How to Measure for Outlet Cutouts in Drywall
Cutting holes in drywall for outlets requires careful measurements. One approach is to measure the distances between the outlet and a nearby wall and the floor. Then transfer those measurements to the board you plan to install, cutting an appropriately-sized hole for the outlet at the proper location. This approach is easy to understand but difficult to pull off. A slight error, while measuring or cutting, results in a hole at the wrong location or of the wrong size. Experienced drywall installers use a more efficient approach to measure for outlet cutouts in drywall. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Measure the distance between a bottom corner of the outlet and the nearest wall. Choose whichever corner is convenient, left or right, but don’t forget which you chose.
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Measure the distance between the bottom of the outlet and the floor.
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Mount the drywall, installing drywall screws only around the edges to attach the board to each wood stud. Hold off on installing screws in the interior portion of the board at this time.
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Find the location of the bottom corner of the outlet, using your earlier measurements. Mark the spot with a pencil.
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Insert a keyhole saw or the bit of a drywall router at the pencil mark. Cut around the outer edges of the outlet box, keeping the hole as small as possible. If the hole is too large, the outlet plate you install later won’t cover the edges of the hole.
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Install drywall screws in the interior portion of the board after you uncover the buried outlet.
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Tips & Warnings
A drywall router’s spinning bit cuts through the drywall quickly without damaging the outlet box. Routers are more expensive than keyhole saws, but the time you save is well worth the money, especially for large projects.
References
- "Craftsman's Construction Installation Encyclopedia"; Stephen Diller and Janelle Diller; 2004
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
