Cutting drywall is easy work, but you still should take your time. Cut too much off of a sheet and you may wind up with a large gap that will require extra work to finish. Cut too little and you may break the edge while trying to force it into place. Try to keep all gaps at butt joints about 1/4-inch wide; tapered joints should fit snugly.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 5 mins. per cut
Here's How:
- Keep cuts to a minimum. Try to use as many full sheets of drywall as possible.
- All vertical edges should line up with the center of a stud. A joint that falls over an empty bay between studs will be too weak. Drywall panels are sized to fit perfectly on studs spaced 16 or 24 inches on center.
- Use a tape measure or the T-square to measure the size needed. Mark the edge of the drywall.
- Align the T-square with the mark, bracing the bottom with your foot. Slide the utility knife along the edge of the T-square. Make one continuous, smooth cut from end to end. The object is to score the paper coating and a bit of the gypsum core.
- Snap the drywall back quickly, creating a crease in the backing paper. If your first effort looks a little ragged, don’t fret. It will get easier with more experience.
- Working from the back side, cut through the paper with a utility knife to complete the cut.
- If necessary, use a surface-forming tool to smooth the edge or to remove a small amount more.
