How to cut moisture-resistant drywall at home. How to cut drywall at home How to cut drywall at home

The question of cutting drywall arises for every person who encounters this material for the first time. Cut Doing such material (ordinary, moisture-resistant, fire-resistant) with your own hands is quite problematic, since very often, especially without the proper skill, you end up damaging it. This situation often occurs when holes are formed in a sheet. Therefore, our article will be devoted to answering the question “how to cut drywall correctly.”

Today such material is cut into separate fragments in several ways. These include:

• a method when you need to cut a sheet in a straight line;

Cut in a straight line

• cutting drywall along an indirect line.

We cut indirectly

Both methods are easy to do with your own hands if you follow simple rules, which we will consider below for each option separately.

Straight line cutting

Very often it is necessary to cut the slab in a straight line in order to complete the sheathing of the frame in certain places. For this you will definitely need a drywall knife. According to many experts, it is increasingly better to use it instead of analogue substitutes.

Cutting drywall using such a knife involves the following preparatory procedures:

• place the slab (moisture-resistant, regular or fire-resistant sheet) on a stable and flat surface;

Note! Here it is better to use a stack of other slabs as a similar surface.

• We apply the necessary markings on the plate to cut out the pieces we need. Marking is especially necessary if you need to cut a hole of a certain size for a lamp or socket;

Making the markings

• We apply the markings with a simple pencil. It is not advisable to use a marker or pen;
• On the back side of the slab we make marks at the bottom and top, and then connect them using a long and even strip. You can use a marking thread.

Now that the markings are done, you can cut out the required pieces as follows:

• the knife must be well sharpened. In this case, its length should be adjusted - it should not exceed the thickness of the sheet being cut;
• We lightly run a knife along the marked marks several times. For greater evenness, you can not remove the rail;
• turn the slab over to the other side and tap on the cut. It will be enough to tap your fist several times;

Note! If you are cutting a moisture-resistant type of material, then you need to hit the cut a little harder, since the core is stronger here.

• fold the sheet along the line at the cut site. Now the cut piece is supported only by paper;

• cut the remaining layer of paper and get an even piece of slab.

This way you can cut whole sheet and get perfectly even pieces.

Cutting sheets along an indirect line

When covering walls and ceilings, you always have to cut certain pieces not in a straight line. For example, you need to make a hole for a socket, switch or lamp. In such a situation, the knife stand-alone instrument cannot be used. To cut a hole of any diameter, you need to take a hacksaw with fine teeth.

Hacksaw

Where a knife can't do it, a drywall hacksaw can do it. With its help you can easily cut a hole of any diameter and size.
You need to cut holes using a hacksaw in the following way:

• Place the slab on a flat surface:
• apply markings in the right place;
• We take the hacksaw in our hands and cut short sections with it at the bends, at the beginning and end of the cut;

Making a hole using a hacksaw

• We take a knife and cut through the plasterboard using the technology that is used when cutting in a straight line.

It is much more difficult to cut sheets along a curved vector. You can also use a knife here, but the cut will be uneven and will need to be adjusted using a plane.
In this situation better Just use an electric jigsaw. You can also use a metal file, as it has small and frequent teeth.
Note! There will be a lot of dust when using an electric jigsaw. Therefore, you need to cover your eyes with safety glasses and wear a respirator.
By following the above recommendations and rules, you can easily and quickly cut plasterboard sheets into the required pieces with your own hands.

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Hiding the pipes in the toilet behind drywall

Each of us has done renovations at some point in our lives. And many people do it every couple of years. To insulate your home or create beautiful figures on the ceiling, in the bathroom or any other rooms we often use a material such as drywall. And many of those who prefer to do the repairs themselves have wondered whether it is possible to cut drywall themselves at home, and how difficult it is.

Most often, owners resort to the help of strangers (specialists), spending a lot of money. This article will help you cope with this process yourself, without wasting time looking for specialists, and will help you get exactly the result you want.

Peculiarities

Drywall is a relatively new material used in construction work. It gained wide popularity due to its harmlessness, versatility, and good sound insulation. The gypsum board itself, as the name suggests, consists of two sheets of thick cardboard and plaster placed between them. Standard width one sheet is one hundred twenty centimeters. Since drywall is large in size, during construction work it is necessary to resort to cutting it.

To cut drywall, we will need a tape measure to obtain the required dimensions (a ruler can also be used), a pencil, a pen (or any other similar tool), with which we will apply the shapes we need on the sheet, a tool for the cut itself (hacksaw, grinder, jigsaw, cutter), roughing plane (for processing edges after cutting), saw (can be circular or circular), or a drill with a crown. Although cutting drywall does not present any difficulties, cutting it incorrectly leads to a large waste of material, and, accordingly, to a waste of money.

Cutting a GKLV is not a labor-intensive job; any beginner, with the proper desire, can make the cut himself, without the help of professionals.

Brief process cutting drywall looks like this. First, the drywall is cut, then broken. Also, the simple composition of drywall is easy to drill, which is necessary for making various holes.

This type material is divided into different kinds depending on the assigned functions:

• moisture resistant;
• standard;
• fire resistant;
• acoustic;
• increased strength.

Moisture-resistant drywall is needed when used in rooms with an increased amount of vapor in the air. Fire-resistant drywall is used where there are fireplaces and near places with sources of open fire.

Initially, drywall was used only to level surfaces.

There are three standard type sheet:

• 3000x1200 millimeters;
• 2500x1200 millimeters;
• 2000x1200 millimeters.

Depending on the type of drywall, their thickness also varies, which affects the complexity of cutting.

Ceiling plasterboard has a thickness of 9.5 millimeters, wall plasterboard - 12.5 millimeters, arched - 6.5 millimeters.

Let's consider several features when cutting drywall:

• It is necessary to place the sheet of drywall on a flat and stable surface, as it is very flexible.
• If the sheet of drywall is large, then cutting must be done gradually.
• Before placing the sheet on the work surface, make sure it is dry. A wet sheet will be unsuitable for work.
• It is recommended to cut from the side that will be located against the wall. This will allow you to subsequently hide possible defects formed during cutting.
• It is necessary to protect the eyes and respiratory organs with personal protective equipment.

When cutting drywall, do not use a circular saw due to its ability to create large amounts of harmful dust.

What's the best way to cut?

Drywall cutting is done by various types of tools, some of them are:

• mounting knife;
• hacksaw;
• electric jigsaw is hand power tools, with the help of which various types of materials are cut using a reciprocating motion of the saw blade.

Let's consider each of them separately.

Assembly knife

In this method we will need a drill and, in fact, a mounting knife.

To cut drywall with a mounting knife, you need to measure required size drywall along the length or width. We will also need a metal ruler. We apply it to the cut line. After which an incision is made of this material. The process itself is quite simple and will not take much time. The sloppy edge left by the cut can be corrected using a plane. It is recommended that when breaking drywall on a table, the edge protrudes by one or two centimeters, and when cutting on the floor, place any object resembling a block under it.

When cutting drywall, one person is enough in a convenient way The part is cut on one side, after which the drywall is carefully turned over to the other side and continues to be cut on the other side. This method allows, if necessary, to cut thin strips of drywall with minimal damage.

Hacksaw

This tool will allow us to cut out only small shapes, such as a circle, square, rectangle, rhombus and others. For achievement best result It is recommended to use a hacksaw with a thin blade.

We draw the shapes we need of the appropriate size, and then use a drill to make a hole corresponding to the size of the blade of our hacksaw. Then we cut out the shapes we need. Just as in the previous method, to achieve neat edges you can use a plane or a file if the size of your parts is too small. It is recommended to use a hacksaw for metal, but if you don’t have one, you can also use a hacksaw for wood.

This process can be described in more detail as follows. The sheet of drywall is laid on a flat surface (you can use a stack of sheets of drywall). Next, the necessary measurements are taken, and the dimensions are applied with a pencil (or any other object) to the sheet. Marks are applied on both sides of the sheet, starting from the edge of the sheet. Then they are connected to each other, forming the desired line or figure. In some cases, a marking thread is used. Lines are marked on both sides of the drywall.

The next step is to directly cut the drywall. The length of the blade of our tool should not exceed the thickness of the sheet. The sheet is cut with a knife (preferably several times to achieve the best effect), and the sheet is turned over to the other side. Next, knock several times along the cut line and cut the remaining part of the drywall with the same knife.

Jigsaw

cutting electric jigsaw is the fastest of all, but at the same time quite expensive. Its price varies from 1,500 to 10,000 rubles. The price depends on the quality of the product. But the costs are absolutely worth it. Our capabilities when using it expand significantly. It becomes possible to cut lines and shapes various forms, including curved ones, The amount of waste is also significantly reduced. When working with a jigsaw, you must follow safety precautions. Before starting work, check the integrity of the wires and the serviceability of the tool.

To achieve the desired effect, we apply the correct shapes or designs onto a sheet of drywall. Next, we place it on two stools (or any other supports) placed on both sides of the sheet. Then, using a jigsaw, we cut out the shapes we have drawn.

When cutting round holes, it is recommended to mark them with a compass, and when cutting, drill a hole inside the circle. After cutting the drywall, the edges require minimal processing, which also saves us time and effort, which is a significant plus.

When making a cut, it is not recommended to stay in one place for a long time, and also to press on the sheet using great force, in order to avoid breaking the jigsaw and the sheet. It is necessary to carefully process the edges of the gypsum board before hanging, for example, spotlight or socket.

Subtleties of the process

When cutting drywall, it is customary to follow some rules, such as:

• placing the sheet on a flat and stable surface;
• the surface should be dry and free of excess debris;
• Use personal protective equipment for eyes and respiratory organs, as cutting leaves a large amount of small debris and dust.

When cutting a profile, various types of tools are used:

• Hacksaw. This type of tool, regardless of whether it is narrow or wide, has high flexibility of the cutting blade, which allows it to deviate from a given direction. This reduces the quality of work and also increases the time spent cutting.
• Bulgarian. The tool is one of the best for carrying out construction work, including when cutting drywall.

• Metal scissors
• Jigsaw.

Also in our life, there are times when it is necessary to make a cut on an already installed sheet of drywall for a lamp, paintings or any other things. There is also a way for this case.

First, we need to make sure that the drywall is securely fastened, after which the small holes we need are carefully cut out with a jigsaw, a drill with an attachment, or an electric drill. It is recommended to cut large holes with a knife according to the markings. If you get uneven edges, they can be removed with sandpaper or a hacksaw.

There are a number of nuances when cutting out circles. Most in a simple way cutting out a circle in drywall involves applying the desired size to the sheet, then carefully cutting it in a circle with a blade, and knocking out the core with a hammer (with little effort with any similar object). There is also the simplest way, which saves time and effort - using a drill with a special cylindrical attachment. This type of attachment is usually used when cutting a locking mechanism with a latch into a door.

There is also a so-called double-sided cut, which is carried out when various obstacles arise in the path of the sheet, be it doors, openings, beams or any others. If such a situation arises, you have to make a cut (or slice) with the right side and the desired shape. This manipulation is quite simple, but requires concentration, accuracy and attentiveness. One side of the sheet must be cut with a hacksaw, and the other side must be carefully trimmed with a knife. Then complete the work by making a break and finishing the edge with a plane.

When cutting drywall, it folds. It is advisable to do this carefully without damaging the sheet. There are three possible ways bending drywall. The easiest way is to attach the desired workpiece to the profile and fix it in the desired position with self-tapping screws. This method is used for small sheets measuring 20-30 centimeters and a small arc size.

To work with plasterboard sheets, it is better to select high-quality and practical tools. Plasterboard structures are appearing more and more often in our homes, offices, schools, shops... it can be a simple wall or decorative element any type. When assembling any interior element from gypsum plasterboard, cutting of the material is required (even when installing simple partitions and ceilings). How do you cut drywall and what additional tools are needed for this? How many ways are there? You will find the answer to these and other questions in this article.

A professional installer will always have something to cut a sheet or cut off part of it. Even if the tool for its main purpose fails during operation. But in addition to cutting objects, an auxiliary tool is also needed.

Before you start working with plasterboard sheets, you should prepare everything in advance necessary tools and materials

What you need to cut drywall:

1. Construction knife. It is very similar to a stationery knife (both in appearance and in the mechanism of the device), however, it is more durable. With long-term use, the only part that fails is the blade, which is easy to replace. This tool, regardless of the company and manufacturer, is very versatile, so you don’t have to select blades of a certain brand. The gypsum board sheet can also be cut with a stationery knife if it is required once.
2. Hacksaw for drywall. This is an object with a narrow blade and serrated edges up to 18 cm long, similar in appearance to kitchen knife-saw, since its blade is soldered into the handle. The blade is made of high-strength steel, so you can use a knife without special effort and straight and curly cuts. It is light, compact and very easy to use. This knife is universal, since in addition to plasterboard, it can easily cope with small wooden workpieces. The shape of the knife teeth for drywall can be different, depending on the company. But this does not significantly affect the process of cutting the material. At home, gypsum board can be cut with a simple hacksaw, but this is quite difficult and should be done with extreme caution.
3. Jigsaw. This tool is mostly used for cutting wood, MDF, chipboard, fiberboard, OSB, etc., however, if you install metal blades (which have finer teeth), then everything will work out. A blade with fine teeth does not tear the cardboard layer of the sheet and there will be fewer chips. A jigsaw can be used to make both straight and curved cuts.
4. Plane. This tool is not used to cut a sheet or cut out a specific element of any structure being built, but only at the final stage. Using a chamfering plane or a simple roughing plane, the cut areas of the drywall sheet are processed. This is necessary for further processing of joints.
5. Tape measure, pencil, ruler. To cut the sheet correctly and evenly, precise measurements and markings are necessary. Especially when it comes to figured products for decoration. For an even line, instead of a ruler and pencil, you can use a tapping thread, but with curly markings you will have to work hard. If you need to cut an even circle, the pencil is tied to a rope, the other end of which is fixed in the middle of the sheet and this device used on the principle of a compass. In the same way, semicircular bends are marked, where the length of the rope depends on the radius of the circle.

A milling cutter or electric drill with special attachments is used to make holes in drywall. For example, for sockets, switches, etc. Let's consider this type of tool in more detail.

For making holes any geometric shape and grooves, as well as processing the edges of a sheet of drywall, a disk or shaped router is used. A disk router is capable of making only grooves, but the second option is better due to its versatility: in addition to grooves, it is capable of cutting holes of any geometric shape, as well as processing the edge of a sheet.

In order to quickly make a hole in drywall, you can use a special router

Milling is the processing of any material by cutting. Often the cutter is replaced with a conventional electric drill with appropriate attachments different diameters(depending on what purpose the hole is needed for).

Milling cutters have certain varieties. To make radius and rounded surfaces, a U-shaped tool is used, and for sharp corners– V-shaped cutter.

Any type of drywall has a certain structure. As a rule, this is a gypsum core or filler, covered on all sides with durable cardboard. Depending on the type of material, cardboard and filler may have a different structure, but this does not affect the cutting methods. For an even cut, just go over the sheet with a gypsum board knife and make a break.

Making an even cut

Before cutting through a sheet of drywall, you need to make precise markings and draw a line. Next, place any flat object (ruler, rule or profile) along the drawn line and draw a knife along the line several times. This must be done without jerking, confidently, so that chips and nicks do not form in the material.

Accurate markings on the sheet will help you cut the drywall correctly and evenly.

To prevent the cut from being crooked, the ruler must be held straight and in the same position.

You can cut drywall either by laying it on the floor or leaning it against the wall. The main condition is that the cut be perfectly even, otherwise it will not be possible to break the sheet correctly. How to make a break correctly? To do this, turn the sheet over and bend it in half along the cut line, and then run a knife along the resulting bend on the cardboard.

Shaped cutting

If the elements future design assume smooth lines and bends, cutting the material is done with a jigsaw or a hacksaw for metal (which is much more difficult). In order to cut out an element with rounded shapes, the sheet must be laid out on the table. The edge of the sheet should hang over the floor. After accurate markings have been made, a jigsaw is drawn along the drawn line; this must be done away from you, and not towards you, so that the power tool does not cause injury.

How to cut drywall: make holes

What are holes in drywall for? Walls with niches, hatches for communications or installation of distribution boxes, as well as socket boxes, all this involves making various kinds of holes in gypsum board slabs.

You can also make straight holes using a drill.

How to cut drywall correctly:

1. Holes rectangular or square shape. First you need to determine the exact place on the sheet where cutting is planned. Using an electric drill, drill 4 holes with a drill large diameter, along the contour of the cut out figure. Next, the opening is cut with a jigsaw through the holes made.
2. Round hole. The most common way is to use special bits for an electric drill. Marking the sheet is quite simple: you only need to mark the center of the future hole, making the appropriate measurements. A bit with the required diameter is attached to the chuck of an electric drill, the bit of the bit is placed on the mark, the average speed is selected and the hole is smoothly cut.

It is important not to press the drill too hard to prevent the bit from getting stuck in the material.

Tools at hand: how to cut drywall at home

To evenly cut the material, you can even use scissors or a simple blade, a stationery or kitchen knife, using them according to the principle of a drywall knife. Shaped cutting can be done with a regular hacksaw. The principle of its use is similar to using a jigsaw, but there are differences. You can start sawing the sheet with a whole hacksaw, but the handle will not go deep into the sheet, so you will have to remove it and continue cutting only with the blade.

You can cut drywall yourself, the main thing is to do it correctly and with the utmost care.

Round holes can also be cut with a regular knife, for this you need:

• Mark the location of the slot on the front and back sides of the slab;
• Outline the shape of the hole by tracing an outline on both sides of the sheet;
• Use a knife to cut through the cardboard layer on both sides;
• Lightly tap the plaster with a mallet.

In order to cut a hole in an installed sheet of drywall, a location is selected and the outline of the figure is outlined and a drywall hacksaw is used.

Tool review: how to cut drywall (video)

It may not always be possible to cut a sheet of drywall perfectly the first time. If you are not confident in your abilities, practice on scrap material so as not to ruin the whole sheet.

Happy renovation!

homeli.ru

Drywall cutting

Beginners in the construction business do not know what and how to cut drywall in the best way. After all, any work, be it creation ceiling structure, partitions or complex element decor, 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.

Getting to know the toolbox

The mandatory list of tools for cutting 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 are the least likely to cause chips 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 the basic principle of this action: after continuous, even cutting of drywall is 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, high-strength (for example, plasterboard or gypsum board made using KNAUF technology), 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 can be done independently.

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 shaped cutting of HA in different situations, we 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 a locking mechanism with a latch into a door.

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 the HA into large quantities, these options will not work. The best solution will turn to professionals.

izgipsokartona.com

How to cut a plasterboard sheet and what tools are needed

When working with drywall, many people ask the question: how to cut drywall correctly? This process is not difficult if you properly prepare the tool and apply markings to the material. How to cut drywall at home so that the amount of waste is minimal? What tool should you have on hand? Let's take a closer look.

Marking

In order to correctly apply the markings, you need to measure the plane on which the gypsum board sheets will be attached. Then, using a tape measure or ruler, you should transfer the dimensions onto the slab, outlining a line with a pencil. Double-check your measurements before you start cutting. This will help you avoid making mistakes.

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Tools and material

Before you start cutting drywall at home, you need to prepare your tool. For this you will need:

• drywall;
• roulette;
• line;
• stationery knife.

Important: it is better to cut drywall only with a new, sharp, stationery knife.

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Cutting a sheet of drywall in a straight line

A gypsum board is a sandwich in which a gypsum core is surrounded on both sides by thick cardboard. The material is quite durable, can be moisture-resistant and fire-resistant. Drywall can be cut from any side. It is not difficult to cut the material; use a fairly sharp blade to cut through one layer of cardboard and break it.

It is worth remembering that the knife must be guided confidently and strictly along the line that was drawn earlier. If the first time it was not possible to cut the cardboard, then pass over this place several times until the cardboard is completely cut through. The rail should remain stationary during cutting. It is pressed tightly against the material, otherwise the cut will be uneven. The paper layer is cut through with a slight grip gypsum board. This will help break the material evenly, without chipping.
Once you have cut one layer of cardboard on the board, you can proceed to the next step - breaking the material along the cut. If you did everything correctly, it will not be difficult to hold the sheet with your feet and fold it in the opposite direction from the cut.

You can involve a second person if the layer of material is large. In principle, it does not matter how the material is broken, the main thing in this matter is an even and high-quality cut. Once you have folded the drywall along the cut, you need to carefully cut the second layer of cardboard. Cutting drywall is actually easy. If you doubt that this process will be carried out correctly, try cutting the material on a small piece first.

Read also

Do-it-yourself doorway expansion

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How to make a round hole in plasterboard

It is important to learn how to correctly make holes in sheets of material, since installation often involves installing sockets or switches. In addition, sometimes it is necessary to repair damaged areas in drywall. For professional hole making, use special tool and have some skill. Let's look at how to cut drywall at home, step by step:

Advice! Do not rush and put too much pressure on the tool - this may lead to damage to the material, since the crown may simply get stuck in the drywall.

Round hole without power tools

This is the second method, which will require more effort. The marking is carried out as in the first option, in this case you need to draw a circle of the required diameter with a compass. Once the markup is ready, you need to do small hole at the edge of the circle. It can be drilled using a brace. Then you need to take a thin hacksaw with sharp teeth, insert it into the hole and start sawing the drywall strictly along the line.

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Cutting a rectangular hole

The first step is to determine on the drywall board where the hole will be located.
To do this, you need to measure the required distance from the left edge of the drywall sheet and put a mark. If you plan to make a hole for a strip for several sockets, then the strip is placed against this mark and outlined.

After this, you need to set the geometry - the bar must be strictly level. Draw the sides of the future hole well.

Then you need to drill holes in the corners of the rectangle; it is worth remembering that the drill should be of such a size that the jigsaw blade fits freely into the hole in the material. A saw is inserted into each hole and a cut is made. This must be done very carefully, without strong pressure. The file should follow the line.
Important! When working with drywall, you should wear a mask or respirator to avoid breathing in dust. It is better to make the hole a little smaller. It is always easier to make a large one from a small hole; to do this, just walk along the edges of the hole with a rasp.

Once the work is done, you need to inspect the hole made. Take the bar and try it on, preferably together with the sockets, so you will know exactly how suitable the hole is. If necessary, a hole can be made in an already finished design, you just need to know for sure that there are no communication systems at the installation site. In the video, the master shows how to make a square hole in drywall.

Work on installing drywall involves cutting sheets into pieces of the required size. At home, a master does not often encounter this task, so it is not advisable to buy professional electric saws for cutting HA. When working with large volumes With GK, cutting speed comes first, so for a master who is constantly involved in installation, purchasing such equipment is important.

A set of tools for working with HA

But in order to make a box for the ceiling or an arched opening in your home, the work of cutting the HA can be done with an ordinary general-purpose tool available in the arsenal of any home craftsman. And to understand how to cut drywall correctly, you must first understand what kind of material it is.

In order to easily bend and cut drywall (gypsum board) at home, both in a straight line and along a complex line, you first need to understand the structure of this material. Its name fully speaks about it: it is essentially a sandwich, the core of which consists of a fragile gypsum-based mixture, which is covered with cardboard on both sides. When preparing parts, the properties of drywall due to its material and structure are used:

• The core gives drywall its rigidity, and the cardboard prevents it from breaking. If the cardboard layer is damaged, the HA easily breaks in this place. Making a continuous straight cut on the cardboard and then breaking the sheet is the main principle of fast cutting.

• Like any solid porous material, HA is easy to drill and saw. Plaster is cut with any hand tool.
• The porous mass of the filler is capable of absorbing moisture, while the material reversibly loses hardness and is deformable. After giving the required shape, the HA dries and regains its strength. This property is used to obtain solid arched parts with uniform bending.

Tools for cutting HA

To work with drywall at home, you will need tools for marking and cutting:

• Marking is done using a tape measure and a meter metal ruler. It is convenient to use a metal guide or load-bearing profile. With their help, the initial marking of a long sheet is performed. The ruler for drawing a longitudinal line on a 2.5 m long sheet of civil code will be short.
• Stationery knife. It is better to use a drywall knife. It is stronger, and when working with it you can make cuts with considerable force without the risk of breaking the knife.

• Hacksaw for wood. A thin passing hacksaw with a minimal tooth spread is suitable for sawing HA. Construction stores sell a special narrow file for drywall.
• Jigsaw. This tool is today considered a universal assistant in household, therefore it is in the arsenal of any master.
• Electric drill. It is used for drilling straight holes. For large diameters, feather drills or round bits are used to cut into the core of door latch locks.
• A plane is used to process the edges of parts after cutting, cutting off irregularities, scraps of cardboard, and making chamfers. It is not necessary to buy a planer for drywall; an ordinary carpenter's plane will do.
• The metal profile is cut with a grinder or metal shears.
• Needle roller for making curved parts.

Techniques for cutting drywall

Correct marking of the workpiece is the basis for cutting the main body. If the part turns out to be larger than necessary, it can be trimmed, but the small workpiece will be completely ruined.

The time spent rechecking the markings will be significantly less than reworking or trimming parts.

A tool for direct cutting of drywall is a knife. After marking two points on the surface of the sheet, apply a ruler or profile along them. It is not necessary to draw a line. You need to firmly press the guide and apply pressure to make an even cut on the cardboard. You can cut several times, since the deeper the groove, the smoother the drywall will break off. After this, the sheet is broken and all that remains is to evenly cut through the cardboard from the back side of the sheet.

Curved lines are cut with a jigsaw.

A hacksaw is used for zigzag-like lines. Usually these are corner cuts. In this case, one line is cut with a hacksaw, the second with a knife.

To make blind holes, a circle is marked, a hole is drilled, a jigsaw file is inserted into it, and a sphere of the required shape is cut out in a circle.

If you need to make a rectangular hole in an already installed sheet of grout (for a socket), it is not always possible to use a jigsaw for fear of damaging the wall communications. With absence professional tool you will have to work with the adjustable reach of the cutting element with an ordinary knife, gradually cutting through the sheet to its full thickness.

Making curved parts

The most labor-intensive and time-consuming process is bending parts from plasterboard. Correctly bending the main body and profile is a task that requires accuracy and patience.

First, a rectangular piece is cut. To correctly mark the part, use a flexible tape measure to measure the length of the arch along the bend.

The front coating of drywall is denser than the back, so bending the workpiece is done so that the back coating stretches.

After watching the video, you can understand without words how simple everything is:

It is possible to bend a wide part evenly only with the help of a template. It is made of fiberboard, plywood or the same plasterboard.

One side of the part is rolled with a needle roller with such pressure that the needles penetrate 3-5 mm into the thickness of the sheet. After this, the surface is moistened with water until softened. This is a long process and there is no need to rush. In this case, you need to gradually bend the part according to the template. After it fits completely into the mold, it is fixed and left to dry.

For gentle arches with a large radius, where the bending steepness is small, you can do without wet arching. Transverse cuts are made on the part with a uniform pitch, resulting in an accordion. After fixing, such a surface is puttied to hide the bending ribs.

For arched structures, bending the profile will not work. To do this, it is cut with scissors in increments of 3-10 cm, depending on the steepness of the bend. Correctly make triangular cuts.

To work with drywall, you can get by with ordinary tools that can be found in any home workshop.

In contact with

Those who have more than one renovation experience unanimously claim that there is nothing easier than cutting drywall. However, even such a simple task can baffle a novice builder. The article will tell you how to work with the material correctly and will try to anticipate all the questions of those who got their hands on drywall for the first time.

Specialized publications for builders recommend using tools that cost a lot of money and are primarily useful to professional craftsmen working to order. We’ll talk about improvised means that any man can find at home.

Tape measure, ruler, pencil

Please note that it is recommended to make marks on the drywall sheet with a simple pencil. Markers left by marker or ballpoint pen, subsequently even the most thorough putty will not hide it.

Construction knife

It can also be replaced by a regular paper knife. True, with a construction knife with a replaceable double-sided blade it is more convenient to cut more dense materials. This tool is certainly easy to operate. It will instantly cut the paper layer of plasterboard and deal with the base in no time. However, you will need to tinker to cut an even, neat sheet. Therefore, first we draw the necessary lines with a simple pencil, make cuts, and only then, when the perimeter of the part is ready, cut the drywall. The edge of the cut-off part of the plasterboard will have small jagged edges - they will disappear without a trace if you “walk” over them with sandpaper.

Hacksaw

We need a tool for working with metal. It differs from a wood hacksaw in that it has a thinner blade, which will cut the sheet accurately and, most importantly, almost without dust, without deforming its edge. If you have chosen a hacksaw, keep in mind that you cannot work with weight, otherwise you will ruin the material. Place the gypsum board sheet on a stable support, then cut along the pre-drawn line measuredly and slowly so as not to get lost.

Jigsaw

You will not have any difficulties if you purchase high-quality saw blades for tools, preferably for metal work. They are distinguished by a smaller tooth, which will leave a few chips on the end of the drywall sheet. These tools make it easy to cut rounded elements.

Chamfering plane and roughing plane

These tools will be needed at the final stage of working with plasterboard, when you need to give a neat look to its edges.
Good to know - circular saw They don't work with drywall. The tool produces a huge amount of dust, which will greatly clog not only workroom, but also your respiratory organs.

Cutting drywall at home

In a straight line

Using this type of cutting, a standard sheet of drywall is given the desired size. Put the source on a stable one horizontal surface. After the desired size of the future part is marked on both sides of the gypsum board, take a drywall cutting knife and use a metal ruler to cut the surface layer of the sheet. For convenience, adjust the knife blade so that it protrudes from the handle to a length that does not greatly exceed the thickness of the plasterboard.

You should not abandon the ruler and cut the material according to the mark drawn with a pencil - this way the cut is unlikely to be even. Run the knife along the work line several times to deepen the cut, which will break the drywall exactly where you want it to.
Now place the sheet edge-on on the support and lightly tap the gypsum board on the side opposite to the cut. Lightly “press” the sheet - as a rule, after several blows the gypsum core breaks along the cut mark. All that remains is to cut the cardboard that connects the two halves of one sheet.

Letter G

This shape is usually given to the material if you need to cover a doorway with plasterboard. We measure and outline the contours of the future part. Then the short part is sawed through with a hacksaw, and the long part is cut with a knife according to the above proposed scheme.

Working with plasterboard fixed to the wall

Although loose drywall is the easiest to cut, sometimes it is necessary to cut and cut off the excess after the sheet is on the frame. This design option is justified by the fact that when covering a gypsum board slope of a window or a corner of a wall, the edge plasterboard sheet For aesthetic reasons, it must be extremely accurately applied to the edges of the surface on which it is fixed. Therefore, a plasterboard sheet slightly larger than necessary is fixed to the wall, and only then the extra centimeters are removed.

Make sure that the frame holds the gypsum board firmly. The question of which side to cut the drywall from should not arise in this situation, because the answer suggests itself - cut the side of the sheet that is directly adjacent to the surface to be sheathed. Run the tool along the intended line several times, as if slightly “squeezing” unnecessary part. Cut the sheet from the reverse side. Let us remind you: to give the sheet on the frame the shape of the letter L, cut the line horizontally with a hacksaw, and saw off the vertical line with a knife.

Non-standard cutting and shaped cutting of drywall

Often you have to cut gypsum boards not in a straight line, but as required by built-in lighting fixtures, sockets or your own imagination in the pursuit of a multi-level curved ceiling. Working with indirect drywall pieces requires some skill.

Option 1. To create a perfectly round hole in a sheet of drywall, you can use an electric drill equipped with a special cylindrical bit. There are attachments of different diameters and applications; they are also called circular saws. Choose one that is designed to work with wood, plywood and drywall.

Option 2. If you don't have a circular saw, no problem. Use a jigsaw: draw a circle of the desired diameter on a sheet of drywall, and drill a hole inside it. Then insert the tool blade and, following the marking outline, cut out round hole. Please note - when working with plasterboard with a jigsaw, use a narrow file with small teeth and take your time when cutting the sheet. The result of unhurried work will be a smooth edge of the part. Operate the jigsaw slowly, but the tool should operate at maximum speed.
Option 3.If you do not have any of the tools listed above, as a last resort, a hole in a sheet of drywall can be made using a special knife for plasterboard and a hammer. For this:

• mark the worksheet;
• Using good pressure, cut the marked lines with a knife. In this situation, sufficiently cut depth in the sheet is very important;
• place the gypsum board on the surface with a recess so that this recess is located just under the future hole;
• hit the center of the intended hole with a hammer so that the core of the sheet breaks. Try not to overdo it so that a crack does not appear throughout the entire sheet;
• Now break off unnecessary pieces of gypsum board by cutting off the cardboard from the back of the sheet with a knife.

Option 4. The easiest way to cut drywall is with a jigsaw, but if you don’t have one, you can get by with a decent and convenient replacement - a hacksaw for gypsum boards. You can also do it without a hacksaw:

• measure and mark future cuts on the sheet;
• divide the cut outline into relatively straight segments and cut through them special knife, cutting cardboard and scratching plaster;
• break off the resulting sections using the same method described in the previous version of cutting drywall.

It is worth noting that this technology is effective when cutting out large shapes. To create elements with a small radius, use a hacksaw.

How to process a gypsum board part after cutting

The edge of the plasterboard sheet, along which the working tool has just “walked”, does not look entirely aesthetically pleasing. To make it even and smooth, ready for puttying, arm yourself with a plane and remove the chamfer. For this purpose, you can also use a regular knife. The chamfer is removed to two-thirds of the thickness of the plasterboard, with an angle of 45 degrees.

How to cut a profile for drywall

For this purpose you can use:

• metal scissors;
• jigsaw with metal file;
• hacksaw for metal;
• cutting table or manual machine;
• grinder (only as a last resort - there will be a lot of sparks).

1. If possible, cut drywall only on a flat, stable surface, otherwise the material will bend and it will be more difficult to work with.
2. Make sure that the drywall sheets are dry - moisture can damage the material.
3. It is better to cut large sheets of drywall in several steps.
4. When working with a profile for gypsum plasterboard, you don’t have to worry if the cuts don’t turn out neat and even - after installation, the profile will “hide” under a sheet of drywall.
5. The frame for gypsum boards can be formed even from small-sized parts metal profile, the most important thing is that these pieces need to be fixed “conscientiously” on the wall.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in working with gypsum boards. To reinforce the material covered, in particular the question of how to cut drywall, we offer a video: