How to Cut Drywall to Fit
Drywall is one of the primary building supplies in most modern construction projects. It is used to create both walls and ceilings, and comes in large, thick panels. When you are installing drywall, some cuts are necessary at the edges of the installation area and when you encounter electrical outlets or other wall openings. Cutting the drywall to fit these areas requires only careful measurements and standard cutting blades. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Utility knife
- Straight edge
- Safety glasses
- Router
- Adapter chuck
- 1/8-inch drywall bit
Instructions
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1
Place a tape measure on the wall at the edge of the last installed piece of drywall. Measure over to the end of the installation area, such as the corner of the wall or other endpoint, depending on the project. Take note of the measurement, which will be the width of the drywall needed.
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2
Repeat the process to measure from the top of the installation area to the bottom, which determines the length of the drywall needed.
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3
Place a piece of drywall on a flat work surface. Subtract 1/8 inch from both the length and the width measurements, then transfer the measurements onto the drywall using a pencil and a tape measure. Use a straight edge if needed to create perfectly straight lines.
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4
Place the blade of a utility knife at one end of the drywall on top of one of the pencil marks. Press down with firm pressure and drag it all the way to the other end of the drywall to score it.
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5
Set the utility knife aside and slide the drywall over to the edge of the work surface until the score line hangs off by 1/4 inch. Grasp the edge of the drywall that hangs off and snap it downward to break it off.
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6
Determine if there are any outlet boxes or other openings in the installation area. If so, use the tape measure to determine how far up from the floor the opening is, as well as the distance from the last installed piece of drywall. Finally, measure the height and the width of the actual opening. Transfer the location onto the drywall using the measurements.
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7
Put on safety glasses and insert an adapter chuck into a router, following the manufacturer's instructions. Then insert a 1/8-inch drywall bit into the adapter.
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8
Plug in the router and squeeze the trigger to cut out the opening along the pencil marks.
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