cutting drywall question

[vavet]

Working with drywall for the first time. I've watched a lot of videos and read a lot of websites, books, and magazines. The basic cuts are pretty easy. Mark, score, snap, done. I have a situation though, where I want to use one sheet of drywall around a door.

One of the things I've learned is that you should not align your drywall joints with a door opening. OK...no problem, I think. I'll notch the drywall so I have one sheet that goes over the doorway and one side of the door (the other side is a very narrow strip next to the corner).

What is the best way to notch this sheet of drywall? It's going to have a notch out of it so I can't score and snap. Do I just cut all the way through one side of the notch and then snap the other side?

 

[readhead]

Since you probably don't have a DW router just use a dw saw and saw up the sides then score the back side, snap and cut the front.

 

[Gerald O]

...Do I just cut all the way through one side of the notch and then snap the other side?

Basically this. Often you can get away with just deeply scoring one of the cuts on both sides of the board and wiggling it a bit.

 

[Gerald O]

Since you probably don't have a DW router just use a dw saw and saw up the sides then score the back side, snap and cut the front.

Since I abhor making drywall dust I avoid ever using a saw or router on it. The only exceptions are circular holes where I use a hole saw. Otherwise all my cuts are by knife -- even for box cutouts.

 

[ItsNemo]

Also...hang it and cut in place. Don't try to pre-cut.

 

[Gerald O]

Also...hang it and cut in place. Don't try to pre-cut.

Why? I personally find that to be the least workable method.

 

[Cyberbear]

In these situations I've always just hand cut along one inside edge with a typical drywall hand saw and then score the remaining inside edge. I find I like to score, snap and trim from the backside to provide a cleaner front edge. Drywall work is not rocket science, but I like cleaner cuts to prevent additional attention when muding the walls, joints, etc. Have fun!

 

[readhead]

Gerald there is a difference between DIY and pro install. There is nothing wrong with cutting everything with a knife but if you are making a living being paid by the square foot you need to move fast. He asked for opinions and he got them.

 

[manwithtools]

Hang the sheet, hand cut the verticals and then score and snap the horizontal. No measuring, no breaking the sheet while hanging. This is even faster with a Rotozip.

I've bought and used a cheap hard tooth hand saw to make these cuts too, a 18" or 20" handsaw will cut much faster than a 6" drywall saw.

Great call on not aligning joints with door and window openings BTW. It may take a bit more sheet rock, but it's less apt to crack down the road when the house settles.

 

[BMW Rider]

The problem with a joint at a door or window opening is when it is at the edge of the opening where the corner is. It is OK if you need to have a joint there to place it at the middle of the opening. Still not ideal, but better.

 

[Radix2]

Another thing is to use glue and don't go nuts with the screws. you only need a few to hold till the glue sets.

On your specific - if this is a door tight to a corner with a thin strip on one side.. don't worry about going all the way around it if it is going to create a lot of waste or trouble. the thin strip is not going to give any support anyway, so piece it in if it makes sense - will your casing cover it anyway?

 

[Gerald O]

Gerald there is a difference between DIY and pro install. There is nothing wrong with cutting everything with a knife but if you are making a living being paid by the square foot you need to move fast. He asked for opinions and he got them.

In my experience, pro install tends to be sloppier and of a lower quality. Yes, I've done it for a living in a former lifetime and speed was the number1 priority. Attitude towards quality was "let the tapers fix it". Tapers would then curse the hangers.

Since the OP is obviously a DIY, speed oriented 'pro' methods are not necessarily the best advice. As a DIY also doing the taping and finishing you make things easier for yourself down the road by doing a better job with the cutting and hanging.

 

[ItsNemo]

Why? I personally find that to be the least workable method.

For around openings you don't have to measure and everything lines up perfectly. Door openings, as square as they're supposed to be, are never perfect. When I do it, I cut the shorter dimension (so usually top of the door) and then score vertically along the door frame, snap and done.

 

[Radix2]

In my experience, pro install tends to be sloppier and of a lower quality. Yes, I've done it for a living in a former lifetime and speed was the number1 priority. Attitude towards quality was "let the tapers fix it". Tapers would then curse the hangers.

Since the OP is obviously a DIY, speed oriented 'pro' methods are not necessarily the best advice. As a DIY also doing the taping and finishing you make things easier for yourself down the road by doing a better job with the cutting and hanging.

Hundred percent agree to take your time and do a clean job so that it is easier to tape and mud...but...

come on man...cutting boxes with a knife ? recipe for disaster.

a drywall saw makes very little dust, esp. compared to all the trimmings to square up a hammered out box cut... have you actually tried to knife cut a box into today's fiber reinforced lightweight drywall...?

hanging and then cutting a door is the least workable method ?.... you did this for a living ???

I'm sure all this works for you and maybe you are incredibly strong and able to cut right through drywall with a knife...but your advice is way out there for what the rest of us can do..

 

[BADSIX]

THIS^^^^ use the dry wall saw
Jay D.

 

[Gerald O]

..come on man...cutting boxes with a knife ? recipe for disaster.
...have you actually tried to knife cut a box into today's fiber reinforced lightweight drywall...?

Yep, I've done quite a lot of it just recently on my own shop build. And I usually maintain a 1/8" or tighter gap. Guess I'm just good at it. But admittedly it is more time consuming and requires frequent blade cleaning and re-sharpening. I find it worthwhile for the greater precision and time saved on finishing and cleanup. It does mean you have to know how to read a tape and do layout.

hanging and then cutting a door is the least workable method ?.... you did this for a living ???

That only works when you only have to deal with the rough opening. How do you do pre-hang before cutting when the door jamb is already in place, which is usually the case for DIY and remodel? One man DIY methods often have to differ greatly from situations where you have a crew in new construction.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

Do I just cut all the way through one side of the notch and then snap the other side?

Yes-
Why all the rhetoric?