# Square Cut for repairing drywall



## tk3000 (Mar 6, 2016)

Hello, 
Previous to own a house, it was vacant and low life form criminals cause lots of destruction including pulling old wires from walls. So, I am in the process of doing lots of things including repairing the drywall. Most of the time I only want to replace the portion that is damaged between studs so there is a base of support. The following shows an example of a damaged drywall: 








And then how I approached it to make a square cut between studs: 




 (this is not a final cut, there is need to some adjustments..)

Initially, I traced a line at the center of the studs with a chalk heel and then used a roto zip to cut, but the rotozip proved to be inefficient (hitting nails, messy, etc) and slow for this application I simply used a utility knife (besides using the util knife to cut through the caulking joints). Any insights on how to approach these cutouts


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## Snoonyb (Mar 6, 2016)

tk3000 said:


> Hello,
> Previous to own a house, it was vacant and low life form criminals cause lots of destruction including pulling old wires from walls. So, I am in the process of doing lots of things including repairing the drywall. Most of the time I only want to replace the portion that is damaged between studs so there is a base of support. The following shows an example of a damaged drywall:
> 
> 
> ...



For this particular repair, since you have a return on the right the easiest thing to provide backing is to nail a 1X2 too the stud, and while your at it, another on the left.

Generally, the prep is a matter of what you become accustomed to. Some are really fast with a utility knife and a whet stone, and other use a drywall hatchet and a utility knife.

You just need to find yourself.


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## nealtw (Mar 6, 2016)

On the right side you can just add 2x4 between the block and the top and bottom plates, a few inches away from the corner works good, if that make it easier.


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## tk3000 (Mar 7, 2016)

Nealtw, Snoony: thanks for the input. I will add extra support in addition to screw the drywall to the bottom and top wall plate as well. It occurs to me that sometimes whilst cutting the drywall at the center of the stud and them ripping the bad part off, the remaining drywall on the edges of the stud tends to lose  some of its gypsum powder at the edges as shown in the pic below: 





Basically, at the very edge of the stud  the drywall paper remains but behind it there is almost no filling powder. Could I simply fill it with drywall compound?


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## nealtw (Mar 7, 2016)

You don't want voids behind the paper, so you would remove paper so it can be filled or, what I would do is move over about six inches and cut a new nice straight line and remove that drywall. Then you can just slide a 2x4 behind it screw thru the old drywall to hold it there and make your joint there.


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## Snoonyb (Mar 7, 2016)

tk3000 said:


> Nealtw, Snoony: thanks for the input. I will add extra support in addition to screw the drywall to the bottom and top wall plate as well. It occurs to me that sometimes whilst cutting the drywall at the center of the stud and them ripping the bad part off, the remaining drywall on the edges of the stud tends to lose  some of its gypsum powder at the edges as shown in the pic below:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It appears that this i where two sheets, natural ends, butted together and the residue that remains is broken off of the removed sheet, and the paper that appears to overhang, is joint tape, not drywall paper.

I'd just make sure all the nails are pulled, and cut the tape or lift it completely off, remove the residue and set the new sheet.


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## nealtw (Mar 7, 2016)

Yes or that.


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## nealtw (Mar 7, 2016)

If you have more of those, just cut beside the stud and 3" away so you have a 3" slot, slide in a 2x6 on the flat screw to drywall on one side and to the stud on the other side. just poke some screws on the 2x6 for handles.


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## slownsteady (Mar 7, 2016)

Once you remove that paper and the remaining gypsum, you might have enough stud exposed to fasten the new sheet to. Then you probably won't need to add a nailer.


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## frodo (Mar 8, 2016)

buy a dremal with a sheet rock bit and a 4'' straight edge  i like a 8'' straight edge  

you can hold the staraight edge against the wall and make a quick neat cut.


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## bud16415 (Mar 8, 2016)

frodo said:


> buy a dremal with a sheet rock bit and a 4'' straight edge  i like a 8'' straight edge
> 
> you can hold the staraight edge against the wall and make a quick neat cut.



4 inch straight edge is pretty short.


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## nealtw (Mar 8, 2016)

bud16415 said:


> 4 inch straight edge is pretty short.



It's what you do with it that counts.:


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## slownsteady (Mar 8, 2016)

It fits Trump's hands better


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## tk3000 (Mar 18, 2016)

frodo said:


> buy a dremal with a sheet rock bit and a 4'' straight edge  i like a 8'' straight edge
> 
> you can hold the staraight edge against the wall and make a quick neat cut.



I believe that the cut does not have to perfect, after all it will be filled with mud and joint paper. I have 6ft straight edge, but for such large spans I prefer to use a chalk line (two nails to affix the cord and creates a line).

I live the util knife because there is not dust all over and I can better deal with the nails throughout the stud. I have dremel, I will the sheet rock bit a try.

thks!


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## tk3000 (Mar 18, 2016)

nealtw said:


> You don't want voids behind the paper, so you would remove paper so it can be filled or, what I would do is move over about six inches and cut a new nice straight line and remove that drywall. Then you can just slide a 2x4 behind it screw thru the old drywall to hold it there and make your joint there.



But there seems to be a wood strip or furry strip behind the drywall as shown in the post #4. Maybe it was a repair done in the past, but it seems that often there is an additional wood strip at the studs where a joint is made. 

Yeah, better to simply cut more drywall since drywall is fairly cheap instead of trying to fill large voids.


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## nealtw (Mar 18, 2016)

tk3000 said:


> But there seems to be a wood strip or furry strip behind the drywall as shown in the post #4. Maybe it was a repair done in the past, but it seems that often there is an additional wood strip at the studs where a joint is made.
> 
> Yeah, better to simply cut more drywall since drywall is fairly cheap instead of trying to fill large voids.



Are sure that isn't just another stud??


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## jeffmattero76 (Mar 20, 2016)

I uss a sawzall with a flexible metal cutting blade. Hammer a hole in the drywall you want to remove, insert the blade and approach the stud on an angle. Once your blade hits the stud, keep it tight to the stud and move it down the wall. Then add nailers on the left and right attached to the studs and install the new drywall.


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## tk3000 (Mar 23, 2016)

nealtw said:


> Are sure that isn't just another stud??



I am pretty it is not since I removed drywall from other studs on the same wall and same side and it does not have this extra wood strip on the stud.


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## tk3000 (Mar 23, 2016)

jeffmattero76 said:


> I uss a sawzall with a flexible metal cutting blade. Hammer a hole in the drywall you want to remove, insert the blade and approach the stud on an angle. Once your blade hits the stud, keep it tight to the stud and move it down the wall. Then add nailers on the left and right attached to the studs and install the new drywall.



Wow, by sawzall you a "reciprocating saw". A reciprocating saw with a reciprocating action is great to cut drywall (without any precision) in voided spaces. But, yeah, it could be used if I add nailers and do not use the stud as base for the new drywall at all. It is a different approach 

thks!


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## nealtw (Mar 23, 2016)

tk3000 said:


> I am pretty it is not since I removed drywall from other studs on the same wall and same side and it does not have this extra wood strip on the stud.



They may have been dealing with warped studs and just space it out.

In new houses I to would use a sawsall but some older drywall had asbestos in it so a knife is a better bet.


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## jeffmattero76 (Mar 25, 2016)

tk3000 said:


> Wow, by sawzall you a "reciprocating saw". A reciprocating saw with a reciprocating action is great to cut drywall (without any precision) in voided spaces. But, yeah, it could be used if I add nailers and do not use the stud as base for the new drywall at all. It is a different approach
> 
> thks!


If you use a flexible blade, you simply ride along the side of the stud. You will get a perfect cut  every time. Not sure why you think there will be no precision.


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## tk3000 (Mar 30, 2016)

jeffmattero76 said:


> If you use a flexible blade, you simply ride along the side of the stud. You will get a perfect cut  every time. Not sure why you think there will be no precision.



Yeah, I got the point. Neat and fast. The only problem is that I could not use the stud itself to support the drywall, and instead would have to blocks


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## tk3000 (Mar 30, 2016)

nealtw said:


> They may have been dealing with warped studs and just space it out.
> 
> In new houses I to would use a sawsall but some older drywall had asbestos in it so a knife is a better bet.



Yeah, maybe the stud was somewhat crooked. I will cut the other portion in order to have confirmation. 

I even considered that maybe in the 50s they had sheetrock with wood strips added to them.


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## jeffmattero76 (Mar 30, 2016)

tk3000 said:


> Yeah, I got the point. Neat and fast. The only problem is that I could not use the stud itself to support the drywall, and instead would have to blocks



Is using nailer blocks a problem? If so, why?


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## tk3000 (Apr 7, 2016)

jeffmattero76 said:


> Is using nailer blocks a problem? If so, why?



No, it is not a problem at all. Actually, I will them. I plan on using a pocket jig to create a very sturdy joint between the nailer and the current studs. 

It seems that trying to cut the drywall deadly center would be more work anyways...


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## jeffmattero76 (Apr 7, 2016)

Pocket jig may be a little overboard. I would toe nail or toe screw them to the existing studs but it really makes no differencehow you attach them. Good luck.


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