Installing drywall requires creating parts with different configurations. At home, the apartment owner makes such decisions infrequently, so purchasing expensive electric saws impractical. General purpose tools are suitable for cutting.

Selecting Tools

On industrial enterprises drywall is required in large quantities. Therefore, special hardware installations have been developed for cutting gypsum boards. At home, everything is much simpler - improvised tools that can be found in every apartment are used.

In order to avoid additional planing of each detail at the end of the work, it is necessary to cut the drywall as evenly as possible. To achieve this goal mark the markings on the plaster using a pencil and a measuring tape. If the latter is not among the tools or the length of the drywall exceeds 2.5 m, then you can mark the surface using a metal profile.

Several tools can cope with cutting drywall:

• cutter (hacksaw) for metal or wood;
• jigsaw;
• construction knife with replaceable blades;
• electric drill.

The last tool is suitable for drilling an even circle of small diameter. As the radius increases, it is necessary to use feather drills or round saws.

An electric drill is suitable for creating holes for the core door locks. A regular hacksaw for metal or wood can cut drywall. The tool is distinguished by a thin blade with a frequent row of teeth. Preserved between sharp ridges minimum distance to prevent the formation of nicks.

Dense sheets of drywall can be cut with a construction knife. The device is easy to use due to its double-sided sharp blade. Over time, the core becomes dull, but manufacturers put several additional elements. Therefore, if necessary, the blade can be easily replaced with a new one.

To cut drywall with a construction knife, you need to mark it and place a metal ruler along the pencil mark. Holding the profile, make a cut with a knife. If the plaster is of small thickness, the construction knife can be replaced with a stationery knife.

To decorate a room with a high humidity coefficient, take moisture resistant drywall, which contains antiseptic elements. They give the surface of the plaster a greenish tint. Additional components do not affect the density indicator, so it is possible to cut moisture-resistant drywall using similar tools for cutting the classic version.

Correct cutting

A few simple rules will help you cut drywall correctly:

• Working with plaster requires taking safety precautions. Even a pinpoint cut or small break crumbles the material. This releases dust that is hazardous to the body. Protect your eyes and lungs with goggles and a respiratory mask.
• It doesn't matter which side you cut the drywall from. However, experts recommend starting with the surface that will be in contact with the wall or ceiling.
• Cutting a profile leaves behind jagged edges. You should not waste time on leveling them, because subsequently the flaws are hidden with plasterboard.
• Drywall sheets should be cut in dry rooms. In conditions of high humidity, the material quickly swells and becomes unsuitable for use even after drying.
• Flexible drywall can be cut correctly on a stable surface with a smooth surface.

Myself facing material consists of two layers of cardboard. They are covered with a thick gypsum layer. This structure provides fire resistance and strength by increasing density. Therefore, to implement a point cut, it is enough to deepen the cut several times with a sharp blade using gentle movements from top to bottom. After which the sheet must be broken along the cut line. In this case, it is important to keep the drywall in one position, preventing the blade from moving when cutting the cardboard layer.

This is effective when cutting drywall that is leaning against a wall surface. You can hold the layer of material with your foot.

On the wall

Finish if necessary plasterboard material window opening or wall corner, gypsum board cutting is carried out directly on the load-bearing surface. In this case, the plaster edge coincides with the edge of the wall. To create such a model, use a larger piece of drywall than required. The material is attached to the wall surface, after which excess elements are cut off from the plaster.

The procedure requires reliable fastening to a supporting surface. Cutting begins from the side of the plasterboard sheet, which fits tightly to the support. Pressing on unnecessary detail, you need to follow the marked line several times. After that with reverse side cut off the remaining cut elements.

Holes for lamps and sockets

Specialists cut holes for sockets or lamps after installing and securing the drywall. For beginners, you can do without preliminary fastening. For this purpose, it is first necessary to accurately calculate the position and parameters of the future hole.

It is important to remember that the lumen itself is small in shape, which is subsequently hidden by additional plastic frame(for decorating a socket or lamp base).

All calculations must be applied from the back surface of the drywall. For the cutting itself you will need a screwdriver or drill. The tool must have additional circular attachments with fine serrated blades. If you don't have a gun, a classic hacksaw will do. The holes are uneven, but correspond to the calculated parameters. All flaws are covered with canvas.

Uneven line

When cutting drywall in the form of a wavy curved line, you cannot get by with a regular hacksaw or construction knife. When using them, smooth curves turn out to be uneven. To achieve a perfectly smooth surface, you need to purchase or rent a jigsaw with small blades. In this case, the tool creates a huge amount of gypsum dust. Because of this, it is necessary to take care personal protection eyes and lungs.

Upon completion of the manufacture of parallel parts, bending of the plasterboard elements follows. The first step is to create a rectangular sheet of gypsum material that matches the size of the space between the straight pieces. A centimeter tape measure will help you measure your step correctly. Thanks to its flexibility, you can measure the arch length along the bend.

The front surface has an increased density compared to the back side of drywall. Because of this, the arcuate part is bent in such a way that the back surface of the material is stretched. To bend the future arch evenly, you can resort to a template. The latter is made of plywood.

• On one side, the arc is bent with a needle roller. In this case, it is necessary to constantly press on the drywall. The roller needles will penetrate the gypsum material up to 5 mm.
• At the end of the work, the surface of the drywall is moistened with water until softened. This stage requires a long time and patience. As the drywall swells, it needs to be gradually bent.
• As soon as the part settles tightly in the template form, it is fixed until completely dry.

For sloping elements with a radius of more than 40 cm, the bend is not so steep, thus the manufacture of the part does not require additional wetting. Identical elements of a wavy type can be realized using transverse cuts. The result is an accordion that needs to be secured with a primer. When bending drywall, all cracks must be filled with putty.

For high arches it is not possible to bend the gypsum material. When installing such an element, triangular cuts are made with scissors in increments of up to 10 cm. The distance depends on the steepness of the bend.

Circle

It is easy to achieve a perfectly round hole using a drill with special drill bits. The nozzle is pressed perpendicularly to the surface of the drywall. By pressing the trigger, they begin to drill a hole.

Create decorative holes large diameter or rounded parts (for example, wavy elements) the drill is not capable of. A hacksaw can easily cope with such a task by cutting the internal elements. To do this, you need to cut a line and insert a canvas with pencil markings. Then it is sawed according to the markings.

It is inconvenient to work with a hacksaw with drywall on the floor, so it is best to place a sheet of plasterboard on the table. Moreover, the plaster will have to be laid in such a way that the cut part is outside the countertop.

Experts can cut with a regular knife, then knock out the circle with a sharp push. However, in the absence of professional skills in working with drywall, an uneven gap will form with jagged, chipped edges.

In a straight line

Before starting work, you need to take measurements in the room so as not to make mistakes when cutting parts. A simple pencil will help you mark the cut lines. It is better not to use a marker or pen. Caustic ink leaves marks that show through the putty layer.

When drawing the main lines, you must first make equal marks at the top and bottom of the sheet. After this, apply a level or a metal ruler to the points, along which a straight segment is drawn.

Upon completion of the calculations and application of the appropriate markings, the drywall is placed on a surface parallel to the floor. For cutting, it is more convenient to use a construction knife, since the sharp blade can be adaptively adjusted during work. It should be remembered that the length of the tip should not exceed the thickness of the drywall. It is recommended to make the cut using a metal ruler, which is placed on top of the pencil markings. To create a straight line, you need to additionally run the cut 3 times with the tool.

If a layer of plasterboard is placed on a table, it is necessary to move the plaster so that the part to be separated does not come into contact with the table surface. Once the cut is deep enough, you should pick up the edges of the drywall and break along the line with a sharp movement. For the final cut, an additional cut is made on the opposite side with a construction knife.

When sawing drywall on the floor, after additional movements, the drywall product must be placed in a vertical position. Gently push the cut part along front side it is necessary to separate it from the unnecessary (make a break). After which the remaining fragments are cut with a blade.

It is important to remember that you should not use it to cut drywall. circular saw. Fine teeth rotating at high speed produce a dense column of dust. Solid particles settle in the lungs and on the mechanical parts of the tool, causing damage to both the person and the inside of the circular saw.

Letter "G"

The shape of drywall curved in the letter “L” is used for lining a door or window opening, as well as when creating any corner model.

The work begins with calculations and marking the line with a pencil. For implementation, you can use a hacksaw if you don’t have a specially serrated drywall saw at hand. Gypsum is a soft, pliable material that does not create problems when cutting.

Using a tool you need to cut out a short part. The long one is cut out according to the “straight line” method.

Edge processing

The work doesn't end with cutting the drywall. Sharp and uneven edges need to be smoothed. You can handle nicks and chips using sandpaper.

It is recommended to level with gentle movements until a smooth surface is achieved. Upon completion preparatory stage fasciation is carried out. Two-thirds of the thickness of the drywall sheet must be cut off from each edge. Next, a chamfer is cut at an angle of 45 degrees with a plane. If not suitable tool, you can use a regular knife.

In this article we will learn how to cut drywall at home. In the previous lesson, we completely made a frame to which you can already attach drywall. But the gypsum boards themselves must first be cut to size. Now we will figure out how this is done.

How and with what to cut drywall at home

The answer to the question of how to cut drywall at home is very simple - for this we need an ordinary sharp painting knife.

It is highly undesirable to use an electric jigsaw to cut gypsum board.

How to cut part of a leaf

So, we place a sheet of drywall with the inner (back) side on the floor (table) or place it upright, with its elbow on the wall, with the inner (back) side facing the wall, the outer (front) side towards you. Using a tape measure and a pencil, mark the distance that needs to be cut on the outer (front) side of the gypsum board. Make two marks on the top and bottom of the sheet with a pencil:

Then we take the rule ( building level, an even strip) apply to the marked marks and mark the line.

It's better to repeat it twice.

After we have cut the paper, we need to refract the sheet along the cut we made. To do this, take a sheet and turn it towards you inside. We clamp one part of the sheet into left hand, the second (cut off) to the right. Moderate movement right hand on yourself (you can also help synchronously with your knee) break the sheet along the cut made:

The sheet broke exactly along the cut line:

The straight cut is ready.

How to make a cutout in a sheet

But what to do if you need to make a cutout in a plasterboard sheet:

or holes, slits, for example, under engineering Communication, pipes. After all, if you just run a knife along each of the three sides of this rectangle and then start breaking it out, then nothing will come of it. If we apply force, a fracture will occur that is not at all along the contours we need. So what should we do? Here we need to act differently.

To do this, take a knife for drywall, colloquially “Fox”:

and saw through two sides:

And we simply cut through the third side with a painting knife - only paper:

Lightly hit the spot:

All that remains is to cut the paper on the other side with a knife:

The cutout is ready.

Below is a link to a video about another drywall knife. I haven’t worked with him personally, but judging by the video, he cuts quite interestingly. In principle, if you are working with any tool for the first time, then, of course, you need to adapt:

In this article, we learned how and with what to cut drywall at home.

Many people line their home walls and ceilings with plasterboard. Fast, convenient, perfectly smooth. But the sheets are large and do not always fit exactly to size. Or you have to make a hole for an outlet, a lamp, or attach a small piece.

Professionals have special power tools for cutting, but they are always obscenely expensive. What to do ordinary people? How to cut drywall at home? In fact, it's not as scary as you think. If desired, everything can be done in a few minutes. And you will need the most popular tools.

Preparation

Preparatory work happens very quickly. First, tools are selected so as not to run around looking for them. You will need:

1. Tape measure, construction meter or ruler.
2. A simple pencil, a nail, a self-tapping screw. Any object that leaves a visible mark.
3. Knife. Stationery or construction (it is more reliable).
4. Hacksaw. Preferably narrow, but with a hard blade. You can take one designed for cutting knots.
5. Hammer. The most common.
6. Special plane. Easily replaced with a file or medium-grit sandpaper.
7. Drill. If there is a special cutter attachment for it, that would be great.

Then the sheet of drywall is laid on a flat surface. For example, on the floor. Experts can cut drywall by weight; we do not recommend this technique for beginners. Possible damage to the material.

If there is no space on the floor (this happens during renovations), then the sheet is placed on two stools. Strictly identical in height. And they begin.

Description of cutting process

Use a tape measure to measure the required distance. With a simple pencil draw a mark. They double-check everything again, because there will be no way to correct the work.

Then they take a utility knife and cut the cardboard along the marking line. If you have doubts about the hardness of your hand, you can cut along the guide. It is very convenient to use the rest of the profile for fastening to the wall or a long building level for this. Sometimes effort alone is not enough; after all, drywall is a fairly durable material. Then cut through several times.

They don’t try to immediately cut drywall with a knife. This is impossible. There is a hammer for this kind of work. All you need is to lightly hit the cut site on the back side of the sheet several times. The gypsum base will safely crack exactly along the cut line.

All that remains is to turn the sheet over and cut the second layer of cardboard with a knife. All is ready.

For a better joint between the pieces, the cut site needs to be cleaned. Sometimes quite large notches remain there. Aesthetically, they do not interfere, because the seam area will still be puttied. But the accuracy of the connection may be affected.

Chamfering is the name of this procedure. This can be easily done with sandpaper or a large file. But we recommend purchasing a special plane for such purposes. Moreover, it costs very democratically.

Cleaning the cuts is done with smooth movements, without strong pressure. Don't try to achieve perfect smoothness. It is enough to remove large rags.

Someone will ask: why was a hacksaw needed? For cutting through holes. After all, you can’t just knock them out with a hammer. Practice shows that a sheet of drywall breaks anywhere, but not along the markings. For through holes, the technique is slightly different.

A hole is drilled in the sheet along the marking line of such a size that a hacksaw blade can fit in. Then, with the same hacksaw, three sides of a square or rectangle are cut out. The fourth side does not need to be sawed. It is enough to cut through the cardboard on one side with a knife, and then knock out the unnecessary piece with a hammer. The cardboard on the other side is also cut through with a knife.

Corner squares and rectangles are cut out in drywall in the same way. One side is cut out with a hacksaw, the other with a knife and hammer.

Advice. There will be very few nicks at the cut site if you hold the knife or hacksaw perpendicular to the sheet of drywall. The lower the blade is tilted, the larger the rags you will get later.

If you have a drill with a special attachment at hand, then small round holes can be drilled very simply. The cutter is pressed strictly perpendicularly to the sheet, then turn on the drill and slowly apply pressure from above. The end result is a little dusty, but perfectly smooth.

Round holes or lines complex configuration(waves, drawings) cannot be made with a drill. Here you will have to use a hacksaw on the principle of cutting out the inner piece. Drill a line and insert the blade. Then they saw according to the drawing.

Naturally, it is inconvenient to do such work on the floor. You can place drywall on the table so that the cut extends beyond the edge of the tabletop.

Some craftsmen carve round hole in cardboard with a knife, and then knock it out using the usual method. We do not advise beginners to try to repeat this procedure. Without the proper skills in drywall, you get an unsightly break with torn edges instead of a perfect circle.

Advice. Do not attempt to cut openwork or mesh into drywall. complex drawing with thin lines. The material may simply not hold up. The sheet is strong only with large drawing wide lines.

1. Some people manage to cut drywall at home with a grinder. We do not recommend doing this. There will be a lot of noise and plaster dust. WITH with a simple knife and with a hammer it turns out much cleaner and neater. And you won’t need to obtain personal protective equipment from anywhere or the ability to work with power tools.
2. Glasses, plates and pot lids are excellent templates for marking circles. They just pick up right size and draw a circle line. This is for those times when you don’t have a compass at hand.
3. A jigsaw greatly simplifies most drywall jobs. Its blade is thin and tough, with small teeth. With this tool you can cut out a square, a dragonfly, or any shape or configuration on drywall. If you don’t have such a miracle of technology on your farm, you can rent it. Many construction companies provide rental of power tools.
4. First, all the cuts are made and only then the sheet of drywall is attached to the permanent place. If the cut is made on an already fixed sheet, then when possible error you will have to remove the structure and attach a new sheet.
5. It does not matter which side you cut the drywall from - front or back. It breaks equally well on both sides.
6. If you have to cut a large sheet alone, it can be inconvenient to lift it with one hand and hit it with a hammer with the other. Then a block is placed on the floor and the drywall is simply broken against it exactly along the cut line.
7. Some sources recommend using your own knee instead of a hammer. If you have a couple of new ones in stock, then you can use them to knock out unnecessary pieces. True, humanity invented the hammer a long time ago. Try to use it anyway, and leave your knees for other purposes. For example, for the fifth point of the woman you love, let him sit on them.

How to cut drywall at home? Very simple. Accurate measurement and steady hand- these are the main components of certain success. And everything will work out with a bang.

Video: how to cut drywall with a knife

Creating arches and niches from plasterboard causes many difficulties for inexperienced people. For example, during renovations it is often necessary to cut sheets of drywall. 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 quite often, it is better to purchase professional tools. If cutting is done infrequently, you can use the following tools:

1. Tools for measuring the length of drywall, as well as a level and pencil. Measurements can be made with a ruler or tape measure.
2. Construction knife. You can also use a reinforced stationery knife. If necessary to cut a large number of sheets of the specified material, it is worth using a construction knife. Since it is more durable and can withstand heavy loads.
3. Planers. One of them is needed for chamfering. The second plane is roughing. These tools are used on final stage works when it is necessary to make the edges smooth. Minor unevenness putty.
4. 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 guide along the drawn lines.
5. Hacksaw for metal. This tool Can also be used to cut cardboard. It is also used when cutting frame elements made of metal profiles.
6. Electric drill, cutter. These tools are necessary 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 mounting knife can be used.

Material structure

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

Drywall is divided into several types:

• fire resistant;
• waterproof;
• ordinary.

Waterproof plasterboard is used during wall covering work in rooms with high humidity. Fire retardant material necessary when finishing walls near stoves and fireplaces. The usual one is used when finishing other types of premises. To understand how to cut drywall at home, it is worth considering the features of using different tools.

Using a mounting knife

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

1. First you need to take measurements and draw a line. The easiest way to do this is with a marker. To ensure an even cut, a metal profile can be placed on the edges of the line.
2. After this, you need to place the knife on the edge of the line and begin to move it with even force.
3. After this, you need to bend the sheet on the back side so that it cracks along the line.
4. On last stage You can make the cut more even. To do this, it is best to use a mounting knife.

It is worth remembering that this cutting method is only suitable for separating large sheets of the material being described. 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 more even.

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

Features of using a hacksaw

The specified tool is used only if figure cutting. For example, semicircular arches are often created during renovations. Using assembly knife It will not be possible to carry out such work.

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

1. Marking. First, lines are drawn on the drywall, after which small holes are made in the corners of the created shape. They are necessary to accommodate the hacksaw blade. A drill is usually used to create the hole.
2. On next stage insert the hacksaw blade into the hole created and cut to the next one.
3. After the cut has been made between all the drilled points, the outlined figure will fall out, forming a hole the desired shape. To make the joints more even, you should use a drywall plane. It is worth remembering that the greater the bend of the line, the more holes there should be in the material.

In this way, you can make rectangular and round shape. It is worth remembering that when cutting round lines, you should use a thinner blade, which is more convenient to turn while cutting.

Using a jigsaw

Thanks to a jigsaw, you can cut almost any shape into drywall. Moreover, all work carried out is carried out easily even without experience. Curved lines when using this tool are accurate. All work is carried out in several stages:

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

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

Creating curved parts

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

To bend a drywall piece, you first need to create a semicircular template. It can be made of fiberboard or the material described. Cutting out the template is quite simple using 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 this, just slowly bend it according to the template and secure it in this position. After drying, the sheet of drywall will retain the shape that it was given.