When using drywall for the construction of partitions, arches and ceilings, there is a need for straight and shaped cutting. There are several ways to cut sheets and do home repairs without buying expensive fixtures.
Material description
Drywall is a sheet consisting of plaster base (inner part) and two outer cardboard surfaces... Depending on the purpose, the material is ordinary, fire and moisture resistant.
General blade thickness 9–12.5 mm... Products reinforced with fiberglass are thinner - about 6 mm. The lateral (longitudinal) sides of the sheet are rounded and hidden under a layer of cardboard, the transverse ones are open.
Plaster and cardboard are easy to cut... However, with the wrong technology or errors in operation the sheet may crack and the edges may crumble... This can increase waste and lead to the purchase of new building material.
Adds great difficulties to work dimensions of plasterboard: from 1200 in width and 2400 mm in length.
What tool do you need
When working, you will need tools for marking:
- pencil or marker, the latter is preferable due to the fact that the line is better seen from any angle of view;
- tape measure or long ruler;
- square and compass for drawing circles;
- usually a profile or long corner that guides long cuts.
Cut open carried out with a file, assembly or special knives, a jigsaw. Holes for sockets perform with crowns on wood or drywall. A grinder or a special milling tool is rarely used, since stable skills are needed to work with them. For the manufacture of chamfers, sandpaper or a special plane is used.
Features of cutting with different tools
For each cutting case - straight, curved or hole making - choose the right tool and work technology.
Hacksaw
A small file is used for a limited number of operations... Sawing drywall is beneficial if necessary:
- to make a "window" of rectangular or multifaceted shape in the whole sheet, for example, for hatches or niches;
- cut off the rectangle from the panel, for example, when finishing door and window openings, you need a sheet in the form of the letter "L".Pros and cons of cutting with a hacksawSmooth cutLow tool costCutting drywall with a hacksaw along the sides is irrational - it takes a lot of time and physical laborFor work, you need a large table so that there is a power reserve for the cutting edge (blade)The teeth crush the material - a lot of dust and gypsum particles are formed, which will have to be removed regularly
The sequence of work consists in drawing on the marking sheet and further sawing off a part of the canvas.
For the manufacture of through holes, using a drill (screwdriver) with a drill of a suitable diameter, drill drywall along the inner edges of the marking. The saw blade is inserted into the hole and sawed along the marked lines.
When buying a tool, preference is given to models with small teeth, with minimal spread... The thinner the blade, the less dirt will be produced.
When sawing, keep the blade at right angles to the drywall so the cut will be less chiselled.
If necessary, the edges of the gypsum board are sanded, processed with a plane or beveled.
Jigsaw
The electric tool is universal, with its help:
- cut drywall in straight lines;
- make curly cuts with minimal radii of curvature;
- through holes are made.
Work requires minimum energy consumption... The cuts are smooth, thanks to the robust sole of the tool and the ability to securely fix the sheet, eliminating vibration.
Difficulties of work jigsaw due to the properties of the sheet:
- two supports are required to ensure the free movement of the file;
- it is advisable to work together, so as not to damage the drywall sheet when moving and keep the two parts separated from each other;
- the instrument will inevitably become dusty.
You can cut drywall with a jigsaw by algorithm:
- Lay the sheet face down on a table or trestle. For the manufacture of through holes use 2 supports... The cut should be between them to prevent breakage due to pressure on the tool.
- Carry out markup.
- Straight cuts start from the edge... To make holes, they act in the same way as with the use of a file, a place for the cutting part is drilled in advance.
- Edges if necessary process plane or make a chamfer.
A replacement file is chosen with small undiluted teeth, they do not leave torn edges. The tool is set to medium speed.
It is impractical to purchase a jigsaw for a small amount of work, especially if the minimum number of curly cuts is planned - in such cases, they manage with a knife or a hand saw.
Assembly knives
Any knife with a triangular blade tip or special tool modifications are suitable for work.
Stationery knives they are rarely used and only in cases where the amount of work is small and it is impractical to buy expensive devices. The tool is unreliable and fragile; if handled carelessly, it is easy to injure yourself.
It is strictly forbidden to use knives with a blade width of 9 mm, choose models with cutting elements 18, and preferably 25 mm.
Universal mounting models suitable for work better than stationery, you can, for example, remove a blunt blade segment, and the handle is wider and the tool is easier to hold.
This type of knife is not without its drawbacks. The small thickness of the blades makes the work inconvenient, and the latches are regularly torn off the grooves.
Professional knives for drywall, they are made with an ergonomic handle, so that sufficient force can be applied to cut the cardboard in one pass. The trapezoidal blades are thick enough not to break under high lateral loads.
Circular knives universal - they allow you to make a cut of any configuration. Replaceable blades last for a long time as the entire cutting edge is used evenly. The tool cuts the drywall to the same thickness, which reduces the unevenness of the edge after the sheet breaks.
Surface gage facilitates work when it is necessary to cut narrow, up to 120–150 mm, uniform strips.
Consists of two reliably fixed circular knives that cut through the sheet from both sides at the same time. This makes it easier to “break off” a narrow, long strip without transverse damage.
Professional planes for cutting wide strips, they pay off only on large objects; for a home, such a tool is redundant.
Magnetic double-sided cutter reduces the operating time several times and is a versatile tool - apart from straight cuts, you can make angular and curly cuts with a large radius.Consists of two parts equipped with circular knives. The elements are installed on opposite sides of the drywall, and they are attracted by the built-in neodymium magnets.
Inlaid crowns
Set of crowns for wood or drywall accelerates cutting holes for sockets and switches. If in doubt which file diameter to choose, test drilling of unnecessary material is carried out. Check the conformity of the hole and the socket. With the right choice, the body of the mounting (soldering) box will enter the hole with little resistance.
General rules for cutting and the nuances of working with individual materials
The advice of experienced builders helps to avoid mistakes when cutting:
- Trim drywall is better before installation on the frame.
- Cut holes under sockets or hatches it is more convenient when the sheet is fixed in the working position - it makes it easier to mark in the right place.
- If necessary knock out part of the canvas use rubber mallets rather than a metal hammer.
- When cutting thin arched drywall it is better to use a grinder. For reinforcement, fiberglass is used, which prevents the sheet from breaking.
- When using a grinder, they use respirator, since the process is accompanied by the release of a large amount of dust into the air.
- The floor is covered plastic wrap - It is problematic to remove dust and plaster chips.
- For wiping surfaces contaminated with gypsum, use warm water with sunflower oil dissolved in it - proportion 100 gr. oil on a bucket of water. Final cleaning is carried out with a vinegar 0.5% solution.
- After finishing cutting clean the edge with a plane for drywall and chamfer.
Cutting drywall with your own hands is not the most difficult task. It is important to choose the right tool and, if possible, practice on unnecessary pieces of material.