Used to cut in my outlets after the mud was dry. Big mistake.

For the first few years I was hanging and finishing drywall, I would always do my outlet cutouts after the mud was fully dry. I figured it was safer and I could see exactly where the boxes were. But man, it created so much extra dust and I'd always chip the edges of the mud on the cut line. About six months ago I switched to cutting them in right after the screws are set, before any mud goes on. Use a sharp utility knife with a fresh blade and it's way cleaner. The knife slices through the paper clean and you don't get those ragged edges. Plus no sanding dust getting all over the inside of the boxes. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed the same thing?

3 comments

3 Comments

lilyp371mo ago

Did you ever try scoring both sides of the cut with the knife before you break it? I started doing that on my last remodel and it made a huge difference. No more torn paper or chipped mud, just a clean snap right along the line. Also switched to a carbide blade that stays sharp way longer than the regular ones.

dakota4151mo ago

Holy cow, wait, you score BOTH sides? I mean, I've been doing this stuff for a few years and I never even thought of that. That's one of those things that seems so obvious now that you said it, @lilyp37, but I'm sitting here feeling like an idiot for not trying it myself. I gotta be honest, I'm actually a little mad I didn't think of this, it's that simple. Definitely grabbing a carbide blade and giving the double-score method a shot on my next project, thanks for the tip.

the_wendy1mo ago

Scoring both sides, huh? I tried that once but I think my knife was too dull because it still crumbled on me. Maybe I need to actually commit to the carbide blade thing.