Drywall cutting and necessary tools. How to cut drywall? Drywall cutting tool Conventional drywall cutting

To work with drywall sheets, it is better to select high-quality and practical toolsGypsum board constructions are increasingly appearing in our homes, offices, schools, shops ... it can be a simple wall or a decorative element of any type. When assembling any interior element from gypsum plasterboard, cutting of the material is required (even when installing simple partitions and ceilings). How is drywall cut 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 the sheet or cut off part of it. Even if the main purpose tool is out of order in the process. But in addition to cutting objects, an auxiliary tool is also needed.

Before you start working with drywall 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 clerical knife (both externally and in terms of 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 GKL sheet can also be cut with a clerical knife, if this is required once.
  2. Hacksaw for drywall. This is an object with a narrow blade and serrated edges up to 18 cm long, outwardly similar to kitchen knife-saw, as its blade is soldered into the handle. The blade is made of high-strength steel, so the knife can be made without special efforts and straight and curly cuts. It is lightweight, compact and very easy to use. This knife is universal, because in addition to GKL, it easily copes with small wooden blanks. The shape of the teeth of the drywall knife may be different, depending on the company. But this does not significantly affect the process of cutting the material. At home, GKL can be cut with a simple hacksaw, but this is quite difficult and should be done with extreme caution.
  3. Electric jigsaw. This tool is mostly used for cutting wood, MDF, chipboard, fiberboard, OSB, etc., however, if you install blades on metal (which has smaller teeth), then everything will work out. The blade with fine teeth does not tear the cardboard layer of the sheet and there will be fewer chips. An electric jigsaw can make both straight and curly cuts.
  4. Plane. This tool is not used to cut a sheet or cut out a specific element of any structure being erected, but already at the final stage. With a chamfering planer or a simple peeling one, the places of cuts of a drywall sheet are processed. This is necessary for further processing of joints.
  5. Roulette, pencil, ruler. In order to cut the sheet correctly and evenly, accurate measurement and marking is necessary. Especially when it comes to figured products for decoration. For a straight line, instead of a ruler and a pencil, you can use a chop thread, but you will have to work hard with curly markings. If you need to cut 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 in a circular fashion. In the same way, semicircular bends are marked, where the length of the rope depends on the radius of the circle.

A cutter or electric drill with special nozzles 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 of 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 milling cutter is capable of making only grooves, but the second option is better due to its versatility: in addition to grooves, it is able to cut holes of any geometric shape, as well as process the edge of the 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 the appropriate nozzles. different diameter(depending on the purpose for which the hole is needed).

Cutters have certain varieties. For making radius and rounded surfaces, a U-shaped tool is used, and for sharp corners, a V-shaped cutter.

Any kind of drywall has a certain structure. As a rule, this is a gypsum core or filler, glued 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, it is enough to walk along the sheet with a gypsum board knife and make a break.

Making a straight cut

Before cutting through a sheet of drywall, you need to make an accurate markup, draw a line. Next, attach 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 jerks, confidently, so that chips and notches in the material do not form.

Accurate marking on the sheet will help to cut drywall correctly and evenly

To prevent the cut from turning out crooked, the ruler must be kept even and in one position.

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

Curly cutting

If the elements future design assume smooth lines and bends, cutting the material is done with an electric jigsaw or a hacksaw (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 the exact markup has been made, a jigsaw is drawn along the drawn line, you need to do this away from yourself, and not towards yourself, so that the power tool does not cause injury.

How drywall is cut: making holes

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

You can also make even holes with a drill.

How to cut drywall correctly:

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

It is important not to press the drill sharply so that the crown does not get stuck in the material.

Handy tool: how to cut drywall at home

For smooth cutting of the material, you can even use scissors or a simple blade, a clerical or kitchen knife, using them on the principle of a drywall knife. Curly cutting can be done with a conventional hacksaw for metal. The principle of its application is similar to the use of a jigsaw, but there are differences. You can start sawing the sheet with a whole hacksaw, but the handle will not go into the depth of 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 very carefully

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

  • Mark the place of the slot from the front and reverse side plates;
  • Outline the shape of the hole by circling the outline on both sides of the sheet;
  • Use a knife to cut through a layer of cardboard on both sides;
  • Tap the plaster lightly with a mallet.

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

Tool overview: how drywall is cut (video)

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

Happy repair!

homeli.ru

cutting drywall

Beginners in the construction business do not know how and how to cut drywall in the best way. After all, any work, be it creation ceiling structure, a partition or a complex element of decor, requires knowledge of the rules for cutting GKL and strict adherence to them in practice. The tool for these purposes is used differently. It all depends on the chosen cutting method. So, how to cut drywall at home, the following recommendations will suggest.

Introduction to the toolbox

The mandatory list of tools for sawing gypsum fiber with your own hands includes three groups of items

1. Devices for marking on a GKL sheet - a simple pencil, tape measure, long ruler.

2. Actually cutting and sawing devices.

  • Knife. You can cut GVLV with a clerical knife, as well as a specialized construction knife with a double-sided replaceable blade (suitable for more dense materials).
  • Hacksaw. It is better if it is a tool for working metal than wood.
  • Electric jigsaw. Ideal for sawing rounded elements. Least of all leave chips on the ends of drywall high-quality metal files with a fine tooth.
  • Electric drill. Needed for making holes. Large d gaps will require round crowns (which cut into the core of door snap locks) and feather drills.

3. Devices for processing edges:

  • peeling planer;
  • planer for chamfering.

This list clearly shows how home craftsmen cut drywall. Of course, it is far from complete. Arsenal experienced craftsmen may include professional equipment, for example, a special cutter for GVL. However, for those who work with the material for the first time, this set is quite enough. To better understand how to properly cut drywall, you must clearly understand the structure of this material.

The structure and purpose of drywall

Plasterboard sheets are a layered combination of two types of materials - gypsum (internal content) 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 the better to cut drywall. It's important to know basic principle this action: after a continuous even cutting of drywall is carried out, the second step immediately follows - breaking the sheet.

Sawing drywall, like any hard porous material, is easy. 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, drywall or drywall, made according to Knauf technologies), acoustic drywall, etc.

Despite the large assortment of HA, panels of any of its varieties lend themselves well to being divided into parts using the material at hand.

Choice of HA cutting methods

Which method of cutting drywall to resort to will become clear after studying the options available for this purpose.

Standard cutting

Cutting the sheet in a straight line is the easiest way to cut. It boils down to this:

GVL is placed on a hard and even surface. After that, the marking of the future cutting line is performed.

Whichever knife is chosen, they should be cut strictly, placing a ruler on the side. An uneven cut is guaranteed if it is decided to cope without a ruler. Cutting starts from the back (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 deepen the knife as much as possible into the plaster contents.

Upon completion of the process, the HA is turned over and bent in the direction of the solid (without the cut line) side. Gypsum, 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 is not particularly important which side to start cutting drywall from. However, it is much easier to do this on a flat, dense surface than when holding the GL by weight.

Before you cut drywall with improvised tools, you should familiarize yourself with two more types of simple cutting, feasible for self-implementation.

Double sided cutting. More often, cutting in the form of any rectangle is performed in this way. By means of a hacksaw, one of the sides is sawn, the other is simply cut with a blade. After that, the material is broken, and the cardboard is cut off from the opposite side (as with simple cutting). The finished cut is brought to perfection using an edge planer.

Cutting along uneven lines. To cut material along uneven lines, you must first prepare a drawing.

Cutting according to the given geometry

Curly cutting of drywall is used in a situation of creating unique shapes for a specific structural element. This procedure is more complicated, and one cannot do without basic experience and a sufficient arsenal of tools.

When curly cutting, the material is also marked out first. If you need to draw a circle, but there is no compass at hand, then they are armed with a needle with a thread and a tied pencil.

For curly cutting GC in different situations use 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 drywall hacksaw, you can cut out fragments with any non-trivial shapes (for example, butterflies or flowers).

Option two. An electric drill with a cylindrical nozzle allows you to create even circles of small diameter in drywall. The circle is not marked here, but is limited to a mark in desired area.

Option three. For sawing GVL with an electric jigsaw, a clear marking of the contour of the required shape is performed. Priority in choosing a jigsaw is given when the diameter of the circle being made must be greater than the diameter of the crown of the electric drill, and the rounded shape lines are not limited to a circle.

Option four. The most primitive, 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 that, the HA is placed on a flat surface with a recess. Moreover, the detachable 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 detachable fragment. The part to be removed should break through. A layer of cardboard from the bottom is cut off, aligning the ends as needed. GK masters highly do not recommend resorting to this technique for people without experience. Since you have to spend a lot of drywall sheets for stuffing your hands and working out the pressure force.

The nuances of making circles

Circles in the ceiling structure are made primarily for the installation of fixtures. The easiest way is to cut a circle of a given diameter in the hyspofiber with a blade. And gently knock out the middle part with a hammer. However, it will be easier to implement the plan with a drill with special equipment - a cylindrical nozzle. The same one that is used when cutting into the door of the lock mechanism with a latch.

Cutting after installation of plasterboard

Of course, it is more convenient to cut material that has not yet been fixed. But in practice, there are situations when cutting off the excess is required after mounting the sheets to the frame. Such pruning is due to the fact that the sheathed surfaces meet on their way window slopes or corners.

The sheet is fixed on 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. Cutting movements are repeated repeatedly, drawing along the markup. At the same time, unnecessary parts of the material are trying to “squeeze out”. The sheet is cut on the other side.

After studying these methods, beginners will understand how to cut drywall with a minimum set of tools at home. If it is required to cut the HA into in large numbers, these options will not work. best solution will turn to professionals.

izgipsokartona.com

How to cut a drywall sheet and what tool is needed

When working with drywall, many people ask themselves the question: how to cut drywall correctly? This process will not be difficult if you properly prepare the tool and apply markings to the material. How to cut drywall at home so that the minimum amount of waste is obtained? What tool should you have on hand? Let's consider in more detail.


Drywall cutting tools Back to index

Marking

In order to correctly apply the markup, it is necessary to measure the plane on which the GKL sheets will be fixed. Then, using a tape measure or ruler, it is worth transferring the dimensions to the plate, outlining the line with a pencil. Check your measurements again 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 a tool. For this you will need:

  • drywall;
  • roulette;
  • T-square;
  • stationery knife.

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

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Cutting a sheet of drywall in a straight line

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

It is worth remembering that the knife must be carried confidently and strictly along the line that was drawn earlier. If the first time it was not possible to cut the cardboard, then they carry out this place several times until the cardboard is completely cut through. The T-square must be stationary during cutting. It is pressed tightly against the material, otherwise the cut will be uneven. A layer of paper is cut through with a slight grip gypsum board. This will help break the material evenly, without chips.
Once you have cut one layer of cardboard on the plate, you can proceed to the next step - break the material along the cut. If you did everything right, then it will not be difficult, holding the sheet with your feet, to fold it in the opposite direction from the cut.

You can attract 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. In fact, cutting drywall is easy. If you doubt that this process will be carried out correctly - try cutting the material first on a small piece.

Read also

Do-it-yourself expansion of the doorway

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How to make a round hole in the plasterboard

It is important to learn how to properly make holes in sheets of material, since installation often involves the installation of sockets or switches. In addition, sometimes it is necessary to repair damaged areas in drywall. To professionally make holes, you should use a special tool and have some skill. Consider how to cut drywall at home, step by step:


Advice! Do not rush and put a lot of pressure on the tool - this can lead to material damage, since the crown can simply be clamped in drywall.

Round hole without the help of a power tool

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

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Cutting a rectangular hole

The first step is to determine on the drywall slab where the hole will be.
To do this, measure the desired distance from the left edge of the drywall sheet and put a mark. If it is supposed to make a hole for a bar for several sockets, then a bar is substituted for this mark and outlined.

After that, 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 must be of such a size that the jigsaw saw freely enters 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 must go along the line.
Important! When working with drywall, it is worth wearing a mask or respirator so as not to breathe dust. It is better to make the hole a little smaller. It is always easier to make a large hole out of a small hole, for this it is enough to walk along the edges of the hole with a rasp.

Once the job is done, you need to inspect the hole made. Take the bar and try it on, preferably with sockets, so you will know exactly how suitable the hole is. If necessary, the hole can be made in already finished construction, 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.

Drywall can, without any exaggeration, be called the most popular material for leveling walls and ceilings for their further finishing. It is widely used in the construction of complex decorative structures that become an interior decoration. Such popularity is not accidental, since drywall has all the qualities that are necessary for use in residential premises. It is very easy to use, and technologies with its use are quickly mastered even by beginners. There is another important point - it is quite affordable price drywall sheets, compared with other building materials.

When purchasing this material for the first time for certain purposes, many novice craftsmen involuntarily wonder how to cut drywall at home so as not to spoil or break the sheet, so that blanks with smooth edges and the required dimensions are obtained. There is nothing particularly complicated about this - further we will consider various options for cutting, processing and fitting drywall sheets for a specific area of ​​\u200b\u200bwork.

A few words about the structure of drywall

To begin with, a couple of minutes of attention must be paid to the structure of drywall, since this moment will immediately clarify the process of cutting it. And the "device" of the GKL is very uncomplicated.

Drywall prices

drywall


The structural structure of the sheet of this material is a three-layer "sandwich". The outer layers are made of thick cardboard, and the core is made of pressed gypsum mixture. Side long sides gypsum boards usually have rounded or trapezoidal edges and are also protected by cardboard. From the end sides, the edge is not provided.

Cardboard is produced in several types - this is a common (GKL) material gray color, moisture resistant (GKLV) has green shades front side, fire-resistant (GKLO) - pink or light purple, and moisture-resistant(GKLVO) - dark green hue. In addition, an innovative drywall designed for soundproofing walls has appeared on sale today. He manufactured in blue.

Most often found standard sizes sheets 2500 × 1200 mm, that is, having an area of ​​​​3 m². Other options are available, but they are less common: 2000 × 1200 mm (2.4 m²) and 3000 × 1200 mm (3.6 m²). The thickness of the sheets can be 12.5 mm (for walls), as well as 9.5 mm and 6 mm, which are usually used to create structures.

The table below shows the main standard sizes of drywall with an indication of the approximate weight of the sheets. This is so that you can evaluate - the sheets are very bulky and rather heavy. That is, you should work with them carefully: they may not withstand the load on the fracture if they are carelessly handled - they may break.

drywall typeSheet dimensions (length × width × thickness), mmLeaf area, m²Approximate sheet weight, kg
2000×1200×62,4 12
2000×1200×9.52,4 18
2000×1200×12.52,4 23
2500×1200×63,0 15
2500×1200×9.53,0 23
2500×1200×12.53,0 29
3000×1200×63,6 18
3000×1200×9.53,6 27
3000×1200×12.53,6 35
2000×1200×12.52,4 24
2500×1200×12.53,0 30
3000×1200×12.53,6 35
2000×1200×12.52,4 26
2500×1200×12.53,0 31
3000×1200×12.53,6 37
2000×1200×12.52,4 27
2500×1200×12.53,0 32
3000×1200×12.53,6 38

However, whichever is used for construction or, it is cut the same way.

Basic tools for cutting drywall

To cut drywall sheets to certain sizes, you will need some simple tools, the list of which includes the following items:


  • Electric jigsaw. This tool can be convenient to make long cuts, and in particular it becomes necessary if a cut of a complex curvilinear shape is required. As a rule, our electric jigsaw is included in the tool "arsenal" of any private house, since it is difficult to do without it on the farm.
  • A special knife for cutting drywall or a regular clerical knife with a replaceable blade. More detailed information about this group of tools will be provided below.
  • A narrow hacksaw for wood with a small set of teeth, or a special hand saw for drywall.
  • Electric drill with a set of large feather drills, as well as crowns - for cutting large round holes for wiring communications, sockets for installing electrical sockets and switches.
  • A drywall planer or a regular wood planer. This tool will be necessary for processing edges when cutting material.
  • A spiked roller is required if it is necessary to form an arched opening from drywall or another curved surface, for example, for a complex
  • To measure and mark sheets, you will need a simple pencil or marker, tape measure, building square, meter metal ruler. If there is no ruler, an even one can become a replacement for it. metallic profile used for arranging the frame crate. In addition, it is necessary to have a construction rule at hand for making long, even cuts “under the ruler”.

Drywall knives

Due to the fact that the main tool for cutting drywall is a knife, its characteristics should be considered in more detail.

Prices for popular electric jigsaws


Drywall cutting knives can be divided into three categories. Detailed information about them is presented in this table:

Categories of knivesCharacteristic features of the tool
Standard knivesSuch knives are the most affordable tool, and this is their main advantage.
The design is quite simple, since it consists of four elements - this is a body-handle, a cover-latch, a blade regulator-latch and the replaceable blade itself.
The reliability of such knives is quite low, especially when used for cutting drywall. They are more suitable for cutting paper. When cutting drywall, the blades become dull quickly.
Reinforced knife modelsThese are more expensive options compared to standard models.
They differ from the first ones in the presence of a metal guide installed in the body, which fixes the blade more securely and ensures the rigidity of the position during the cut.
Professional knivesSuch tools are used by craftsmen who constantly work with drywall.
Options professional knives enough. They differ from each other in the ergonomics of the body, the principle of operation of the latch and some other design nuances.
The price of such models is many times different from those mentioned above, and sometimes reaches 1000 rubles.

In principle, drywall can be cut with any of the named knife models. However, in order to decide on the choice of this tool, it is worth considering all the options in more detail.

It should be noted right away that knives with a 9 mm blade should not even be considered, since they are not suitable for cutting drywall. Such a blade may not withstand pressure and break. Not only will this greatly slow down the work - the breakdown of a thin blade is often accompanied by a rather serious injury to the hand.

For cutting drywall, knives with a blade having a width of 18 or 25 mm are used.

Product appearanceTypes of knives and cutters and their features
A wallpaper or stationery knife can be called the simplest and most affordable option.
This tool is popular among non-professional builders as it is easy to operate and can be used not only for cutting drywall but for many other operations.
The thickness of the blades can vary from 0.3 to 0.6 mm - in this case, the larger this indicator, the better.
This type of knife is produced in different versions, but their performance characteristics basically identical.
A knife with a trapezoidal blade is considered the best option for working with drywall, as it is designed specifically for cutting this material.
The advantages of this tool include an ergonomic, comfortable handle shape, which makes it comfortable to work with the tool, as the hand force is perfectly transmitted to the material being processed.
The blade, which has a trapezoidal shape, is rigid, thanks to which it does not bend and cuts drywall sheets with high quality.
Knives of this type have a fairly large variation in cost, which mainly depends on the brand of the product. But even the most inexpensive options have shown themselves well in operation.
Another version of a knife with a trapezoidal blade designed for cutting drywall is a product that has a folding design.
It is very convenient, because when folded the tool is safe and can be carried in your pocket without fear of injury.
The remaining characteristics correspond to the previous version.
Knives with a circular blade are designed for cutting drywall, and many craftsmen prefer to use them in their work, as the tool perfectly separates the sheets, making perfectly even cuts, including curved ones.
The disk is installed next to a metal ruler set along the cut line, pressed and moved along it. In the direction of movement of the knife, an even cut of the same depth is formed.
If necessary, the round blade can be pressed with quite a lot of force, as it has sufficient rigidity and can withstand such loads without problems.
There are also folding knives with a disc blade. In such models, the disk comes out of the case when you press the movable part of the handle.
The thickness gauge or drywall cutter differs from the previous options in its appearance and design. This tool consists of two disks arranged horizontally parallel to each other at a certain distance.
The cutter is installed on a sheet of drywall and moves along it, cutting both layers of cardboard at once. Round cutting parts are removable, so if necessary, they can be replaced with new ones.
With this tool, you can make cuts, separating perfectly even strips up to 120 mm wide from the whole sheet, which is often necessary when using drywall to form multilevel ceilings and other designs where narrow strips of perfectly even and uniform size are needed.
The handle of the tool simultaneously serves as a guide - the required cutting width is set from it. Next, the cutter is installed on the end of the sheet, and moved from beginning to end along its entire length.
The drywall cutter "Blade Runne" is a tool that is known mainly among professional craftsmen. This is not an ordinary tool that can speed up the cutting process by half. From which we can conclude that such a device is necessary if you have to deal with constantly cutting a large number of drywall sheets.
The tool consists of two detachable parts, which are held together during operation by means of magnetic clamps. The blades are located in small blocks located in two parts of the body. If necessary, the cutting elements can be replaced.
It is quite easy to make cuts with this tool - the halves of the tool are separated and installed on both sides of the sheet on a line previously marked on it. Then, the cutter moves along a given reference point, cutting the cardboard layer from two sides at once.
Thanks to this tool, you can make both perfectly smooth and complex curved cuts. The main thing is that the marking lines applied to the sheet are clear and accurate.

Now, having figured out which knife designs are most often used for cutting drywall, you can decide on the choice of the main tool for the job. This takes into account the scope of the material, the required shapes and sizes of workpieces, the required level of accuracy. And, of course, the cost of the tool is compared with the scale of the tasks ahead, with the intensity of its use.

Basic technological methods for cutting drywall and processing blanks

The cutting of drywall itself is quite simple. But for that to it was convenient to work, and the markings and cuts turned out to be accurate, it is necessary that the room where the cutting takes place be well lit and free enough.

Main technological methods cutting drywall sheets and processing blanks are shown in the instruction table below:

IllustrationBrief description of the operations performed
Gypsum board has enough big size, and for marking and cutting it must be laid horizontally on a solid base.
It is clear that not everyone has such a spacious workbench. Someone places a sheet on the floor, others adapt tables or stools for this purpose.
If the latter are used for supports, then they must be placed close to each other, at a distance of no more than 300 mm, otherwise, when pressing on the sheet, it may break.
On a sheet laid on a solid base, markings are made according to the required dimensions. For this purpose, a tape measure and a pencil, a ruler, etc. are used.
A metal ruler or a long rule is applied to the marked marks and a line is drawn along which the cut will be made.
Often, for beating strictly perpendicular lines, one cannot do without a square.
Further, close to the ruler, a knife blade is installed on the drawn line and drawn along the entire length of the guide.
Using the rule as a ruler is more convenient in cases where the sheet needs to be cut along the entire length or width.
A slight pressure is applied to the blade, so that only the outer layer of cardboard is cut.
If one of the types of knives discussed above is used to cut the sheet, then the evenness of the cut largely depends on the hardness of the master's hand.
However, in any case, you should not try to cut drywall to its full thickness, because even if you manage to do this, the cut will turn out to be sloppy.
And in vain to blunt the blade is useless.
Then the sheet of drywall must be moved closer to the edge of the base on which it lies, and gently tap the cut on the back of the sheet.
As a result of tapping, the gypsum layer along the cut line will lose its integrity.
Next, you need to grab the cut off part of the sheet and sharply bend it down, so that the gypsum layer will break exactly along the line.
It remains to take a knife, bend the sheet along the cut line and finally divide it into two parts.
It will not be difficult to do this, since the halves will be held only by one layer of cardboard, which is cut along the break line. To do this, you do not even have to turn the sheet.
After the sheet is divided, the edges of the cuts can be cleaned using a special or ordinary planer, as sloppy notches may remain on it, which will become an obstacle when joining the sheets on the wall.
Chamfering must be done without strong pressure, as the material may begin to crumble.
However, it is not necessary to achieve the ideal shape of the edge, it is enough to remove strongly protruding parts and irregularities of the cardboard if they were formed during cutting.
And the beveled chamfer - for high-quality reinforcement of the joints between the sheets of drywall on the wall, can be cut after they are installed - otherwise, in the process, it is easy to destroy the edge of the sheet refined and unprotected by cardboard.
It is somewhat more difficult to cut a figured hole, for example, a semicircle, since you have to constantly monitor the curved line.
This process can be done with a narrow hacksaw or an electric jigsaw. The jigsaw makes a more accurate cut, but it is convenient for those craftsmen who have experience with this tool.
It is very important to start the cut carefully without crushing the edge of the sheet, especially if there is no cardboard edge on it.
Further, holding the hacksaw in the direction of the drawn line, the excess part of the drywall is carefully, slowly, cut out.
Through openings of arbitrary shape are also cut with a hacksaw or jigsaw.
First, the location of this window is marked on the surface of the sheet, then its edges are precisely defined by lines.
In the middle of each side, closer to the inner, cut-out part, a hole is drilled - its diameter must correspond to the width of the file installed in electric jigsaw. Usually a diameter of 8 ÷ 10 mm is enough.
Next, a jigsaw file is inserted into the hole (necessarily - in the off state!), And a line is cut to one of their corners.
Then the jigsaw turns off, the file is pulled out after a complete stop, the jigsaw turns in the other direction, and is inserted again into the same hole, after which a cut is made to the opposite corner.
In the same way, cuts are made on the other sides, and the cut fragment is easily removed.
A round socket window for a socket or switch is cut out using a drill with a crown nozzle of the required diameter, a narrow hacksaw or a jigsaw.
The easiest way to perform this operation is with a drill-crown, and this procedure will take just a few seconds.
Any openings are cut most often already in place, that is, after fixing the sheet to the crate, since the strength of the sheet is violated, and often even a slight skew during transportation or installation leads to a break.
And to outline a round opening is very simple - you don’t have to make any precise constructions - it’s enough to determine the center of the circle.
If it is planned to cut a hole with a hacksaw or a jigsaw, then the center is determined, and a cutting line is drawn using an ordinary compass.
Then, two holes are drilled on the line with a drill, as close as possible to each other.
Next, the hole must be carefully combined with a file and continue cutting along the contour line.
But, you see, the crown is much more convenient, and it costs - not at all expensive.
If necessary, sheathe curved surfaces with drywall, the material can be bent, having previously carried out some preparatory operations.
For example, if it is supposed to make a slight bend for arch lining with a large radius, then two ways to give drywall desired shape.
You can make punctures on it with a needle roller, then moisten the sheet with a spray bottle.
The material, when wet, will become more pliable for bending.
Without waiting for drying, it is mounted on an arched frame, which must be done very carefully.
Some masters prefer to bend the pierced and moistened drywall according to a template made according to the parameters of the arched opening.
To do this, the prepared sheet is placed on top of the template, slightly pressing its edges with a load. In this position, the sheet is dried, and then mounted on the frame of the arched opening.
Another option that will help give drywall the desired shape is to make cuts along the entire length of the sheet needed for sheathing. The cuts must be perfectly even.
If it is necessary to form a column from a plasterboard sheet or sheathe it with an arched opening having a small bending radius, then cuts are also made along the entire length of the sheet, but with two oncoming passes at an angle at the top of 100 ÷ 110 degrees.
That is, from such incisions is removed small plot material, and the resulting groove itself should have a cross-sectional shape close to a triangle. Otherwise, the sheet cannot be bent.

In conclusion, I would like to give a few tips that will help you cope with the task without making fatal mistakes.

  • You should not cut drywall with a grinder, as there will be not only a lot of noise, but also a cloud of gypsum dust, which will add problems with cleaning the room. Yes, and there is no sense at all in such an approach, to be honest.
  • If it is necessary to use a hammer when cutting the material, you can only use a rubber mallet, since drywall can be seriously damaged with a metal tool. And, of course, carefully measure the strength of the strikes.
  • In order to have fewer notches along the cut line at the edges of the sheet, it is recommended to hold the hacksaw or knife at a right angle - the lower the blade slope, the larger the cardboard rags will be.
  • All main cuts are made before attaching the material to the crate, since if the cut is unsuccessful, then the sheet will have to be replaced with a new one, and the damaged one can be used for inserts. The exception is windows and openings - it is better to cut them out in place installation, after fixing to the frame.
  • Not recommended to cut in drywall complex drawings with thin partitions, for example, openwork nets, since the material is quite fragile.
  • If a whole sheet is cut, then most often this process is carried out on the floor. After the cut is made, a beam is placed under the drywall along its line. Then you need to press on both parts of the canvas, which will easily break along the cut line.

drywall knife prices

drywall knife

From the information presented above, a logical conclusion suggests itself that there is nothing particularly difficult in the process of cutting drywall sheets. And this work can easily be done by anyone with no experience in construction. If there are any doubts, then you can try your hand at a small piece of material and see how simple everything is if you follow the technological recommendations and wield a quality tool.

Find out with step by step instructions, from our new article on our portal.

At the end of the publication - a video in which the craftsmen demonstrate the techniques for cutting drywall.

Video: How to cut drywall quickly and efficiently

Drywall installation work involves cutting sheets into parts the right sizes. At home, the master does not often face such a task, so buy professional ones for cutting HA electric files impractical. When working with large volumes of HA, cutting speed comes first, so for a master who is constantly engaged in installation, the purchase of such equipment is relevant.

A set of tools for working with GC

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

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

  • The core gives the drywall hardness, 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 into the cardboard and then breaking the sheet is the main principle of fast cutting.

Sectional sheet
  • Like any hard porous material, HA is easy to drill and saw. Gypsum can be cut with any hand tool.
  • The porous mass of the filler is able to absorb moisture, while the material reversibly loses its hardness and can be deformed. After giving the required shape, the HA dries up and regains strength. This property is used to obtain solid arched parts with a uniform bend.

GK cutting tools

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

  • Marking is carried out using a tape measure and a meter metal ruler. It is convenient to use a metal guide or bearing profile. With their help, perform the initial markup long sheet. A ruler for drawing a longitudinal line on a 2.5 m long GK sheet 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 effort without the risk of breaking the knife.

Knife - main tool for cutting GC
  • Hacksaw for wood. For sawing HA, a thin pass saw with a minimum set of teeth is suitable. AT construction stores a special narrow file for drywall is sold.
  • Electric jigsaw. This tool is today considered a universal assistant in household, so it is in the arsenal of any master.
  • Electric drill. It is used for drilling straight holes. For large diameters, pen drills or round crowns are used to insert the core of door latches.
  • A planer is used to process the edges of parts after cutting, cutting off irregularities, scraps of cardboard, and chamfering. It is not necessary to buy a drywall planer, a regular carpenter will do.
  • The metal profile is cut off with a grinder or metalwork scissors.
  • Needle roller for making curved parts.

Drywall cutting techniques

Proper marking of the workpiece is the basis for cutting the HA. If the part turns out to be larger than necessary, it can be cut, but the small workpiece will be completely ruined.

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

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

Curved lines are cut with a jigsaw.

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


Application of a hacksaw

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

Production of curved parts

The most time-consuming and lengthy process is the bending of drywall parts. Correctly bending the GK, profile is a task that requires accuracy and patience.

First, a rectangular blank is cut off. To correctly mark the part, using a flexible tape measure, the length of the arch along the bend is measured.

The front coating of drywall is denser than the reverse, therefore, the bending of the workpiece is performed so that the back coating is stretched.

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

Exactly bending a wide part is possible only with the help of a template. It is made from fiberboard, plywood or the same drywall.

One side of the part is rolled with a needle roller with such pressure that the needles penetrate into the thickness of the sheet by 3-5 mm. After that, the surface is moistened with water until softened. This is a long process, and you should not rush. In this case, according to the template, you need to gradually bend the part. After it lies completely in the mold, it is fixed and left to dry.


Bending on a template

For gentle arches with a large radius, where the steepness of the bend is small, wet arching can be dispensed with. Transverse cuts are made on parts with a uniform step, 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 the usual tool that can be found in any home workshop.

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Drywall is one of the most common materials in construction, which is nevertheless very fragile. With it, not only sheathe ceilings and walls, but also create a wide variety of decorative elements home interior. However, its inaccurate cutting leads to an overrun of the material, and the inability to produce it leads to unnecessary costs for the help of a specialist. But do not be upset, because it is not at all difficult to cut drywall with your own hands if you follow the given instructions exactly.


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The principle and rules of cutting drywall


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The principle and rules of cutting are based on an understanding of what you are dealing with, so you should first study the structure of the material. But in this case, the name speaks for itself - the two outer layers are formed by cardboard, which serves as the basis for relative strength, and gypsum with fillers is enclosed between them. For different purposes, different types of drywall are used: standard, waterproof, fire resistant. The first is used in all cases, excluding wall and ceiling cladding (here they use moisture resistant drywall) and structures located in the immediate vicinity of a fireplace or other heat source (in this case, fire-resistant material takes place).

Preparing and marking

Lay a sheet of plasterboard on a flat horizontal surface and mark using a simple pencil, tape measure or ruler. A marker and a fountain pen are suitable for this procedure, but their traces are visible under the putty.


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Immediately before or during work, select the tool that will be used for cutting. There are many ways for you to accomplish your plan, depending on the means at your disposal. In fact, you can cut drywall with any sharpened object, but this will require certain skills. Consider the main tools of those that can be used.

What to cut: the choice of tool

If you are going to cut drywall on a regular basis, or at least often enough, it is recommended to purchase once professional tool and not to suffer with improvised means in the future. In any other case, you must have a clerical - construction, reinforced - or mounting knives. Types of stationery are barely distinguishable from each other, but construction is stronger. However, in any case, the cut from this knife is obtained in such a way that after that it is necessary to eliminate the formed notches.

For the operation being performed, a hacksaw for metal is quite applicable - its blade is thinner than that of a hacksaw for wood, so it wins in the accuracy of the subsequent result.

Other useful device- electric jigsaw. Its advantage is that there is no need to think about how to cut drywall, because you just need to lead along the drawn line. For edge processing, additional tools are used, such as a peeling planer, the effect of which can be reproduced with sandpaper.

When we figured out how drywall is cut, you can go directly to the methods of cutting it, the number of which is also large and varied. Let's consider some of them.

How to cut with a utility knife


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A mounting knife is suitable for cutting drywall into large lengthwise pieces. First do necessary measurements using a tape measure and a pencil, attach a metal ruler to the drawn line and start cutting the material with a point along the edge of this very ruler.


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Be careful and take your time so that the cut comes out even and accurate and matches the line from the pencil lead.

The core is broken by light tapping, then the slab is turned over, and the drywall is again cut in the broken place. At the end, the material should be processed with a planer so that the edge becomes even.

How to cut with a hacksaw


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It is worth noting that most often a hacksaw is used to cut rectangular openings. In this case, you need to draw drywall from the back. In one of the corners of the drawing, use a drill to make a hole with a diameter so large that a hacksaw blade can easily enter there. You can also make holes on all sides. After the end of the operation, the edge, as in the previous case, is processed with a planer or file, depending on the size of the hole made. Important: it is desirable for the tool blade to be perpendicular to the plane of the drywall sheet. In this case, the edges come out smoother.


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Jigsaw cutting


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A jigsaw is the tool that will save you time and energy. Using it, you can cut and cut not only straight lines, but also smooth, curved lines and various shapes. If you use it, put a sheet of plasterboard on two stools so that the shape line of the desired cutout, drawn before, runs in the distance between the surfaces of the stools. Act smoothly and slowly, cut strictly along the intended line. The electric jigsaw has another significant advantage: with it, the processing of the resulting edges is minimized, because it is held perpendicular to the surface of the sheet, which is the key to such a result. This is facilitated by the special sole installed in it. The disadvantages include the fact that you still have to spend money on it, but this tool is worth it. Also, when working with it, a lot of dust rises, you should take care of eye and respiratory protection in advance.

Shaped cutting, as well as square and round cutouts

It is worth paying attention to the curly cutting mentioned above. To cut the best, of course, a jigsaw is suitable. But if the figure is, for example, an ordinary circle, then it is acceptable to use ordinary clerical or assembly knives. Initially, it is important to determine the center of the circle, and then draw it with a pencil and a compass. With the tip of a knife, cut through the outline of the intended opening as much as possible. Then place this section over the empty space - a two-stool design will work here again. Lightly hit the notch with a hammer - the material will break through the center of the hole.

Edge processing

The cut is processed with a peeling planer, since the edges never come out smooth and neat enough - this is already a property of any tool, the experience and skills of the performer play a smaller role here. You can also chamfer with a regular knife, but it will take more time and requires professional skills.


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In conclusion, it should be noted that drywall cutting is one of the most common operations in the list of those that can be easily performed on your own at home, without resorting to the help of a specialist. It is enough just to approach any work with intelligence and patience and carefully familiarize yourself with the sequence of the task, based on its features. Then the result will be appropriate.

Good luck and happy repair.

Video: how to cut (cut) drywall with your own hands at home

Beginners in the construction business do not know how and how to cut drywall in the best way. After all, any work, whether it is the creation of a ceiling structure, a partition or a complex decor element, requires knowledge of the rules for cutting GKL and strict adherence to them in practice. The tool for these purposes is used differently. It all depends on the chosen cutting method. So, how to cut drywall at home, the following recommendations will suggest.

What is this article about

Introduction to the toolbox

The mandatory list of tools for sawing gypsum fiber with your own hands includes three groups of items

1. Devices for marking on a GKL sheet- a simple pencil, tape measure, long ruler.

2. Actually cutting and sawing devices.

  • Knife. You can cut the GVLV with a clerical knife, as well as 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 than wood.
  • Electric jigsaw. Ideal for sawing rounded elements. Least of all leave chips on the ends of drywall high-quality metal files with a fine tooth.
  • Electric drill. Needed for making holes. Large d gaps will require round crowns (which cut into the core of door snap locks) and feather drills.

3.Edging fixtures:

  • peeling planer;
  • planer for chamfering.

This list clearly shows how home craftsmen cut drywall. Of course, it is far from complete. The arsenal of experienced craftsmen may include professional equipment, such as a special cutter for GVL. However, for those who work with the material for the first time, this set is quite enough. To better understand how to properly cut drywall, you must clearly understand the structure of this material.

The structure and purpose of drywall

Plasterboard sheets are a layered combination of two types of materials - gypsum (internal content) 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 the better to cut drywall. It is important to know the basic principle of this action: after a continuous even cutting of drywall is carried out, the second step immediately follows - breaking the sheet.

Sawing drywall, like any hard porous material, is easy. 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, drywall or drywall, made using Knauf technology), acoustic drywall, etc.

Despite the large assortment of HA, panels of any of its varieties lend themselves well to being divided into parts using the material at hand.

Choice of HA cutting methods

Which method of cutting drywall to resort to will become clear after studying the options available for this purpose.

Standard cutting

Cutting the sheet in a straight line is the easiest way to cut. It boils down to this:

GVL is placed on a hard and even surface. After that, the marking of the future cutting line is performed.

Whichever knife is chosen, they should be cut strictly, placing a ruler on the side. An uneven cut is guaranteed if it is decided to cope without a ruler. Cutting starts from the back (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 deepen the knife as much as possible into the plaster contents.

Upon completion of the process, the HA is turned over and bent in the direction of the solid (without the cut line) side. Gypsum, 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 is not particularly important which side to start cutting drywall from. However, it is much easier to do this on a flat, dense surface than when holding the GL by weight.

Before you cut drywall with improvised tools, you should familiarize yourself with two more types of simple cutting, feasible for self-implementation.

Double sided cutting. More often, cutting in the form of any rectangle is performed in this way. By means of a hacksaw, one of the sides is sawn, the other is simply cut with a blade. After that, the material is broken, and the cardboard is cut off from the opposite side (as with simple cutting). The finished cut is brought to perfection using an edge planer.

Cutting along uneven lines. To cut material along uneven lines, you must first prepare a drawing.

Cutting according to the given geometry

Curly cutting of drywall is used in a situation of creating unique shapes for a specific structural element. This procedure is more complicated, and one cannot do without basic experience and a sufficient arsenal of tools.

When curly cutting, the material is also marked out first. If you need to draw a circle, but there is no compass at hand, then they are armed with a needle with a thread and a tied pencil.

For curly cutting of HA in different situations, one of the methods described below is applicable.

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 drywall hacksaw, you can cut out fragments with any non-trivial shapes (for example, butterflies or flowers).

Option two. An electric drill with a cylindrical nozzle allows you to create even circles of small diameter in drywall. The circle is not marked here, but limited to a mark in the desired area.

Option three. For sawing GVL with an electric jigsaw, a clear marking of the contour of the required shape is performed. Priority in choosing a jigsaw is given when the diameter of the circle being made must be greater than the diameter of the crown of the electric drill, and the rounded shape lines are not limited to a circle.

Option four. The most primitive, 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 that, the HA is placed on a flat surface with a recess. Moreover, the detachable 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 detachable fragment. The part to be removed should break through. A layer of cardboard from the bottom is cut off, aligning the ends as needed. GK masters highly do not recommend resorting to this technique for people without experience. Since you have to spend a lot of drywall sheets for stuffing your hands and working out the pressure force.

The nuances of making circles

Circles in the ceiling structure are made primarily for the installation of fixtures. The easiest way is to cut a circle of a given diameter in the hyspofiber with a blade. And gently knock out the middle part with a hammer. However, it will be easier to implement the plan with a drill with special equipment - a cylindrical nozzle. The same one that is used when cutting into the door of the lock mechanism with a latch.

Cutting after installation of plasterboard

Of course, it is more convenient to cut material that has not yet been fixed. But in practice, there are situations when cutting off the excess is required after mounting the sheets to the frame. Such pruning is due to the fact that the sheathed surfaces meet window slopes or corners on their way.

The sheet is fixed on 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. Cutting movements are repeated repeatedly, drawing along the markup. At the same time, unnecessary parts of the material are trying to “squeeze out”. The sheet is cut on the other side.

After studying these methods, beginners will understand how to cut drywall with a minimum set of tools at home. If you need to cut large quantities of HA, these options will not work. The best solution is to turn to professionals.