How to Cut Drywall With a Dremel

Drywall is a popular material for home construction and renovation because it is affordable, durable, and easy to install. While it is relatively simple to cut drywall with a standard hand saw, using a Dremel tool can speed up the process and make it easier.

How to Cut Drywall With a Dremel

A Dremel tool with a carbide cutting wheel will cut through drywall quickly and cleanly, but a little bit of knowledge can help you avoid mistakes that slow the process down. Tape the Edge One mistake beginners often make is to cut so close to the edge of the drywall panel that they puncture or damage it.

To avoid this, put a strip of masking tape along the edge. Next, outline the inside of the drywall with a marker, so you know where to cut. Then, cut the drywall slightly outside the line so the tape will hide it. This blog post will go over how to cut drywall with a Dremel.

Tools You Need

  1. Drill
  2. Dremel
  3. Saw
  4. Drill Bits
  5. Screwdriver
  6. Ruler or Measuring Tape
  7. Masking Tape

Step to Follow on How to Cut Drywall With a Dremel

Step One: Locate the Electrical Boxes

To cut the drywall around the electrical boxes, you must locate them. They are typically located in the upper corners of your room. Once you have located them, draw an “X” on the ceiling about where they are. This will help you know where not to cut since there is usually insulation behind it that needs to stay.

To Cut the Drywall Around the Boxes

If you are trying to cut your drywall around a light fixture, you will want to look for the metal box holding the wires in place. Once you have found it, mark where you need to cut but only go deep enough so that the wire comes through and not any further than that.

If you need to cut your drywall around a recessed light, you will need to find the plastic shield that covers it. This is placed over the insides of the wall and is usually held in by two screws on each side. These steps should help you learn how to cut drywall with a Dremel.

Step Two: Partially Secure Your Drywall

Once you have found where to cut your drywall, you can start cutting it. To ensure that the drywall stays in place while you are cutting it, place drywall screws about three to four inches apart in at least two areas along the cut line. This will help hold it together while you are making your cuts.

Once you have done this, keep these screws that are no longer needed because they may come in useful later when you need to attach the drywall back to the ceiling. If you happen to lose any screws while cutting, you will want to pick some up before attaching the drywall back up.

If you want to make sure that your drywall stays in place while you are cutting it, then take some masking tape and tape the back of the drywall. This will help secure it together while keeping your hands free for working with other things like the Dremel tool.

Step Three: Equip Your Dremel with a Drywall Bit

Before cutting, make sure that your Dremel tool has the proper bit for this job. This is because there are several different types of bits to choose from. For example, you can select either a high-speed cutter or a reinforced cut-off wheel depending on what type of material you are working with.

High-speed Cutter

However, if you are looking to cut drywall, you will want to use a reinforced cut-off wheel. This is because these are designed to cut tough materials like metal and stone, while the high-speed cutter is used to cut softer materials like wood.

If you use the wrong bit, it could either damage your Dremel or break the bit. If this happens, you will want to switch it out for the right one before continuing your work since you must use the correct type of bit.

Step Four: Cut From the Center Point to the Inner Edge of the Electrical Box

Once you have your bit equipped, then go ahead and start cutting. First, make sure that the Dremel is on its lowest speed setting to prevent any damage to it. Then, slowly move the Dremel upwards of where you want it to cut while keeping it straight by using the edge of an object like a ruler or level for guidance.

Once you have cut upwards of where you want it to be, start cutting inwards towards the electrical box. To do this, you will need to be very careful and go slowly while carefully watching for any wires inside the wall. This is because if you accidentally cut them, you could either damage your Dremel or break it in the process.

If the Dremel is cutting too fast or not at all, then you will want to check your bit. For example, if the bit is starting to get dull, you will want to replace it with a new one because it could break very easily when trying to cut the drywall. This will help in how to cut drywall with a Dremel.

Step Five: Cut Around the Outside of the Electrical Box

Once you have cut the hole big enough to fit around your electrical box, then it is time to move on to your next step. This involves cutting around the inside of the electrical box so that you can fit it through without moving or damaging it. Again, make sure that you go above and below the electrical box because you will need to cut out the drywall around it.

To cut this, you will want to watch for where the electrical box is and try and trace its outline with your Dremel tool before cutting it. Then, like before, make sure that you do not touch any wires inside the wall when doing this. Once you have cut around it, take your metal snips and clip off any drywall sticking out.

This will help make it easier to fit through the hole and prevent damaging your Dremel while working on it. After this, attach some rope or string to your electrical box and pull it back through the hole until it is entirely inside of your wall.

Step Six: Remove the Cut Drywall Piece

After pulling your electrical box back through the hole, you will want to remove any of the pieces of drywall that are left hanging out of it. To do this, you will need to use either a flathead screwdriver or your Dremel tool. If you end up using these, make sure that they are angled away from the electrical box to do not damage it.

Then, you will need to remove any screws or nails holding these pieces of drywall up since a flathead screwdriver may cause them to break if there is too much pressure being put on them. Next, use your Dremel tool and cut through the rest of the drywall.

Then take the metal snips and clip off any drywall sticking out to make it easier for you to pull them out. This will help prevent them from damaging your Dremel or breaking. All of this information will help you learn how to cut drywall with a Dremel.

You can check it to Get Drywall Dust Out of Lungs

What Are the Best Tools for Cutting Drywall With a Dremel?

There are quite a few tools available to cut drywall, but nothing beats the ease and convenience of using an oscillating tool. This type of power rotary tool is specifically designed to cut through tough materials such as drywall without creating excessive dust.

Popular Tool for Cutting Drywall Is a Jigsaw

It’s also much easier to work with than a standard saw or circular saw in that it does not require any realignment after each cut as a saw would. Another popular tool for cutting drywall is a jigsaw, which can work well in some situations.

Conclusion

When looking to cut drywall, the best option is always a handsaw. It can be used for both straight and curved cuts. However, if you have no other choice than to use a Dremel, it will take more time since you need to go back and forth with your saws until the material falls out of place.

A Dremel has its benefits when working on smaller pieces but should never be used as a handsaw replacement in every situation! The conclusion paragraph is informative and provides information on how to cut drywall with a Dremel.

You may also read it: How to Rewire a House Without Removing Drywall

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