How do you cut drywall? Drywall cutting tool. How to cut moisture-resistant drywall at home How to cut drywall at home with a knife

Drywall or plasterboard - universal material when renovating the premises. The sheets can be used for partitions, wall and ceiling cladding.

A great positive quality of the material is its flexibility in processing, bending to the desired shape. But when constructing structures, it is often necessary to divide a single sheet into separate parts and make holes in it. The article will tell you what drywall is and how to cut it to the required dimensions.

Features of the material

Before cutting drywall at home, it is worth getting acquainted with its features. In terms of its structure, gypsum board is a three-layer “sandwich”. Thick cardboard is used to make the outer layers, and a gypsum mixture is used for the core.

The long sides of the drywall have a rounded edge protected by cardboard. The ends of the sheets are not protected.

Cardboard is used in several types. It could be:

• Regular gray material (GKL);
• Moisture resistant, with green tint front side (GKLV);
• Fire-resistant, having a pink or light purple color (GKLV);
• Moisture-resistant with a dark green tint (GKLVO);
• Innovative drywall of blue color, designed for soundproofing walls.

The standard dimensions of gypsum boards are 2500×1200 mm, the area of ​​which is 3 m². Less common are canvases with other sizes: 2000×1200 mm, sheet area 2.4 m²; 3000×1200 mm with an area of ​​3.6 m². The thickness of the sheets is: 12.5 mm; 9.5 mm; 6 mm. Thin fabrics are used to create ceiling structures.

Drywall sheets are quite bulky and heavy. When working with them, you must be careful: due to careless handling when under stress, the product may break.

Tools used when cutting fabric

Before cutting drywall, you need to become familiar with the basic tools for the job.

An approximate list of them is presented in the table:

In addition to the listed tools for measuring and marking plasterboards, you need:

• Marker or simple pencil;
• Roulette;
• Square;
• A ruler or flat metal profile, which is used to install a frame under drywall.

To perform smooth, long length cuts “under the ruler”, it’s good to have a rule on hand. The video shows how to cut drywall at home in more detail.

Types of knives for cutting

To choose the right way to cut drywall at home, it’s worth getting to know in more detail the most popular tool – a knife. Such tools fall into three categories.

The table shows their categories and types:

We have listed the best methods for cutting drywall in the table. If you have to large volume various types of work, you can consult with a specialist or watch the video: “How to cut drywall at home.”

Drywall cutting technology

Cutting gypsum board is quite simple.

Tip: For ease of use and receiving exact dimensions details, you should choose a well-lit and free room.

The table shows brief instructions drywall cuttings:

Tip: The evenness and quality of the cut depends on the strength of the hand and the skills of the craftsman. But you should not cut drywall through its entire thickness, which can cause sloppy edges and rapid blade failure. In order to correctly cut drywall with your own hands, a video tutorial will help with all the details.

Cutting after installation of gypsum boards

Cutting unfixed material is much more convenient. But there are situations when it is necessary to cut off the excess after installing the panels on the frame. This happens when it is necessary to make slopes for windows or corners on the sheathed surfaces.

In this case, you should make sure that the sheet is securely fixed to the frame. The material is cut on the side in contact with the wall.

In this case, the cutting movements are repeated several times along the markings. Then the excess parts of the material are “squeezed out”. The sheet is cut on the other side. The video shows in detail how to trim protruding drywall that is already attached to a frame underneath it.

Before cutting drywall, you should use a few tips to help avoid irreparable mistakes:

• You should not use a grinder when working. Such a tool is not used for cutting drywall - it makes a lot of noise and a cloud of gypsum dust, which will have to be removed, wasting your time and effort;
• If it is necessary to use a hammer when cutting the material, it should only be a rubber one - a mallet, metal tool may cause serious damage to the material. In addition, when working you need to measure the strength of your blows;
• To reduce nicks on the edges of the sheet, it is better to hold the hacksaw or knife at an angle of 90°. As the blade angle decreases, the size of the cardboard rags increases;
• The main cuts of the material must be made before attaching the panels to the sheathing. In this case, if the cut is unsuccessful, the sheet can be replaced with a new one, and the damaged one can be used for inserts.

Tip: Windows and openings should be cut after fixing the material to the frame.

• Do not cut into drywall complex drawings having thin partitions, like openwork meshes;
• Cutting a whole sheet is most often done on the floor. Therefore, after cutting along this line, a block is placed under the blade. Then press on two parts of the sheet, which is easily broken along the cut line.

How and with what to cut drywall, everyone chooses for themselves. The process of carrying out the work is quite simple, which makes it easy for anyone with no experience in construction to handle.

If in doubt, you should try your hand on a small piece of material and make sure that everything is simple. It is enough to follow simple technological recommendations and use a quality tool.

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

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

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

• Regular or special drywall cutter with interchangeable blades
• Roulette
• Ruler, rule or cord for marking
• Jigsaw with a fine file (for cutting sheets along uneven lines)

After cutting the plasterboard sheet, its edges will need to be processed, so for this we will use:

• Chamfering plane
• Roughing plane

How to cut drywall in a straight line

Cutting plasterboard in a straight line is not that difficult. To do this, lay the plasterboard on a flat horizontal surface (on the floor or on a table), take the necessary measurements using a simple pencil. It should be noted that it is not recommended to use a marker or pen for marking, as they leave marks that are then almost impossible to putty on.

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

Now let's start cutting. For this we need sharp knife with adjustable blade length. In this case, the blade should protrude from the knife handle to a length not exceeding the thickness of the drywall. We make a cut along the left line. In order to make the line more even, you need to go over the cut with a knife 2-3 more times, this way we will deepen it.

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

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

On a note! Not suitable for cutting drywall circular saw. Using this tool can be compared to hammering nails with a stone. Such a saw creates a huge amount of dust, which has a detrimental effect on the mechanical parts of the tool and on your lungs.

How to correctly cut drywall in the shape of the letter L

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

How to cut drywall along an uneven line

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

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

How to properly cut drywall installed on a wall

If it is necessary to sheathe a window slope or a corner of a wall with plasterboard sheets and at the same time make sure that its edge perfectly coincides with the edges of the wall, then cutting the plasterboard is done “on the spot”, that is, the sheet already installed on the wall is cut. As a rule, to do this, attach a piece of drywall a little bigger size than necessary and after that the unnecessary parts are cut off.

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

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

Such holes are cut into the plasterboard sheet, usually after it has been installed. . How to cut drywall in this case?

For this operation we will need a drywall crown (circular saw) or a drywall hacksaw. IN construction stores You can purchase a set of crowns for HAs of different diameters. These devices are installed on a screwdriver or drill.

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

Processing the edges of drywall after cutting

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

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

How to cut drywall video:

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

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

What you need to cut drywall:

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

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

How to use a drywall cutter

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

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

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

Wall plasterboard: how to cut correctly

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

Making an even cut

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

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

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

Shaped cutting

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

How to cut drywall: make holes

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

How to cut drywall correctly:

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

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

Tools at hand: how to cut drywall at home

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

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

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

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

Tool review: how to cut drywall (video)

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

Happy renovation!

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. An ordinary 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.

Thick 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, use moisture-resistant plasterboard, 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 down on an unnecessary part, it is necessary to draw along the marked line several times. After this, the remaining cut elements are cut off from the reverse side.

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 small shape, which subsequently hides 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. Front surface has an increased density compared to the reverse 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 into 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

The drill is not capable of creating decorative holes of large diameter or rounded parts (for example, wavy elements).

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 with jagged, chipped edges will form.

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 drywall 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.

It is important to remember that you should not use a circular saw to cut drywall. Fine teeth rotating on 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 you don’t have a suitable tool, you can use a regular knife.

Beginners in the construction business do not know what and how to cut drywall the best way. After all, any work, be it creation ceiling structure, partition or complex decorative element, requires knowledge of the rules for cutting gypsum boards and strict adherence to them in practice. Different tools are used for these purposes. It all depends on the chosen cutting method. So, the recommendations below will tell you how to cut drywall at home.

What is this article about?

Getting to know the toolbox

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

1. Devices for applying markings on a sheet of plasterboard- a simple pencil, a tape measure, a long ruler.

2. The actual cutting and sawing devices.

• Knife. You can cut GVLV with a stationery knife, as well as with a specialized construction knife with a double-sided replaceable blade (suitable for denser materials).
• Hacksaw. It is better if it is a tool for working metal rather than wood.
• Jigsaw. Ideal for cutting rounded elements. High-quality metal saws with fine teeth leave the least amount of chipping on the ends of drywall.
• Electric drill. Needed for making holes. For large d gaps, you will need round bits (which are used to cut into the core of door snap locks) and feather drills.

3. Edge processing devices:

• roughing plane;
• plane for chamfering.

This list clearly shows what home craftsmen use to cut drywall. Of course, it is far from complete. Arsenal experienced craftsmen may include professional equipment, for example, a special cutter for gypsum plasterboard. However, for those who are working with the material for the first time, this set is quite sufficient. To better understand how to cut drywall correctly, you need to clearly understand the structure of this material.

The structure and purpose of drywall

Plasterboard sheets are a layer-by-layer combination of two types of materials - gypsum (internal contents) and sheets of thick cardboard glued to it on both sides. It is clear that if the cardboard layers are damaged, sawing the rest is not difficult.

Therefore, in order to be able to quickly cut a sheet of plasterboard, it is not enough to know what is the best way to cut drywall. It is important to know basic principle of this action: after continuous even cutting of the drywall has been carried out, the second step immediately follows - breaking the sheet.

Sawing drywall, like any hard, porous material, is not difficult. It also lends itself well to drilling.

The functions of the material make it possible to distinguish it into varieties: moisture-resistant, fire-resistant, standard, increased strength (for example, gypsum board or gypsum board, made using KNAUF technologies), acoustic plasterboard, etc.

Despite a large assortment GC, panels of any variety lend themselves well to being divided into parts using available material at hand.

Selection of cutting methods

What method of cutting drywall to resort to will become clear after studying the options that exist for these purposes.

Standard cutting

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

GVL is placed on a hard and flat surface. Then marking is done future line cutting

Whatever knife you choose, you should cut it strictly, placing a ruler on the side. An uneven cut is guaranteed if you decide to do it without a ruler. Cutting begins from the back side (there is a denser cardboard layer). The front part of the Civil Code is somewhat different, as it is intended for Finishing work. When cutting, they try to push the knife as deep as possible into the gypsum contents.

Upon completion of the process, the GC is turned over and bent in the direction of the solid (without cutting line) side. Plaster that is not touched by a knife will be broken into the necessary direction. The cardboard on the opposite side is cut along the formed fold line.

It doesn’t really matter which side you start cutting the drywall from. However, it is much easier to do this on a flat, dense surface than when holding the GL suspended.

Before cutting drywall with improvised tools, you should familiarize yourself with two more types of simple cutting that you can do yourself.

Double-sided cutting. Most often, cutting in the shape of any rectangle is performed in this way. Using a hacksaw, one of the sides is sawed, the other is simply trimmed with a blade. After which the material is broken, and the cardboard is cut off on the opposite side (as with simple cutting). The finished trim is brought to perfection using a plane to finish the edge.

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

Cut according to a given geometry

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

When cutting in shapes, the material is also first marked. If you need to draw a circle, but there is no compass at hand, then they arm themselves with a needle and thread and a tied pencil.

For 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. figure cutting In different situations, GC applies one of the methods described below.

Option one. Describes the process when a hacksaw is selected as a tool. Manipulating a hacksaw is akin to working with a knife with teeth and a handle. Using a hacksaw, you can cut out fragments with any non-trivial shapes from plasterboard (for example, butterflies or flowers).

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

Option three. To cut gypsum fiber boards with a jigsaw, clearly mark the contour of the required shape. Priority in choosing a jigsaw is given when the diameter of the circle being made must be greater than the diameter of the electric drill bit, and the rounded lines of the shapes are not limited to a circle.

Option four. The most primitive one is when the choice of tool comes down to a knife and a hammer. Drywall is cut along the intended border. At the same time, they try to press as hard as possible on the blade.

After which the HA is placed on a flat surface that has a recess. Moreover, the separated part of the element must fall into this hole. It is less effective to rest the sheet on the wall. Next, hit with a hammer in the middle of the separated fragment. The part to be removed should break. The layer of cardboard from below is cut off, aligning the ends as necessary. GK experts strongly advise against resorting to this technique for people without experience. Because you have to spend a lot plasterboard sheets for training your hand and practicing pressing force.

The nuances of making circles

Circles in the ceiling structure are made primarily for mounting lamps. The easiest way is to cut a circle of a given diameter in the gypsum fiber with a blade. And carefully knock out the middle part with a hammer. However, it will be easier to implement your plan with a drill with special equipment - a cylindrical attachment. The same one that is used when cutting a locking mechanism with a latch into a door.

Cutting after installation of gypsum boards

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

The sheet is fixed to the wall, leaving a small margin of size. Already on the wall, excess centimeters are removed.

Here it is important to make sure that the HA is securely fixed to the frame. The cut is made on the side that is in contact with the wall. Cutting movements repeat repeatedly, following the markings. At the same time, they try to “squeeze out” unnecessary parts of the material. The sheet is cut on the other side.

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