to the marked marks and mark a line.
It's better to repeat it twice.
After we have cut the paper, we need to refract the sheet along the cut we made. To do this, take a sheet and turn it towards you inside. We clamp one part of the sheet into left hand, the second (cut off) to the right. Moderate movement right hand on yourself (you can also help synchronously with your knee) break the sheet along the cut made:
The sheet broke exactly along the cut line:
The straight cut is ready.
How to make a cutout in a sheet
But what to do if you need to make a cutout in a plasterboard sheet:
or holes, slits, for example, under engineering Communication, pipes. After all, if you just run a knife along each of the three sides of this rectangle and then start breaking it out, then nothing will come of it. If we apply force, a fracture will occur that is not at all along the contours we need. So what should we do? Here we need to act differently.
To do this, take a knife for drywall, colloquially “Fox”:
and saw through two sides:
And we simply cut through the third side with a painting knife - only paper:
Lightly hit the spot:
All that remains is to cut the paper on the other side with a knife:
The cutout is ready.
Below is a link to a video about another drywall knife. I haven’t worked with him personally, but judging by the video, he cuts quite interestingly. In principle, if you are working with any tool for the first time, then, of course, you need to adapt:
In this article, we learned how and with what to cut drywall at home.
During repairs, you have to cut drywall almost every 5-10 minutes. Why? Because a sheet of this material will be at least 2 square meters and without residue it is impossible to mark a partition, ceiling or any other structure. The smaller the structure, the more you will have to cut, and it is not always necessary to cut exactly (corners, uneven walls and no one canceled the ceilings either). What to do? There is only one way out - to learn how to quickly and efficiently cut drywall.
You will need to make not only ruler cuts across the sheet, but also cut triangles, rectangular pieces, ovals or circles (for example, for lighting elements). It is advisable to consider several options for cutting drywall, from a regular stationery knife to an electric jigsaw. Now we will look at the simplest and quality methods cutting and processing the edges of drywall.
How to cut drywall with a mounting knife “without noise and dust”
Hand tools performing this action is much easier and faster. The most interesting thing is that the quality of the cut will also be much better if you need to spread the sheet lengthwise or cut an even piece from it. The theory is superfluous here, let's move on to practice and immediately cut the drywall:
- We take the necessary measurements and draw a line. It is advisable to stock up on a marker so that it is convenient to look at the “bold” mark from any side.
2. Along the edge of the line, you can attach a long metal ruler or profile, which is used for fastening drywall.
3. Place the tip of the knife on the edge of the line and begin to draw, applying a pressure of 2-3 kg on the mounting knife for drywall.
4. After the line has been cut, you need to bend the sheet so that the cut area looks like outside. You can put the sheet on the floor, hold the edges with your hands and lightly kick it with your knee at the cut site, but on the opposite side, the sheet will crack and bend.
5. You will have a corner made of drywall, now you need to take a mounting knife and cut the paper on the other side of the corner. We place the knife on top and pull it all the way to the bottom, getting a high-quality cut.
This method is ideal when cutting ONLY long strips, as it requires a large pressure leverage for a quality fault line. If the lines are made oval or a piece is cut just 5-10 cm from the edge of the sheet, it may break unevenly and the edge may crumble. After the cut, you need to use a drywall plane to “smooth the edges and remove the corner for subsequent plaster (then there will be no “edges”).
It is convenient to cut on a table or on the floor by placing a sheet of drywall on 2 wooden bars next to the cut line. Keep in mind that when drywall breaks, plaster often falls out, so it may be best to put something underneath it if the cut is on a clean surface.
Features of cutting drywall with a hacksaw - an option for hard workers
It is better to use a hacksaw when it is necessary to cut shapes, when you need to cut drywall in a semicircle or make holes inside it different shapes. This cannot be done using a mounting knife, at least not with good quality. Now let's look at how to cut a sheet of drywall with a hacksaw and make holes inside it.
STEP 1: marking. It is necessary to draw a sheet of drywall with reverse side, make holes in the corners of such a size that a hacksaw blade fits in them (you can use sharp knife or drill). 
STEP 2: sawing. We insert a drywall tool (hacksaw) into the hole and saw to the other extreme point; it is better to avoid turning. 
STEP 3: when the cut is made along all the drawn sides, and the figure inside the sheet “fell out,” you can process the edges. Use a plane or a file if the hole is very small and another tool cannot fit there. 
We looked at how to cut drywall and cut out the hole you need in it. rectangular shape, but there is an even more difficult task - non-standard or oval figures inside the sheet. Here you need to work with thin blades on a hacksaw, which will be convenient to turn when making internal cuts. In such cases, it is better to abandon the hacksaw and use a jigsaw, since the quality of the edges of the cut hole inside will be much higher.
Cutting drywall with a jigsaw - an option for the lazy
If you don’t know how to cut drywall at home and are afraid to experiment, then it’s better to entrust the processing of the material electric tool. A jigsaw is the optimal tool for cutting drywall, since it allows you to make a sheet of any shape and can make holes inside a sheet of drywall. The curved lines will be as precise as possible, and the edge will be much easier to process using a drywall plane.
Let's consider step by step instructions How to properly cut drywall using a jigsaw:
1. Draw a line along which it will be necessary to cut the material. It is better to use a black marker so that it is clearly visible. 
2. We install a sheet of drywall on several bricks or stools so that so that there are no objects under the cutting line(they may get caught by the saw). The sheet should lie balanced and not be tense at the cutting points - the quality of the cut will improve significantly. 
3. Place the jigsaw at the beginning of the line, turn on the laser sight (if the tool has one) and guide it exactly along the desired path. Or we bring the drywall to a stand with a jigsaw. 
4. We demolish the edges at 45 degrees to plaster the surface. You can even do it with sandpaper, if the processing area is not too large. 
5. If you don’t have a plane or you can’t get the corners right, then a drywall cutter will be a useful tool. It can be put on a screwdriver or drill, the cone can be placed between the sheets and passed along the joint. Cutting knives They will remove the edges of each sheet at the same angle - very convenient for large volumes of work, where you need to process many sheets quickly and efficiently. 
Perhaps you wanted to ask how to cut L-shaped drywall for a door or window opening? There is no universal tool to be found here, you need to use both a hacksaw and a jigsaw, because with a jigsaw or hacksaw alone you cannot get internal corner 90 degrees.
There will be a jigsaw the perfect tool for you if you don’t have anything to cut the profile for drywall, since it is also suitable for metal. You need to buy several files “for all occasions” and you will be able to cut not only drywall, but also metal, wood, stone and other materials. Now let's watch a video of cutting drywall with a painting knife without noise and dust:
Successful repairs and pleasant DIY work!
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 different ways.
A tool for marking and cutting drywall will help you get correct and even cuts
What Tool to Use to Cut Drywall
Even if you haven't worked with drywall before, you probably know that this material is produced in the form of large rectangular slabs. Therefore, no matter what design you make, you cannot do without cutting drywall. Large slabs are only convenient for sealing large area.
The cutting tool is useful for creating complex structures, and for giving a sheet of drywall required sizes
To cut drywall, craftsmen most often use a mounting knife, a hacksaw and an electric jigsaw. But if these tools are not at hand, you can cut drywall and cutting machine, and a drill in the “grinder” mode.
How to cut drywall with a mounting knife
The mounting knife is suitable for cutting large longitudinal pieces of drywall. Having made the necessary measurements and drawn the line along which you will cut, attach a metal ruler to this line, and, holding it firmly with your hand free from the mounting knife, place the tip of the knife on the line. It is not necessary to use a metal ruler; any substitute with a sharp edge will do. Being careful, cut the cardboard exactly along the line.
A regular mounting knife is suitable for cutting long longitudinal strips
The cut sheet is bent and finally cut at the fracture site
If you are cutting the material on a table, move the slab so that the cut protrudes 1-2 cm beyond the edge of the tabletop. Break the core with light taps, then turn the slab over and cut the drywall at the break point. If you are cutting on the floor, you can lay wooden beam under a slab of drywall to break it. When the core is broken, the beam is removed from under the sheet, the sheet is turned over and an incision is made. To make the resulting edge smooth, you can process it with a plane.
To make the edge smooth, you can additionally process it with a plane.
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 out the opening, the drywall is first lined up on the reverse side. Then, in one of the corners of the future opening, a drill is used to make a hole of such a diameter that a hacksaw blade can freely pass through it. It is easier to cut if you drill holes along all the drawn sides. When the opening in the drywall is cut, level the edge with a plane, and if dimensions do not allow, use a file. When cutting drywall with a hacksaw, remember: the blade of the tool must be perpendicular to the plane of the sheet. Then the edges are as smooth as possible.
A hacksaw expands the possibilities when cutting a sheet of drywall - it can be used to cut small holes
Cutting drywall with a jigsaw
The fastest method is considered to be cutting drywall using an electric jigsaw. Of course, you will have to spend money to buy this tool (if you don't already have one), but the jigsaw is worth the money. After all, with its help you can cut not only strictly shaped openings, but also make curved lines. Simply lay out the slab the way you need it, and then lay the sheet on two stools, leaving a distance between them so that the cut line runs in this space.
A jigsaw perfectly cuts drywall, coping with complex lines and saving time and effort.
Having placed the jigsaw blade at the beginning of this line, begin to smoothly cut out the parts from the drywall required form. Round holes should be marked using a compass. To cut drywall, drill a hole inside the circle and run a jigsaw blade through it. Cut out the required circle along the drawn line.
Cutting drywall with a jigsaw does not require much physical effort, takes less time and produces less waste.
If you are cutting drywall with a jigsaw, the resulting edges will require minimal finishing because of all the drywall cutting tools, only the jigsaw can be held perfectly perpendicular to the surface of the sheet. For this purpose, its design includes a special sole.
Sometimes you need to cut drywall in the shape of the letter L (for example, for a doorway). Then you need to use several types of drywall tools. The short part is sawn through with a hacksaw, and the long part is cut through assembly knife. The slab is cracked and cut from the reverse side. This work can be done on an already installed sheet.
How to cut drywall with a knife without a table: video
Beginners in the construction business do not know what and how to cut drywall the best way. After all, any work, be it creation ceiling structure, partition or complex decorative element, requires knowledge of the rules for cutting gypsum boards and strict adherence to them in practice. Different tools are used for these purposes. It all depends on the chosen cutting method. So, the recommendations below will tell you how to cut drywall at home.
What is this article about?
Getting to know the toolbox
The mandatory list of tools for sawing gypsum fiber with your own hands includes three groups of items
1. Devices for applying markings on a sheet of plasterboard- a simple pencil, a tape measure, a long ruler.
2. The actual cutting and sawing devices.
- Knife. You can cut GVLV with a stationery knife, as well as with a specialized construction knife with a double-sided replaceable blade (suitable for denser materials).
- Hacksaw. It is better if it is a tool for working metal rather than wood.
- Jigsaw. Ideal for cutting rounded elements. High-quality metal saws with fine teeth leave the least amount of chipping on the ends of drywall.
- Electric drill. Needed for making holes. For large d gaps, you will need round bits (which are used to cut into the core of door snap locks) and feather drills.
3. Edge processing devices:
- roughing plane;
- plane for chamfering.
This list clearly shows what home craftsmen use to cut drywall. Of course, it is far from complete. Arsenal experienced craftsmen may include professional equipment, for example a special cutter for gypsum plasterboard. However, for those who are working with the material for the first time, this set is quite sufficient. To better understand how to cut drywall correctly, you need to clearly understand the structure of this material.
The structure and purpose of drywall
Plasterboard sheets are a layer-by-layer combination of two types of materials - gypsum (internal contents) and sheets of thick cardboard glued to it on both sides. It is clear that if the cardboard layers are damaged, sawing the rest is not difficult.
Therefore, in order to be able to quickly cut a sheet of plasterboard, it is not enough to know what is the best way to cut drywall. It is important to know basic principle of this action: after continuous even cutting of the drywall has been carried out, the second step immediately follows - breaking the sheet.
Sawing drywall, like any hard, porous material, is not difficult. It also lends itself well to drilling.
The functions of the material make it possible to distinguish it into varieties: moisture-resistant, fire-resistant, standard, increased strength (for example, gypsum board or gypsum board, made using KNAUF technologies), acoustic plasterboard, etc.
Despite the large assortment of GCs, panels of any variety lend themselves well to being divided into parts using available material at hand.
Selection of cutting methods
What method of cutting drywall to resort to will become clear after studying the options that exist for these purposes.
Standard cutting
Cutting the sheet in a straight line is the easiest way to cut. It comes down to this:
GVL is placed on a hard and flat surface. Then mark the future cutting line.
Whatever knife you choose, you should cut it strictly, placing a ruler on the side. An uneven cut is guaranteed if you decide to do it without a ruler. Cutting begins from the back side (there is a denser cardboard layer). The front part of the Civil Code is somewhat different, as it is intended for Finishing work. When cutting, they try to push the knife as deep as possible into the gypsum contents.
Upon completion of the process, the GC is turned over and bent in the direction of the solid (without cutting line) side. Plaster that is not touched by a knife will be broken in the required direction. The cardboard on the opposite side is cut along the formed fold line.
It doesn’t really matter which side you start cutting the drywall from. However, it is much easier to do this on a flat, dense surface than when holding the GL suspended.
Before cutting drywall with improvised tools, you should familiarize yourself with two more types of simple cutting that you can do yourself.
Double-sided cutting. Most often, cutting in the shape of any rectangle is performed in this way. Using a hacksaw, one of the sides is sawed, the other is simply trimmed with a blade. After which the material is broken, and the cardboard is cut off on the opposite side (as with simple cutting). The finished trim is brought to perfection using a plane to finish the edge.
Cutting along an uneven line. To cut material along uneven lines, you must first prepare a drawing.
Cut according to a given geometry
Shaped cutting of drywall is used in the situation of creating unique shapes for a specific structural element. This procedure is more complicated, and you cannot do it without basic experience and a sufficient arsenal of tools.
When cutting in shapes, the material is also first marked. If you need to draw a circle, but there is no compass at hand, then they arm themselves with a needle and thread and a tied pencil.
For figured cutting of main body in different situations Apply one of the methods described below.
Option one. Describes the process when a hacksaw is selected as a tool. Manipulating a hacksaw is akin to working with a knife with teeth and a handle. Using a hacksaw, you can cut out fragments with any non-trivial shapes from plasterboard (for example, butterflies or flowers).
Option two. An electric drill with a cylindrical attachment allows you to create even circles of small diameter in drywall. The circle is not marked here, but is limited to marking in the desired area.
Option three. To cut gypsum fiber boards with a jigsaw, clearly mark the contour of the required shape. Priority in choosing a jigsaw is given when the diameter of the circle being made must be greater than the diameter of the electric drill bit, and the rounded lines of the shapes are not limited to a circle.
Option four. The most primitive one is when the choice of tool comes down to a knife and a hammer. Drywall is cut along the intended border. At the same time, they try to press as hard as possible on the blade.
After which the HA is placed on a flat surface that has a recess. Moreover, the separated part of the element must fall into this hole. It is less effective to rest the sheet on the wall. Next, hit with a hammer in the middle of the separated fragment. The part to be removed should break. The layer of cardboard from below is cut off, aligning the ends as necessary. GK experts strongly advise against resorting to this technique for people without experience. Since you have to spend a lot of plasterboard sheets to train your hands and practice pressing force.
The nuances of making circles
Circles in the ceiling structure are made primarily for mounting lamps. The easiest way is to cut a circle of a given diameter in the gypsum fiber with a blade. And carefully knock out the middle part with a hammer. However, it will be easier to implement your plan with a drill with special equipment - a cylindrical attachment. The same one that is used when cutting into a door locking mechanism with latch.
Cutting after installation of gypsum boards
Of course, it is more convenient to cut material that has not yet been fixed. But in practice, there are situations when it is necessary to cut off the excess after installing the sheets to the frame. Such pruning is due to the fact that the surfaces to be sheathed meet on their way window slopes or corners.
The sheet is fixed to the wall, leaving a small margin of size. Already on the wall, excess centimeters are removed.
Here it is important to make sure that the HA is securely fixed to the frame. The incision is made on the side that is in contact with the wall. The cutting movements are repeated repeatedly, following the markings. At the same time, they try to “squeeze out” unnecessary parts of the material. The sheet is cut on the other side.
After learning these methods, beginners will understand how to cut drywall with a minimum set of tools at home. If you need to cut HA in large quantities, these options will not work. The best solution will turn to professionals.
Drywall or plasterboard - universal material when renovating the premises. The sheets can be used for partitions, wall and ceiling cladding.
Big positive quality The material is its flexibility to be processed and bent to the desired shape. But when constructing structures, it is often necessary to divide a single sheet into separate parts and make holes in it. The article will tell you what drywall is and how to cut it to the required dimensions.
Features of the material
Before cutting drywall at home, it is worth getting acquainted with its features. In terms of its structure, gypsum board is a three-layer “sandwich”. Thick cardboard is used to make the outer layers, and a gypsum mixture is used for the core.
The long sides of the drywall have a rounded edge protected by cardboard. The ends of the sheets are not protected.
Cardboard is used in several types. It could be:
- Regular gray material (GKL);
- Moisture resistant, with green tint front side (GKLV);
- Fire-resistant, having a pink or light purple color (GKLV);
- Moisture-resistant with a dark green tint (GKLVO);
- Innovative drywall of blue color, designed for soundproofing walls.
The standard dimensions of gypsum boards are 2500×1200 mm, the area of which is 3 m². Less common are canvases with other sizes: 2000×1200 mm, sheet area 2.4 m²; 3000×1200 mm with an area of 3.6 m². The thickness of the sheets is: 12.5 mm; 9.5 mm; 6 mm. Thin fabrics are used to create ceiling structures.
Drywall sheets are quite bulky and heavy. When working with them, you must be careful: due to careless handling when under stress, the product may break.
Tools used when cutting fabric
Before cutting drywall, you need to become familiar with the basic tools for the job.
An approximate list of them is presented in the table:
| Name | Peculiarities |
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This tool is convenient to use for long cuts, especially if you need to cut a complex curved section |
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It can be special or regular stationery knife, which comes with a set of replacement blades |
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Such a tool has a slight set of teeth, or a hand saw designed for cutting drywall |
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Equipment for cutting gypsum boards is equipped with a set of large-diameter pen drills and crowns to drill large round holes for laying communications, glasses for mounting sockets and switches |
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This is a tool for working with drywall or just a wood plane. Used when processing edges after cutting material |
In addition to the listed tools for measuring and marking plasterboards, you need:
- Marker or simple pencil;
- Roulette;
- Square;
- A ruler or flat metal profile, which is used to install a frame under drywall.
To perform smooth, long length cuts “under the ruler”, it’s good to have a rule on hand. The video shows how to cut drywall at home in more detail.
Types of knives for cutting
To choose the right way to cut drywall at home, it’s worth getting to know in more detail the most popular tool – a knife. Such tools fall into three categories.
The table shows their categories and types:
| Knife category and type | Peculiarities |
| By category | |
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The price of the product is the most affordable, which is its advantage over other types. This simple design, which contains four elements:
Such knives are not highly reliable. When cutting plasterboard, the blades quickly begin to dull. |
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Compared to standard ones, this is more expensive models. Unlike the previous ones, they have a metal guide installed in the body, which more securely fixes the blade. When cutting, the rigidity of the position of the material is ensured. |
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The tool is intended for craftsmen who use it constantly in their work. Options professional knives enough. They differ in ergonomic appearance, operating principle of the locking mechanism and cost, which is higher than other models |
| Type | |
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This is a simple stationery or wallpaper knife, the most affordable option. The thickness of the blades ranges from 0.3 - 0.6 mm. The larger it is, the better - the higher the strength of the tool |
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Knife with a trapezoidal blade. This best option for working with gypsum boards. Advantages of the tool:
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Such folding design has a trapezoidal blade designed for cutting drywall. The model is very convenient; when folded, the knife is safe, it is convenient to carry it in your pocket, without fear of injury. |
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The knife is equipped with disc blades and is used for cutting gypsum boards. When working, you get perfectly smooth edges, even curved ones. The disk is placed near a metal ruler, which is aligned along the cutting line, pressed and moved along it. When moving the knife, an even cut is obtained, along the entire length of the same depth. If necessary, you can press on the round blade, applying quite a significant amount of force. Folding ones are also available disc knives. In this case, the disk, when you press the movable part of the handle, comes out of the housing. |
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Differs in design and appearance. It consists of two disks, which are located horizontally and parallel to each other at a certain distance. During operation, the cutter is installed on the gypsum board and moves along it, simultaneously cutting two layers of cardboard. The cutting round parts are removable, which allows you to replace them with new ones if necessary. With this tool you can cut strips of plasterboard 120 mm wide. This is especially important when forming multi-level ceilings and structures where narrow, uniform strip widths are required. The cutter handle is also a guide for setting the required cutting width. The cutter is installed on the end of the blade and moves along the entire length of the material. |
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GKL cutter “Blade Runner” is professional tool, which doubles the cutting process. The design of the tool has two detachable parts, held together by magnetic clamps during operation. The blades are housed in small blocks located in two parts of the metal body. Cutting elements can be replaced if necessary. When cutting drywall, the two halves of the tool are divided and placed on both sides of the canvas on a pre-marked line. Then, the thicknesser moves along a given guideline and cuts the cardboard layers on both sides at once. The tool cuts perfectly straight and curved complex cuts. The video shows how to properly cut drywall with such equipment in more detail |
We have listed the best methods for cutting drywall in the table. If you have to large volume various types of work, you can consult with a specialist or watch the video: “How to cut drywall at home.”
Drywall cutting technology
Cutting gypsum board is quite simple.
Tip: For ease of work and obtaining accurate dimensions of parts, you should choose a well-lit and free room.
The table shows brief instructions drywall cuttings:
| Name and photo of the operation | Process description |
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Plasterboard sheets are produced sufficiently large sizes. In order for marking and then cutting it with your own hands to be accurate and of high quality, the material must lie horizontally on a solid base. This could be the floor, table and even stools. But the latter should be located next to each other at a distance of up to 300 mm to prevent the sheet from breaking when pressed on it |
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According to the required dimensions, using a tape measure, pencil, ruler or rule, the cutting lines of the material are marked. At the same time, which side to cut the drywall from does not really matter. If it is necessary to mark strictly perpendicular lines on the material, use a square |
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A knife for cutting drywall is placed on the drawn line, close to the ruler, and the tool is drawn along the entire length of the guide. In this case, the blade is pressed lightly, so that only the outer layer of cardboard is cut |
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The sheet of drywall is moved to the edge of the table and the cut is carefully tapped on the other side of the sheet. As a result, the layer of gypsum along the cut line will lose its integrity. |
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The sheet is folded along the cutting line and divided into two parts by cutting through the cardboard on its reverse side. |
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After dividing the sheet, its edges are cleaned with a special or regular plane. This must be done in order to remove sloppy nicks so that they do not interfere when joining the panels on the wall. How to trim the edge of drywall? To prevent the material from crumbling, chamfering should be carried out without strong pressure. At the same time, there is no need to achieve an ideal edge surface; it is enough to just remove the strongly protruding parts and irregularities on the cardboard that were created when cutting the sheet. A beveled chamfer, necessary for strong reinforcement of the joints of the panels on the wall. It can be done after they are installed so as not to destroy the edge of the sheet unprotected by cardboard |
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To cut into drywall round hole or any curly one, you constantly need to monitor the bend line. The cutting process can be performed with a narrow hacksaw or an electric jigsaw, which makes the cut more accurate, but this requires experience with the tool. When performing the operation, it is very important not to crumble the edge of the sheet, especially if there is no cardboard edge on it. |
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You can cut through openings of any shape with a hacksaw or jigsaw. For this:
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A round hole for installing a socket or switch is cut out electric drill with a crown attachment of the appropriate diameter, a jigsaw or a narrow hacksaw. Holes are most often cut after installing gypsum boards on the sheathing. Otherwise, the strength of the sheet may be compromised, and even a slight misalignment, often when transporting or installing the sheet, becomes the cause of a break. |
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When planning to cut a hole with a hacksaw or jigsaw:
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Tip: The evenness and quality of the cut depends on the strength of the hand and the skills of the craftsman. But you should not cut drywall through its entire thickness, which can cause sloppy edges and rapid blade failure. In order to correctly cut drywall with your own hands, a video tutorial will help with all the details.
Cutting after installation of gypsum boards
Cutting unfixed material is much more convenient. But there are situations when it is necessary to cut off the excess after installing the panels on the frame. This happens when it is necessary to make slopes for windows or corners on the sheathed surfaces.
In this case, you should make sure that the sheet is securely fixed to the frame. The material is cut on the side in contact with the wall.
In this case, the cutting movements are repeated several times along the markings. Then the excess parts of the material are “squeezed out”. The sheet is cut on the other side. The video shows in detail how to trim protruding drywall that is already attached to a frame underneath it.
Before cutting drywall, you should use a few tips to help avoid irreparable mistakes:
- You should not use a grinder when working. Such a tool is not used for cutting drywall - it makes a lot of noise and a cloud of gypsum dust, which will have to be removed, wasting your time and effort;
- If it is necessary to use a hammer when cutting a material, it should only be a rubber mallet; a metal tool can cause serious damage to the material. In addition, when working you need to measure the strength of your blows;
- To reduce nicks on the edges of the sheet, it is better to hold the hacksaw or knife at an angle of 90°. As the blade angle decreases, the size of the cardboard rags increases;
- The main cuts of the material must be made before attaching the panels to the sheathing. In this case, if the cut is unsuccessful, the sheet can be replaced with a new one, and the damaged one can be used for inserts.
Tip: Windows and openings should be cut after fixing the material to the frame.
- You should not cut out complex designs in drywall that have thin partitions, like openwork mesh;
- Cutting a whole sheet is most often done on the floor. Therefore, after cutting along this line, a block is placed under the blade. Then press on two parts of the sheet, which is easily broken along the cut line.
How and with what to cut drywall, everyone chooses for themselves. The process of carrying out the work is quite simple, which makes it easy for anyone with no experience in construction to handle.
If in doubt, you should try your hand on a small piece of material and make sure that everything is simple. It is enough to follow simple technological recommendations and use a quality tool.
