The Dreaded Angle

Welcome dear readers to the DIY Drywall blog. Unfortunately, this blog fell through the cracks for a time but here I am to pick it up again. Thanks for stopping by!

Angle cuts in drywall are some of the most difficult cuts, even for professionals. Once again, measure twice and cut once is the best rule of thumb. A chalk box is an essential tool for making angled cuts. Once your measurements are marked out on the board striking a line with the chalk-covered string gives you a perfect line to follow. Just remember the line is only as good as your measurements!

In most drywall measurements a little play is left on purpose. For angle cuts a close measurement is needed. It doesn't take much to throw the entire angle off especially on a long cut. Making an angled cut can even be helpful in remodeling jobs where the corners are severely out of square. I've seen corners be as much as one inch out in 4 feet! The most common places angle cuts are used are stairwells.

*tip*
Do make sure the board you are about to place your measurements on is facing the same way as the wall or ceiling you are looking at. Many a board has been turned into a scrap piece from trying to invert measurements.

Using the longest level you have available strike a level line across the studs four feet up from the floor to use as a guide. Run your tape measure along that line to get the most accurate reading. A measurement at floor level (or ceiling level if you starting at the top) and then a reading four feet up (or down) gives you the measurements for the angle. Strike a chalk line and carefully make your cut with a sharp utility knife.

It's important to dry-fit the piece before installing. If any trimming needs done you don't want to have glue all over the board.

Ceilings often have angle cuts, too. Use the same general principles whether you're on a wall or a ceiling.

Drywall Tools

Drywall tools are an essential part of the job. For drywall repair, or hanging and finishing a few sheets of drywall, you can find everything you need to do the job at your local Home Depot. For more extensive jobs, or if you're planning a professional career, visit the title link.

Drywall hanging -
The tools used to hang drywall are basic carpentry tools, with a few specialty items thrown in. As mentioned earlier, you can really go crazy (and spend a ton of money) buying specialty drywall tools. There are tools to make every step of the job easier and faster; from drywall routers, to panel lifts. For small jobs, you will need the following:

1) Tape Measure - 3/4" x 12' will cover most DIY jobs. If you're using 4' x 12' sheets, up the length to 16'.

2) Utility Knife with extra heavy duty blades - Use only a fixed blade knife. The retractable style are great for keeping handy in a pocket, but you'll have a tendency to accidentally retract them while making cuts.

3) Keyhole Saw - Make sure to have the round handle style. This tool will double as a rasp to shave small amounts off a too-tight cut.

5) Circle cutter - This is a specialty item. It is adjustable with a sharp pivot point to sink in the center of your pending cut and has a sharp wheel to make the preliminary score in the board surface. You will need to make circle cuts for most ceiling light fixtures.

Don't waste money purchasing this tool to make one or two cuts with it. A pencil protractor (like the ones you used back in school) can adequately do the job. I will get more in depth with that in an article dedicated to drywall hanging.

6) T-square - This is one specialty item I do recommend purchasing. The time it will save, and the ease of making a score cut with the help of this tool, makes it worth the price. ( less than $30 on average) Unless, this is a one time thing of five sheets, or less.

7) Caulking Gun - The small one most homeowners have around the house will do just fine. Just make sure to purchase the panel adhesive in that size.

8) Drywall Hammer, or hatchet - This is also a specialty tool and not worth making a special purchase for a very small job. The drywall hammer is designed to slightly dimple the nailhead to sink it below the surface of the board for finishing. Most information out there will tell you not to use nails, use screws instead. That idea is half-right and half-wrong. Once again, my article dedicated to hanging will cover this subject more in depth.

You will need a carpenter's pencil for marking measurements onto the drywall. You may need a chalkbox if you are making angle cuts (For example: many old houses were not square. The cut may differ by as much as an inch within four feet. Stairwells, cathedral ceilings, etc are full of angled cuts).

There are panel lifts available for rental, if you are doing the job yourself. These can be rented at most tool or construction rental stores. Just Google 'tool rental' to find one near you.

Next up: How to do drywall without straining your back, or hurting your helper!