The creation of arches and niches from drywall for inexperienced people causes many difficulties. For example, it is often necessary to cut drywall sheets during repairs. To do this more efficiently and quickly, it is worth knowing which tools are best to use and how to cut better. Before you learn how to cut drywall, you should prepare the necessary tools.

What tools should you use

If you need to cut drywall often enough, it's best to purchase professional tools... If cutting is done infrequently, the following tools can be used:

1. Tools for measuring the length of drywall, as well as a level and a pencil. Measurements can be made with a ruler or tape measure.
2. Construction knife. You can also use a reinforced clerical knife. Cut if necessary a large number of sheets of the specified material, it is worth using a construction knife. Since it is more durable and able to withstand heavy loads.
3. Planers. One of them is needed for chamfering. The second roughing plane. These tools are used on the final stage works when it is necessary to make the edges even. Minor irregularities are filled with putty.
4. Electric jigsaw. The advantage of this tool is that it allows you to make straight and curved cuts. With such a tool, it is enough to lead along the drawn lines.
5. Hacksaw for metal. This tool can also be used to trim cardboard. It is also used when trimming frame elements from a metal profile.
6. Electric drill, cutter. These tools are required for cutting rounded elements and circles.

To understand how to cut drywall, it is worth determining exactly what parts will be cut. For straight lines, a cutting knife can be used.

Material structure

To cut the material correctly, it is worth learning about how it works. The inner layer consists of gypsum with added fillers. The outer layers are made of cardboard, which helps to increase the strength. Since gypsum is a fragile material, without cardboard, sheets can fall apart from light mechanical stress.

Drywall is divided into several types:

• fire resistant;
• waterproof;
• normal.

Waterproof plasterboard is used for wall cladding in rooms with high humidity... Fire-resistant material is necessary when decorating walls near stoves and fireplaces. Plain is used during the finishing of other types of premises. To understand how to cut drywall at home, it is worth considering the features of using different tools.

Using the mounting knife

When using a knife, the drywall is cut fairly quickly and the cut quality is quite good. Cutting sheets of the described material is as follows:

1. First you need to take measurements and draw a line. The most convenient way to do this is with a marker. To make the cut even, you can put a metal profile on the edges of the line.
2. After that, you need to put the knife on the edge of the line and start leading it with even force.
3. After that, you need to bend the sheet from the back side so that it cracks along the line.
4. On the last stage you can make the cut smoother. The best way to do this is to use a mounting knife.

It is worth remembering that this cutting method is only suitable for separating large sheets of the described material. This is due to the fact that when breaking small sheets, the cut may be of poor quality. Also, this method is not suitable for cutting oval lines. After carrying out the described work, it is necessary to use a drywall plane to make the cut smoother.

It is more convenient to cut the material on a flat surface, it is best to use a table or perform all operations on the floor. In this case, it is important to clean the surface before carrying out work.

Features of using a hacksaw

The specified tool is used only if shape cutting is performed. For example, often during repairs, semicircular arches... When using a mounting knife, such work will not work.

When using a hacksaw, all actions are performed in the following order:

1. Markup. First, lines are drawn on the drywall, after which small holes are made in the corners of the created shape. They are needed to accommodate the hacksaw blade. A drill is usually used to create the hole.
2. At the next stage, we insert the hacksaw blade into the created hole and cut it to the next.
3. After the cut is made between all the drilled points, the outlined figure will fall out, forming a hole the desired shape... In order for the joints to be smoother, a drywall plane should be used. It is worth remembering that the greater the bend of the line, the more holes there should be in the material.

Thus, you can make rectangular and round holes in the material. It is worth remembering that when cutting round lines, it is worth using a thinner blade, which is more convenient to turn during the cut.

Using a jigsaw

Thanks to the jigsaw, you can cut almost any shape in drywall. Moreover, all the work carried out is carried out easily, even in the absence of experience. Curved lines are accurate when using such a tool. All work is carried out in several stages:

1. First, a line is drawn along which it is necessary to cut. This must be done with a marker, as it allows you to leave wide lines.
2. After that, the drywall sheet must be laid in such a way that there are no materials under the cutting lines. It is best to use multiple supports. The sheet should lie flat and not move during operation. By following these rules, the cut quality can be significantly improved.
3. The next step is to set the jigsaw at the beginning of the line and aim the laser sight. Then cut the material exactly along the line you have drawn, making sure that the tool does not move to the side.
4. If you don't have a planer, it's worth using a drywall cutter to create the corners. It is enough to put it on the drill and draw it along the cut line between the two sheets.

In some cases, one tool is not enough, so it is worth using all the products described.

Creating Curved Parts

The most difficult process is bending drywall sheets. To do this, you need to cut off a rectangular workpiece. When bending the workpiece, it is important to do it this way. To stretch the back side.

To bend a drywall part, you first need to create a semicircular pattern. It can be made of fiberboard or the material described. cutting a template is quite simple with a jigsaw.

After creating the template, you need to roll one side of the part with a needle roller and moisten it with water. After that, it is enough to slowly bend it according to the template and fix it in this position. Once dry, the drywall sheet will retain the shape it was given.

During the repair, you have to cut drywall almost every 5-10 minutes. Why? Because the sheet of this material will be at least 2 square meters and without residues, it is impossible to mark a wall, 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). 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 at once, from an ordinary stationery knife to an electric jigsaw. Now we will look at the simplest and most high-quality methods for cutting and processing drywall edges.

How to cut drywall with a mounting knife "without noise and dust"

Hand tool this action is much easier and faster. The most interesting thing is that the cut quality will also be much better if you need to dissolve the sheet along or cut an even piece from it. The theory is superfluous here, let's move on to practice and immediately cut drywall:

1. We make 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 either side.

   2. Along the edge of the line, you can attach a long metal ruler or a profile that is used to attach drywall.
   
   
   3. We put the edge of the knife on the edge of the line, begin to lead, applying a pressure of 2-3 kg on the mounting knife for drywall.
   
   
   4. After the line is cut, it is necessary to bend the sheet so that the cut is on the outside. You can put the sheet on the floor, hold it by the edges with your hands and kick it slightly with your knee at the cut, but from the opposite side, the sheet will crack and bend.
   
   
   5. You will have a drywall corner, now you need to take an assembly knife and cut the paper on the other side of the corner. We put the knife on top and stretch it to the very bottom, we get a high-quality cut.
   
   

This method is ideal for cutting ONLY long strips as a large pressure shoulder is required for a good fault line. If the lines are oval or cut off a piece only 5-10 cm from the edge of the sheet, it may break unevenly, and the edge may crumble. After the cut, a plasterboard plane should be used to “smooth out the edges and remove the corner for subsequent plastering (then there will be no“ edges ”).

It is convenient to cut on the table or on the floor by placing a sheet of drywall for 2 wooden bars next to the cut line. Please note that gypsum is often poured after a drywall break, so it will be better to put something under it if the cut occurs on a clean surface.

Features of cutting drywall with a hacksaw - an option for hardworking

A hacksaw is best used when needed. curly cutting when you need to cut drywall in a semicircle or make holes inside it different shapes... This cannot be done with 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: markup. It is necessary to draw a sheet of drywall from the back side, make holes in the corners of such a size that a hacksaw blade fits in them (you can use a sharp knife or drill).


STEP 2: sawing. We insert a drywall tool (hacksaw) into the hole and saw to another extreme point, it is better to avoid turns.


STEP 3: when the cut has been made on all the drawn sides, and the figure inside the sheet has "fallen out", you can process the edges. Use a plane or a file if the hole is very small and you cannot fit another tool into it.

We looked at how to cut drywall and cut a hole in it with the desired rectangular, but there is an even more difficult task - non-standard or oval figures inside the sheet. Here it is already necessary to work with thin blades on a hacksaw, which will be convenient to turn when cutting internally. 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.

We cut drywall with a jigsaw - an option for the lazy

If you do not know how to cut drywall at home and are afraid to experiment, then it is better to entrust the processing of the material to an electric tool. A jigsaw is the best tool for cutting drywall, since it allows you to make a canvas of any shape and can make holes inside a drywall sheet. Curved lines will be as accurate as possible, and the edge will be much easier to process with a drywall planer.

Consider step by step instructions how to properly cut drywall with a jigsaw:
1. We 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 drywall sheet on several bricks or stools so that so that there are no objects under the cutting line(the saw may catch them.) The sheet should lie in a balanced position, not tense at the cutting points - the quality of the cut will improve significantly.


3. Install the jigsaw at the beginning of the line, turn on the laser sight (if there is one on the tool) and lead exactly along the desired trajectory. Or we bring drywall to a tripod with a jigsaw.


4. The edges are demolished at 45 degrees, for plastering the surface. Can even be done with sandpaper if the processing area is not too large.


5. If you do not have a planer or angles are poorly obtained, then a drywall cutter will become an actual tool. It can be put on a screwdriver or drill, the cone can be installed between the sheets and held along the joint. Cutting knives will remove the edges of each sheet at the same angle - very convenient for large volumes of work, where you need to quickly and efficiently process many sheets.


Perhaps you wanted to ask how to cut L-shaped drywall under a door or window opening? There is no universal tool here, you must use both a hacksaw and a jigsaw, since with only a jigsaw or a hacksaw you cannot get inner corner 90 degrees.

The jigsaw will be the perfect tool for you if you don't have anything to cut a drywall profile, as it will work for metal as well. You need to buy several files "for all occasions" and you can 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:

Happy repairs and pleasant DIY work!

Everyone who works or plans to start working with GK is faced with the question of how to cut drywall. There are several ways to accomplish this simple and at the same time difficult operation.

The most popular is cutting plasterboard in a straight line. For this, the gypsum board is laid on a flat surface in a horizontal position. After that, with a pencil and the rule, it is noted straight line, along which the incision is made. Then the sheet is turned over and cracked along the cut line on the other side. To understand how to properly cut drywall, consider all situations and cutting methods in more detail.

First, let's decide what tool we need for this operation. How to cut drywall:

• Regular or special drywall cutter with variable blades
• Roulette
• Ruler, rule or cord for marking
• Electric jigsaw with a fine nail file (for cutting a sheet along an uneven line)

After cutting the drywall sheet, you will need to process its edges, so for this we will use:

• Chamfering planer
• Rough planer

How to cut drywall in a straight line

Cutting a drywall sheet in a straight line is not that difficult. To do this, lay the gypsum board on a flat horizontal surface (on the floor or on a table), take the necessary measurements using a simple pencil. It should be noted that it is not recommended to use a marker or pen for marking, as traces remain from them, which are then practically impossible to putty.

After measurements, we leave marks at the bottom and top of the sheet. We apply a rule or level to these marks and draw a line.

Now we start cutting itself. To do this, we need a sharp knife with an adjustable blade length. In this case, the blade should protrude from the knife handle to a length not exceeding the thickness of the drywall. We make an incision along the left line. In order for the line to turn out to be more even, it is necessary to walk another 2-3 times along the cut with a knife, so we will deepen it.

If the sheet was lying on the table, then it is necessary to move it so that the cut part protrudes beyond the edges. Now you need to grab the edges of the sheet and, with a sharp movement, gently break along the incision line, after which we make another incision with a knife from the back side.

If the cutting of the gypsum plasterboard was carried out on the floor, then after the cut it must be placed on the edge, and by light tapping on the whole side, make a break and then cut the cardboard with a knife.

On a note! Should not be used for cutting drywall circular saw... Using this tool can be compared to hammering nails in with a stone. This saw creates great amount dust that adversely affects the mechanical parts of the instrument and your lungs.

How to properly cut drywall in the shape of the letter G

Typically, a plasterboard sheet is cut in the shape of the letter L to cover the doorway. The operation is not difficult, but to complete it we need a hacksaw, with which we saw through a short part. The long part is cut according to the scheme described above with a knife.

How to cut drywall in an uneven line

A more complex process of cutting drywall along a curved line, for example, when we need to cut an oval or a circle. For this work we need additional tool - jigsaw with a fine nail file. You can try to cut the sheet with a knife, but there are very few guarantees that the cut will turn out to be smooth and neat.

When cutting drywall with a jigsaw, a lot of dust is generated, so you need to take care of personal protective equipment (goggles, respirator).

How to properly cut drywall mounted on a wall

If it is necessary to sheathe with plasterboard window slope or the corner of the wall and at the same time make it so that its edge ideally coincides with the edges of the wall, then the cutting of the gypsum board is performed "in place", that is, the sheet already installed on the wall is cut. As a rule, for this they attach a piece of drywall a little bigger size than necessary and after that unnecessary parts are cut off.

To perform this operation correctly, the plasterboard sheet must be securely fixed to the frame. An incision is made on the side of the sheet that is adjacent to the surface to be sheathed. We draw several times along the outlined line, slightly pressing on the unnecessary piece. After that, we cut the sheet from the reverse side. In order to cut a sheet in the shape of the letter L on a sheet already attached to the frame, we saw through a horizontal line with a hacksaw, after which we cut a vertical line with a knife.

How to cut a hole in drywall for an outlet or light bulb

Such holes are cut in drywall sheet usually after installing it . How to cut drywall in this case?

For this operation we need a drywall crown (circular saw) or a drywall hacksaw. In hardware stores, you can purchase a set of crowns for HA different diameters... These devices are installed on a screwdriver or drill.

Cutting the hole with a hacksaw is more difficult, and the edges of the hole will not be as straight.

Finishing the edges of drywall after cutting

After cutting, the edges of the drywall sheet are usually not very even and smooth. To make them more accurate and at the same time prepare the joints of the installed sheets for puttying, it is necessary to chamfer with a special plane. This can be done with a regular knife. Typically, a 2/3 of the plate thickness is chamfered at a 45 degree angle.

Cutting drywall correctly is not a difficult task, and we recommend an excellent video clip to secure the material.

How to cut drywall video:

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How to cut drywall: an overview of the 3 most popular tools

Not sure how to cut a drywall sheet? Based on the experience gained, I can offer three options for a suitable tool for this. Detailed description each of them will help you make your final choice.

Option number 1: mounting knife

Drywall, in fact, is gypsum board wrapped in cardboard. It is enough to cut the paper shell so that the gypsum can be broken off with your own hands. The assembly knife easily copes with this task.

If you do not have the described tool in your workshop, then it is not at all necessary to run to the store for it. For small volumes, it is perfectly acceptable to use any sharp blade, for example, a well-sharpened kitchen knife.

Advantages and disadvantages

Positive sides:

• Low price. On family budget the purchase of a mounting knife will practically not be reflected in any way;
• Simple operating instructions. It is enough to walk along a line drawn in advance with a blade, cutting the cardboard and making a groove in the plaster, after which the sheet simply breaks;

• Multifunctionality... A sharp knife will always come in handy on the farm.

Negative side:

• Limited opportunities. The fact is that with the help of the tool in question, the drywall sheet can only be divided into strips. More complex shapes cannot be cut.

Option number 2: special hacksaw

A plasterboard hacksaw makes it possible to create openings of various shapes in a plasterboard sheet.

Than already hacksaw blade, the more accurate and accurate the cut will be.

Advantages and disadvantages

The drywall saw has an obvious advantage:

• Allows for shape cutting.

But the disadvantages are also immediately evident:

• Narrow scope of the tool... The blade created for cutting gypsum is not very convenient to work with other materials;
• Low speed... If you need to divide the gypsum board into two parts, then it will be better to take up the knife, since it will be slow and tedious with a hacksaw.

Option number 3: electric jigsaw

What is the best way to cut GVL or gypsum board? Of course, a jigsaw. This can be seen from the description of its benefits:

Pros and cons

The power tool always prevails in its performance over the usual. This case is no exception, and electric jigsaw boasts the following advantages:

• Versatility... With its help, you can cut out a shape of any complexity. In addition, by installing the appropriate nail file, you can use the device to work with any other building material;

• High speed of work... The electric motor quickly copes with the task and allows you to save your own energy.

The only drawback:

• Relatively high cost... But we should not forget that such a tool will always be useful in the household.

Proposals from manufacturers

Here illustrative examples some jigsaws that will help you cope with cutting drywall of any complexity:

• Model BOSCH PST 700 E:

Prices are current for the spring of 2017.

• Model Makita 4329:

Drywall is widely used for the manufacture of structures such as ceilings, partitions, various shelves. But, since the sheets of plasterboard have standard sizes, they have to be cut.

It is not difficult to mark the sheet, but here's how to cut it correctly so as not to spoil it, because the core of the sheet is still gypsum, which is characterized by increased fragility? And if you need to make an arch or some other curved structure? Can drywall be bent? And, if so, how?

Don't worry. All these questions have long been answered. It is possible to successfully cut and bend drywall. Our task is to figure out how and how you can do it right.

Unlike professional builders and repairmen using a wide variety of tools have to use available tools at home. But the person undertaking the repair usually already has everything he needs to work. Moreover, no special devices are needed.

The following tools can be used to cut drywall boards:

• A ruler, tape measure, pencil are necessary for accurate measurements and layout of the sheet. For marking small holes a compass may be needed, and for large arcs a piece of rope with a pencil attached to one end will be needed (an impromptu compass with which you can beat off an arc of any radius).

• Construction knife (or clerical knife, if it is durable). It is a versatile tool and the only replacement part is the blade. Stock up on replacement blades ahead of time so you don't have to head out to the store in the midst of work.
• Jigsaw - usually used for cutting wood and wood-based panels, but it is also suitable for drywall, only you have to install the blade for metal (it has more fine teeth and cuts GCR better). With the help of a jigsaw, you can make not only straight cuts, but also curly cuts.
• Plane - it is used not for cutting sheets, but for the subsequent processing of their edges. On the cuts, it is imperative to remove the chamfers - this will allow you to qualitatively seal the joints of the sheets after installing the structure.
• A drywall hacksaw - you can do without it, but with it, some operations can be performed faster. Such a hacksaw resembles a saw blade with a rather narrow blade and serrated edges. The knife blade made of high-strength steel is soldered into the handle and allows you to make any cuts (straight and curly) without special efforts... The knife is very comfortable. If you buy such a tool, you can later use it for cutting small pieces of wood.
• An electric drill or cutter with various attachments will make it easy to cut round holes of various diameters in the plate.

We cut the gypsum board in a straight line

Immediately, we note that in order to reduce material waste, it is necessary to carry out very accurate measurements of the room and use as many whole slabs as possible during installation.

Drywall should only be cut when there are no other options.

Therefore, you need to create a plan for the layout of sheets on the surface in advance, and outline the places where the sheets will be needed. custom sizes and forms.

Professionals can easily cut gypsum boards both on the floor and leaning against the wall. But if you have not had to do this before, then it is better to put the sheet on the floor. face side up - it is along this line that the cut will be made.

• the marking of the sheets is usually located on the back side;
• the front side and side edges of the sheets usually have the same color;
• the chemical composition of the front side is different, the facing cardboard contains more cellulose, which reduces the consumption of finishing materials.

The slab is cut as follows:

• Press the ruler firmly against the marked line and draw along it with a knife several times.
• The knife must be guided confidently, avoiding jerks, cutting through the layer of paper and gripping the plaster a little. Make sure that the ruler does not move.
• After that, the slab is cracked along the cut, bending it in the opposite direction to the cut.
• Then with a construction knife you need to cut through the cardboard layer on the other side. If the plate is broken correctly, then there will be no problems at this stage.
• Attach the prepared sheet to the installation site in order to check the accuracy of the cut. If the size is a little too large, then the excess can be removed with a rasp (but this will generate a large amount of gypsum dust).
• Process the sections with a plane, chamfering.

How to cut round and rectangular holes

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

To do this, you need to mark their locations on the sheet using a tape measure.

• Accurately measure the edge of the hole from both sides of the sheet and from the top and bottom of the sheet. Contour the cutout.
• Next, with a drill with a thick drill, you need to make 4 holes on the sides of the marked rectangle - a jigsaw file should pass through them. They should be located within the rectangle as close to the cut lines as possible.
• Insert the file one by one into each of the holes and cut the opening. You need to work very carefully, strictly along the lined lines.
• Once you've got the hole, check how well the switch box or outlet fits into it.
• Finish the edges with a rasp if necessary.

Round holes:

• For this purpose, you can use a small size drill or hacksaw attachment.
• Draw the center of the future hole on the sheet.
• Attach the correct size bit to the drill chuck.
• The drill bit of the crown must be installed in the center of the hole and drilled by gently pressing on the drill (if you press hard, the bit can get stuck in the plaster). It is better to use the medium speed of the tool for this.

If there is no drill and nozzles, then do round hole it is possible with a knife, but it is not so convenient.

We make the hole with a knife like this:

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

Any curved shapes with smooth lines are cut along the markings using a jigsaw. In its absence, you can use a hacksaw for metal, but this is very inconvenient.

To mount arched structures above doorways or niches, you need to somehow bend the drywall so that it does not break.

For these purposes, drywall manufacturers produce special sheets of GKLA (arched), which have a thickness of 6.5 mm and are easily deformable.

Such material is somewhat more expensive than usual. For its installation, special arched profiles are used, equipped with cutouts along the side walls. Thanks to these cutouts, the profile can be easily bent as needed, and then the flexible sheet can be fixed in it.

Since the thickness of the flexible sheet is small, then to strengthen the structure, you need to use two layers of drywall: the rough layer is made from a regular sheet, and the front layer is made from an arched sheet.

But if you did not manage to buy GKLA, then there are ways to bend ordinary wall drywall. For different situations it is used different technologies impact on the sheet.

If you need to get only a slight bend, then this can be done like this:

• The prepared plasterboard blank is moistened with water on one side with a roller or brush.
• It is left for 10-15 minutes so that the water is absorbed into the plaster layer.
• After that, the sheet is screwed in the intended place. Do this carefully so as not to damage the material weakened by water.
• After the evaporation of water, the material regains its initial strength and at the same time keeps the given shape well.

If the bending radius of the sheet is small enough, then you can bend it like this:

• I process the sheet on one side with a needle roller.
• Then, using a sponge, it is soaked in water for an hour. Be careful not to get the paper on the back of the sheet wet, otherwise it may tear if folded.
• Then they are carefully bent using a template and the ends of the sheet are fixed with clamps.
• The structure is left in this form until it dries completely.

If a roller with needles is not at hand, then you can use another option (dry bend):

• Instead, a knife is used, with which cuts are made on the sheet, placing them in a direction perpendicular to the bend line.
• The distance between the cuts should be 10-50 mm. The more frequent the cuts, the smaller the bending radius.
• The side where the cuts are made must always be inside the bend.

Thus, having studied in advance all the methods of cutting and bending the gypsum board, choose the most suitable one for yourself and act exactly according to the technology.