How to Cut Drywall

By
Lee Wallender
Lee Wallender
Lee Wallender

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 12/21/22
Reviewed by
Deane Biermeier
Deane Biermeier
Reviewed by Deane Biermeier

Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Deane is a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
Drywall board being cut in half with utility knife

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

Project Overview
  • Total Time: 2 - 5 mins
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $5 to $10

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.

Cutting large sheets of drywall can be a hassle. A sheet of drywall can weigh over 50 pounds. Not only that, drywall is wobbly and hard to manage. But there are a few tricks to cutting sheets of drywall easily, even without setting the sheets flat on the floor.

Safety Considerations

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.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Utility knife
  • Utility knife blades
  • Drywall square
  • Pencil
  • Tape measure

Materials

  • Drywall sheets

Instructions

Materials and tools to cut drywall

The Spruce / Kevin Norris

How to Cut Large Sheets of Drywall on the Floor

  1. Clear the Floor

    Make sure that the floor is flat, level, and clean. Uneven flooring may cause the drywall to crack or buckle. Debris will embed in the drywall. Clean the floor with a broom or shop vacuum.

    Floor cleaned with shop vac

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  2. Lay Out Drywall

    Make sure you have plenty of room to work. You'll need the size of the drywall (4 feet by 8 feet) plus another 3 feet around the perimeter to work.

    Drywall board laid on floor

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  3. Mark Drywall Sheets

    Mark the cut point on the drywall sheet with the pencil. For a quick cut, you only need to make one mark, then rely on the square pressed alongside the drywall's factory edge to indicate the line all the way across.

    But for precision work, it's a good idea to make two marks, one on each side. For example, if you are cutting 2 feet off of the end of an 8-foot sheet of drywall, mark off 2 feet on one long side and then 2 feet on the other side opposite the first.

    Pencil marking cut points on drywall next to T-square

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  4. Lay Out Straightedge

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

    T-square laid on drywall for straightedge cut

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  5. Cut Drywall Paper

    Lightly run the utility knife along the straightedge to cut the drywall paper. With the square still in place, run the knife a second time along the same line applying slightly more pressure.

    Utility knife cutting drywall board along T-square

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  6. Flip Drywall Sheet

    Carefully turn the sheet of drywall over.

    Drywall sheet flipped ton other side

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  7. Break Drywall

    Grab the edge of the drywall with your fingers. Tilt the drywall up until the drywall breaks (with the paper still in place). If the drywall doesn't break on its own, give it a gentle shake to encourage it to break.

    Drywall sheet tilted up to break in half

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  8. Tilt Pieces Inward and Make Cut

    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.

    Be careful toward the end of the cut as the paper will want to tear away.

    Utility knife cutting middle of titled drywall sheet

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

How to Cut Large Sheets of Drywall on 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.

  1. Score Drywall

    To cut the drywall sheet lengthwise, first lay it on the floor on either of its lengthwise edges. Rest it against a wall.

    With the 48-inch drywall square, square the "T" end with the left side of the drywall. Make sure that it is firmly squared. With your utility knife, score a line as far as you can.

    Next, square up on the right side. Complete the score.

    Utility knife scoring middle of large drywall sheet with T-square

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  2. Snap Drywall From Behind

    Place the sheet of drywall on one of its short ends. Reverse the sheet so that you are facing the back of the drywall (the unscored side).

    Roughly locate the scored area. With your knee, hit the drywall. Be firm and decisive as you contact the drywall. The drywall should break perfectly along the score line.

    Large drywall sheet snapped in half from reverse side

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  3. Complete Cut and Separate

    With the drywall still on edge, remain on the back of the drywall. Fold the two pieces inward until they form a broad V-shape. Carefully run the utility knife down the drywall paper at the V-shape to cut it.

    Drywall cut from reverse side with utility knife in a V-shape

    The Spruce / Kevin Norris

When to Call a Professional

Cutting drywall is a task that rarely requires professional assistance. But as part of a larger drywall installation project, you may want to have professionals cut, hang, mud, sand, and finish the drywall.