Here’s some good news if this is your first time hanging drywall: simple cuts are not difficult to make. It’s easy to do and only needs a few simple instruments.
Although cutting around electrical boxes is a little trickier, you can still get accurate cuts if you take proper measurements and cut slowly.
How to cut drywall is shown here.
USE OF A UTILITY KNIFE TO CUT DRYWALL
A sharp utility knife and a drywall square are the only tools you need to cut simple drywall. The drywall sheet is covered in squares that form a T shape along its whole length and 16 inches on top.
You can create straight cuts and measurements with the aid of a drywall square.
Measure for your cut in Step 1 Mark the top and bottom of the drywall sheet with a pencil after measuring where it has to be cut. You’ll cut the drywall on the white side, so mark that side.
MAKE YOUR CUT IN STEP 2 Now align the top and bottom markings on the drywall t-square to create a straight edge.
Using the square as a reference point, cut through the white paper face with your utility knife while scoring the center.
Snap the drywall in step three. Once your score line has been made through the white paper, evenly grip the drywall piece you just cut and snap it backward.
It ought to be simple to remove. The brown paper backing, however, is likely to be in tact.
STEP 4: CUT THE PAPER’S BACKSIDE Fold the snapped section back and insert your utility knife into the groove over the backing of the brown paper. It could be necessary to run the blade down, then back up.
Step 5: RASP YOUR EDGE TO SMOOTH IT (OPTIONAL) If your cut is particularly sharp, use a drywall rasp to smooth it up. It’s not always required to do this because the seams will be sealed with tape and mud when you attach the edges to the studs.
ELECTRICAL BOX CUTTING TECHNIQUE
Make sure all wires are pulled back into their boxes before beginning to cut around electrical boxes. (By an electrician, ideally.)
Avoid taking the possibility of accidentally cutting them.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much room for mistake when cutting around electrical boxes because eclectic switch plates don’t cover much of the wall. This means that cutting the boxes after the drywall is put up rather than before is almost always more precise.
These cuts are trickier to make than regular drywall cuts. Taking your time now, though, can help avoid patchwork in the future.
MARK FOR THE BOXES IN STEP 1 Mark the floor in the middle of each of your electrical boxes as you walk around the room. Next, take a measurement from the ground to the box’s center and note it next to your marker.
Step two is to hang the dry wall, but avoid overtightening it. You don’t want your drywall to be too tight against the electrical box when you’re cutting around it. So, for the time being, keep drywall screws at least 16 inches away from the cutting surface.
Make your cut in Step 3 Carefully place your drywall router in the center of the box according to the measurements you marked on the floor. Running your router counterclockwise, route to the box’s edge, then skip over to the box’s exterior.
Remove your cut-out piece lastly.
COMMON QUESTIONS WHAT TOOL DO YOU USE TO CUT DRYWALL WITH? The utility knife is the main instrument for cutting drywall. To cut around electrical boxes, you’ll need a drywall router, drywall saw, or jab saw.
HOW DID YOU CUT THE DRYWALL? On the panel’s white paper-faced side, you cut drywall. Snap the piece you just cut backward after cutting through the white paper and scoring the gypsum core.
To remove the entire cut area, run your utility knife up and down the brown paper side while holding the cut piece back.
CAN A BOX CUTTER BE USED TO CUT DRYWALL? Although a box cutter can theoretically cut through sheetrock, a utility knife is preferable. Utility knives enable for an accurate and simple cut due to their thicker handles and increased stability.
LAST THOUGHTS Simple drywall cuts are a simple DIY project. A nice utility knife and a drywall square are all you need.
Even though the drywall cuts around electrical boxes are more difficult, they must be precise because there isn’t much room for error. The most crucial step in cutting around electrical boxes is to measure to the box’s center, record your measurements, and hang drywall before cutting.
