How to Cut Drywall

If you do any sort of DIY home improvement, it’s more than likely that you’ll run into some drywall work at some point. Let me tell ya, I’ve done a lot of drywall the last few weeks during all the renovations – from ceilings to tops of cabinets to walls. Not gonna lie, it had been a while since I worked with drywall, and I was a little nervous at first. But once I got into the swing of things, it wasn’t bad at all. It’s fairly straightforward to work with.

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The first step to any drywall work is cutting the boards. Drywall is made from gypsum cement covered with paper (for strength and a smooth surface), so it’s very easy to cut.

Tools & Supplies

Utility Knife
Tape Measure
Drywall Square (available at any home improvement store)

Step 1. Score

Mark the cut line on your drywall and score with a utility knife. Use a drywall square to keep cuts square.

I scored the drywall about 2 times. It depends on the thickness of your drywall, as well as the pressure you apply, but you don’t have to cut very deep for the drywall to break along the line. Test out a few different score depths to see what works best for you.

Step 2. Break

Break the drywall along the score. I just moved the sheet to the edge of my work table and bent it over the edge to break it.

Step 3. Cut the Back Paper

At this point, the only thing holding the drywall sheet together is the paper along the back. Simply cut it with the utility knife, and you have your piece of drywall.

Step 4. Smooth Edge

Smooth the edge of the cut with a drywall rasp or sandpaper if necessary.

A couple tips:

Make sure to keep the utility knife blade sharp. Change the blade out when the cuts start to get difficult or you can’t cut the paper cleanly. I highly recommend picking up a utility knife that comes with extra blades. You’ll definitely use them!
It’s best to use a pencil when marking cut lines on the drywall to avoid any bleeding on the paper.

That’s all there is to it.

Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!