If you are doing some walls or ceilings, and you need to cut drywall, then one of the best tools you could possibly use is the Dremel. A Dremel is of course a multi-use tool that can be used with several different attachments, for a variety of purposes. Yes, one of these purposes is for cutting drywall, and this is exactly what we are here to teach you today.
Let’s talk about exactly how to cut drywall with a Dremel.
Is a Dremel the Best Tool for Cutting Drywall?
Due to the fact that a Dremel can be fitted with a variety of attachments, it is a very popular tool to use for many different tasks. Now, cutting drywall is certainly one thing that a Dremel can do, especially if you have a drywall cutting attachment fitted onto it. With that being said, whether or not a Dremel is the best tool to use for this task is somewhat questionable.
One thing that you need to keep in mind about using a Dremel to cut drywall is that Dremel drywall cutting bits are circular and move very quickly in a circular motion. They work like extremely small circular saw blades. Therefore, they are extremely maneuverable and able to cut tight corners and curves with ease. This is typically the number one task that a Dremel is usually used for when cutting drywall.
This is a tool that is especially useful when it comes to cutting drywall to fit around electrical panels on walls. With that being said, due to the way in which a Dremel works, it is not the best tool to use if you need to cut drywall in long and straight lines, as achieving very straight cuts is somewhat difficult, especially if you have limited experience.
Therefore, if you are doing something like cutting shapes or curves, a Dremel is best. However, if you need to cut long and straight lines, you may want to use something like multitools, a jigsaw, or a regular circular saw.
For more information, you might want to read my detailed guide to cutting drywall in general.
What Dremel Attachment Should You Use for Cutting Drywall?
Of course, one of the big selling points of the Dremel is the fact that you can use many different attachments with it. When cutting drywall, you do need to use the right kind of attachment, because drywall is relatively fragile.
The best bit that you can use with your Dremel for cutting drywall is known as the Dremel 560 attachment, which is specifically designed for cutting drywall, as it allows for very fast and clean cuts. Another attachment that you can use to cut drywall with your Dremel is the Dremel multipurpose cutting attachment, model 565.
How to Cut Drywall with a Dremel
Now that you know that a Dremel is indeed a good tool to use for cutting drywall, especially for irregular shapes and curves, let’s talk about exactly how to do it. Below, we have a step-by-step tutorial on exactly how to cut drywall with a Dremel.
Step 1: Safety First
One thing that you do need to keep in mind here is that cutting drywall can be fairly dangerous due to the fact that the dust can be a bit toxic, and when drywall is cut, a lot of dust is created. Therefore, to protect yourself, you do want to wear work goggles as well as a mask or a respirator.
You need to protect both your eyes and your lungs from damage that can be caused by drywall dust.
Step 2: Set Up Your Dremel
The next thing that you need to do here is to attach the special drywall cutting attachment to your Dremel. This generally means having to loosen a nut, taking off the old bit, attaching the new bit, and securing it into place.
Before you start cutting drywall, make sure that the Dremel bit is securely in place. Just turn on the Dremel and get it up to speed to see whether or not it wobbles. If the bit does not wobble, you are ready to move on to the next step.
Step 3: Measure, Mark, and Support the Drywall
Before you can cut your drywall down to size, you do of course need to take measurements of the space that it needs to fit into. Use your measuring tape to measure the space it needs to fit into and write it down on your phone or a piece of paper. Next, using a pencil or any other appropriate marking utensil, transfer the measurements onto the piece of drywall that needs to be cut.
Make sure to take your time and be accurate, because once the drywall has been cut, there is no going back. Also, a good idea is to support your drywall from underneath, as drywall is fairly fragile and may snap if you apply too much pressure. Therefore, before you make your cut, put the drywall on a table or something like a sawhorse.
Step 4: Make the Cut
With everything properly set up, the last step here is to actually make the cut. Therefore, you first need to turn on your Dremel and get it spinning up to full speed. With the Dremel spinning at full speed, touch the drywall cutting attachment to the drywall, right at the beginning of the mark that you made in the previous step.
You do not want to apply too much pressure, as this can cause damage to the drywall and will actually make the cutting process less efficient. Just use a light touch and keep feathering the attachment down into the drywall. In other words, touch the attachment to the drywall, and then slightly pull it upwards, push it down, and so on and so forth.
You don’t want to use constant pressure, as not only will this cause damage to the bit and the drywall, but it will also create too much dust and obscure your vision.
Constantly pushing down and then pulling up on the bit will allow that dust to move out of the way, therefore allowing for a good field of view. Using this technique, keep moving along your mark until the cut has been completed. If your cut is not overly clean or smooth, now is the time to use some fairly fine sandpaper to smooth things out.
Mistakes to Avoid, Tips & Tricks
To help make cutting drywall with a Dremel as easy and efficient as possible, let’s quickly go over a few tips and tricks:
- Always make sure to use both breathing protection and eye protection when cutting drywall with any sort of tool
- If you need to make long and straight cuts, a Dremel is not your best option; you can even use a scoring knife to score the drywall and then snap it, as well as use any other power tool ideal for cutting straight lines
- Using less pressure when cutting drywall with a Dremel actually works better than using too much, never press down too hard
Summary
As you can see, if you need to make irregular shapes or curved cuts into drywall, then a Dremel does work really well. If you follow all of the steps and tips provided above, you shouldn’t have any problems.