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how do you cut and patch drywall

by Dr. Gonzalo Kling Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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How Do You Cut A Piece of Drywall

  1. Carefully measure and cut drywall.
  2. Use a level or a Drywall T Square or 4′ Level to mark and cut straight lines.
  3. Only use a pencil to mark drywall. Pen and marker ink will bleed through most paint and primers.
  4. Always use a sharp blade in your utility knife when cutting drywall.
  5. Cut the face of the drywall first. ...

Part of a video titled How to Cut and Repair Drywall | The Home Depot - YouTube
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3:05
Move slowly along the outline letting the blade do most of the work. So your cut is clean andMoreMove slowly along the outline letting the blade do most of the work. So your cut is clean and straight then carefully remove the damaged section of the drywall. Next measure the new wall opening.

Full Answer

How to patch drywall like a pro?

  • Premixed drywall compound
  • A trowel, or possibly a few trowels of different sizes
  • Drywall screws
  • Cordless driver with drywall bit or screw driver (a screw driver is a fine but slower subsitute)
  • Utility knife
  • Drywall sanding block (you can fashion one with regular sandpaper over a balled up soft material)
  • Metal straight edge or ruler

How do you patch a large hole in drywall?

How to fix a hole in a drywall fast using a store-bought patch

  1. Clean the hole and the surrounding area. Remove debris and dirt using a brush and then using a vacuum or a dry rag.
  2. Apply the store-bought patch as instructed by the manufacturer. The usual procedure is to expose and then stick the patch on your drywall hole by its adhesive side.
  3. Cover the patch using drywall compound. ...

More items...

How much does it cost to patch drywall?

The average cost to patch drywall is between $75 and $115 when done by a professional. Patches are often used to make many home repairs. You can patch ceiling after a leak or patch corner pieces in hard to reach areas. Contractors use self-adhesive patches to cover up small to mid-sized holes.

How to cut a hole in existing drywall?

  • Take accurate measurements before cutting the square holes
  • Make sure you don’t damage electrical wires or pipes when cutting the square hole
  • Wear a respiratory mask when cutting the holes in drywall

How to cut a thin strip of drywall?

What to do if drywall is too large?

What to do if you scored drywall on the floor?

What do you use to cut a hole in a window?

How to measure a hole in drywall?

How wide is a sheet of drywall?

Where to put knife in drywall?

See 4 more

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3 Simple Ways to Cut Drywall on the Wall - wikiHow

If you need to access something inside a wall or make a hole to install an outlet, you will need to cut into the drywall on the wall. Don't ever use a circular saw or other large power saw to cut into drywall on the wall because you will generate a huge amount of dust and possibly damage something behind it.

How to Cut Drywall - The Home Depot

Drywall is a panel made of gypsum and is used to build interior walls and ceilings. By learning how to cut drywall, even home carpenters can finish a house’s interior themselves. This guide gives you the two simple steps for cutting drywall, plus tips on how to install drywall and measure it.

How to Cut Sheetrock | DoItYourself.com

Make a Score Line. To get a straight cut use another piece of sheetrock (with a perfectly straight edge) or a straight edge ruler and pencil to draw a line on both sides of the sheetrock piece that you intend to cut.

Small Dents and Dings

Scrape away loose debris from the hole. Cover the hole or dent with fast-drying spackle to bring the spackle level with the drywall surface and let it dry 24 hours -- or the time recommended by the manufacturer’s instructions. Sand smooth.

Popped Nail Heads

A popped nail isn't holding in the stud and backs out of the drywall, creating a popped nail head.

Small Holes

For small holes, like those created by a doorknob, a patch kit may be used.

Large Holes

For holes larger than 6 inches, you'll create a drywall patch with a different attachment method for the repair.

Corner Bead Patch

Corner bead is used where two pieces of drywall meet to form a corner. Corner bead is available in a variety of materials, including metal, paper and vinyl.

Finish the Repair

You're almost done. Here's where you make it look like nothing happened.

Repair Textured Drywall

Textured drywall is a bit more complicated, but still pretty simple to repair.

How to cut a thin strip of drywall?

If you are cutting a thin strip narrower than 3 in (7.6 cm) from the edge of your sheet of drywall, cut both the front and the back of the drywall with your utility knife before attempting to break the strip off. Flip the sheet of drywall over and make the same cut on the back.

What to do if drywall is too large?

If your section of drywall is slightly too large, shave it with a rasp until it fits.

What to do if you scored drywall on the floor?

If you scored the drywall on the floor, lift the drywall on one side to break the core at your cut.

What do you use to cut a hole in a window?

Use a drywall saw for a window or door hole. For larger holes to fit around doors or windows, use a drywall saw to make your cuts. [11]

How to measure a hole in drywall?

Measure and mark each corner of a square hole. With your tape measure, measure the distance from the top of the bare wall to the top left and right corners of the item you are making a hole for. Then measure from the top corners of the item to its bottom corners. Write these measurements down, then bring your tape measure to the sheet of drywall to make the same measurements, marking each corner in pencil.

How wide is a sheet of drywall?

Most whole sheets of drywall are 4 ft (1.2 m) wide. Choose a length of 8 ft (2.4 m), 9 ft (2.7 m), 10 ft (3.0 m), or 12 ft (3.7 m), depending on the height of your room. Measure the last gap at the top, middle, and bottom in case your wall is uneven. ...

Where to put knife in drywall?

Take the knife out and place it at the bottom of the drywall to make the rest of your cut in an upward direction.

How big is drywall?

Coming in large 4-foot by 8-foot sheets, drywall is typically installed in full sheets on walls and ceilings. Even then, there always comes a moment when those sheets need to be cut, either width-wise or length-wise.

How to free up drywall?

Tilt one side of the drywall up to about 90 degrees. Hold it in place . With the other hand, slice the paper holding the two sections together. The two pieces will now be free .

How to cut a square with two marks?

Connect the two marks with the straightedge. Hold your fingers on the "T" area of the square, behind the direction of the cut.

How long has Lee been remodeling?

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 12 years.

Can you cut drywall with a utility knife?

Cutting drywall with a utility knife poses the risk of cutting fingers or legs when slicing along the straightedge part of the square. Do not use your knee to hold the square in place as you cut. Keep your free hand and fingers well away from the blade.

Can you score drywall sheet while it is on its edge?

If you don't have enough room to lay out the drywall sheet, this method allows you to both score the sheet and cut it while the sheet is on its edge.

How to cut a thin strip of drywall?

If you are cutting a thin strip narrower than 3 in (7.6 cm) from the edge of your sheet of drywall, cut both the front and the back of the drywall with your utility knife before attempting to break the strip off. Flip the sheet of drywall over and make the same cut on the back.

What to do if drywall is too large?

If your section of drywall is slightly too large, shave it with a rasp until it fits.

What to do if you scored drywall on the floor?

If you scored the drywall on the floor, lift the drywall on one side to break the core at your cut.

What do you use to cut a hole in a window?

Use a drywall saw for a window or door hole. For larger holes to fit around doors or windows, use a drywall saw to make your cuts. [11]

How to measure a hole in drywall?

Measure and mark each corner of a square hole. With your tape measure, measure the distance from the top of the bare wall to the top left and right corners of the item you are making a hole for. Then measure from the top corners of the item to its bottom corners. Write these measurements down, then bring your tape measure to the sheet of drywall to make the same measurements, marking each corner in pencil.

How wide is a sheet of drywall?

Most whole sheets of drywall are 4 ft (1.2 m) wide. Choose a length of 8 ft (2.4 m), 9 ft (2.7 m), 10 ft (3.0 m), or 12 ft (3.7 m), depending on the height of your room. Measure the last gap at the top, middle, and bottom in case your wall is uneven. ...

Where to put knife in drywall?

Take the knife out and place it at the bottom of the drywall to make the rest of your cut in an upward direction.

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Overview

  • When you’re remodeling your home, adding fixtures to rooms, or building new walls, cutting dryw…
    Cutting a Large Sheet of Drywall Download Article
  • Measure where you need to cut your drywall with a tape measure. You should use whole drywall …
    Most whole sheets of drywall are 4 ft (1.2 m) wide. Choose a length of 8 ft (2.4 m), 9 ft (2.7 m), 10 ft (3.0 m), or 12 ft (3.7 m), depending on the height of your room.
See more on wikihow.com

Things You’ll Need

  • Cutting a Large Sheet of Drywall
    Making a Hole in a Sheet of Drywall
  • Keyhole saw (for small holes)
    Drywall saw (for large holes)
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Tips

  • To make a hole for an outlet, measure the distance from the wall's edge and mark it on your dry…
    Consult a professional contractor for more assistance in measuring, cutting, and hanging drywall for your walls.
  • To make a hole for an outlet, measure the distance from the wall's edge and mark it on your dry…
    <b>Thanks! We’re glad this was helpful.</b><br />Looking for more fun ways to learn on wikiHow?<br />Learn about yourself with <a href='/Quizzes'><b>Quizzes</b></a> or try our brand new <a href='/Games/Train-Your-Brain'><b>Train Your Brain</b></a> word game.
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References

  • ↑ James Mansfield. Construction & Design Specialist. Expert Interview. 13 May 2021.
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About This Article

  • This article was co-authored by James Mansfield. James Mansfield is a Construction and Design Specialist and the CEO of WestVillage General Contracting, a high-end and luxury design/build firm in New York City. James specializes in apartment, bathroom, and kitchen remodeling as well as fine cabinetry, lighting, paint, and wallpaper. James has developed a proprietary system of const…
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1.Videos of How Do You Cut and Patch Drywall

Url:/videos/search?q=how+do+you+cut+and+patch+drywall&qpvt=how+do+you+cut+and+patch+drywall&FORM=VDRE

16 hours ago  · Drywall is a panel made of gypsum and is used to build interior walls and ceilings. By learning how to cut drywall, even home carpenters can finish a house’s...

2.How to Cut and Repair Drywall | The Home Depot - YouTube

Url:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcabsM9bG4Y

22 hours ago  · Fix Large Holes Step 1: Cut Out a Piece of Drywall to Use as the Patch. Cut a piece of drywall into a square a little bit bigger than... Step 2: Trace the Patch Size Over the Hole. …

3.How to Patch and Repair Drywall - Lowe's

Url:https://www.lowes.com/n/how-to/patch-and-repair-drywall

19 hours ago  · Today I'm showing you just how simple it can be to patch and repair drywall in your home. Using my tips, DIY drywall repairs can be done in just a few minute...

4.How to Patch Drywall - This Old House

Url:https://www.thisoldhouse.com/walls/21017164/how-to-patch-drywall

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5.How to patch and repair drywall - YouTube

Url:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCJz3JFT_HA

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6.How to Repair Drywall - YouTube

Url:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdy9uRvpI-E

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7.How to Cut Drywall - The Spruce

Url:https://www.thespruce.com/easy-way-to-cut-big-drywall-1821492

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8.How to Fix Holes in Drywall - 4 Easy Methods - YouTube

Url:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvQK7WTkKpI

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9.How to Repair Drywall - YouTube

Url:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoGHFJ7H_MI

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10.How To Repair a Drywall Patch - YouTube

Url:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJhuIGjkV2w

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