Hammer vs Level

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chris kennedy

chris kennedy

Senior Member
Location
Miami Fla.
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Retired electrician
I'm working with a new contractor and met him today. He commented on how we cut nice big rectangular holes in existing drywall. The plumber was there before us and bashed the rock with a hammer.

You a basher or a level and saw guy?
 
I'll admit it. I make it look neat. I also make it easy for the drywaller to patch my cuts. I cut straight and square, and if there's more than one, I number the pieces and the wall. I also try to make the cuts land on the middle of a joist or stud so the drywaller doesn't have to scab in a nailer.

BTW, it really doesn't matter how big you make the hole, up to a point. To a drywaller, a 4"x4" hole is just as much work as a 16"x16". So if you need to cut the drywall, cut it enough to make it easy for you as well.

Edit to add: No saw, a RotoZip!
 
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For me, it always depends on whose fault it is. My problem, nice square holes, drywall screwed back in with scabbers. If the drywaller misses one or two boxes, no big deal, I will help them find and use all my skills to minimize damage.
Then, I did a job once, a 36 unit apartment building. First time I walked it, there were over 150 boxes covered up (156, i think). I asked the drywaller to find them, gave him locations, he found about 20 and told me I must have left the rest of them out. I wound up using a 20 ounce waffle head framing hammer to find the rest of my boxes.
That was when I was younger and more "impulsive", shall we say. Now that I am trying to run my own company, I am a lot nicer to the drywallers.
 
If you ever find yourself in the position of having to patch drywall...

The "California" Patch:
However big the (nice & square) hole is, cut the GWB 4" bigger.
With a framing square (or other 2" gage) mark that extra 2" on back side of GWB.
Razor knife the line on the back side & peel off the kraft paper.
With hammer smash the gypsum out of that 2" margin area; but be careful to preserve the face paper.
Apply with mud on edges of "patch" and raw opening, using the 2" margin of paper as tape.
Done.
 
I'm liking this so far. But it would be a safe bet that people that spend time here would also take a minute or two to make thier work look professional.
 
This all depends on....

  • My general additude with the General - demo exclusion, vs "talk to the hand" (it has a hammer in it....) and they can have a laborer clean up the mess - yes, factor that into the rates...
  • Home-owner - generally pretty nice - depending on a few factors. Speak to me with respect - and I'll put the rock back. Treat me with little reguard - and I won't even give you a number of a good guy to repair it....
 
I try to cut holes that are manageable and keep what I cut out. Then if needed I start the patch, if I don't finish it. I have used these in the past and they work well. Prest-On

Edit: spelling
 
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I cut it as if I was the one having to patch it. Unless there is a drywall guy on site I use 1x4 backing and screw the drywall back in place. Our contract calls it a "rough patch" with finish tape/texture/paint by others.

In the olden days I would be the one doing the patch work so I show a little respect.


And, like 480 said, if your gonna cut a hole, cut one big enough to work in.

Like this one today :)


DSC01512.jpg
 
use what's available

use what's available

just doing what I was told:

use the big hammer and try to make a small hole :rolleyes:
was knocking in concrete block to find a place to fish fmc where the holes were above a drop ceiling

trace around the box and use a sawzall in the drywall :D
approx. 15 ft below the first hole above ^
 
220/221 said:
I cut it as if I was the one having to patch it. Unless there is a drywall guy on site I use 1x4 backing and screw the drywall back in place. Our contract calls it a "rough patch" with finish tape/texture/paint by others.

In the olden days I would be the one doing the patch work so I show a little respect.


And, like 480 said, if your gonna cut a hole, cut one big enough to work in.

Like this one today :)


DSC01512.jpg
Click to expand...
Nothing to do with the OP, but is that a bare EGC run with 2 wire romex? Saw a lot of that around here in the 50's.
 
i try not to cut holes. if i do i cut holes in a place where they cant see if possible. but usually i make a nice square hole. in sheetrock walls i use my keyhole saw. anything other than sheetrock (plaster and lathe) i use a sawzall if they plan on not saving much of the wall.
 
Company policy:

If its existing drywall, cut neat holes, clean it up.

If its a dry wall contractor covering you up, beat big holes with a pair of Kliens and leave the mess.
 
ITO said:
Company policy:

If its existing drywall, cut neat holes, clean it up.

If its a dry wall contractor covering you up, beat big holes with a pair of Kliens and leave the mess.
Click to expand...
This use to be our policy but thinking this would make us look like semi-procs we took the more subtle approach imagine 12 ft of wall space with screw driver holes 18AFF spaced two inches apart,we knew it was in their some were boss.
 
Rewire said:
This use to be our policy but thinking this would make us look like semi-procs we took the more subtle approach imagine 12 ft of wall space with screw driver holes 18AFF spaced two inches apart,we knew it was in their some were boss.
Click to expand...

Every try putting a level against the wall? That will eliminate 11' 8" of it.
 
ITO said:
Company policy:

If its existing drywall, cut neat holes, clean it up.

If its a dry wall contractor covering you up, beat big holes with a pair of Kliens and leave the mess.
Click to expand...

I agree. Especially since they're gettin 2-4 bucks per opening.
 
is that a bare EGC run with 2 wire romex?
Click to expand...


Yeah. I occaisionally run into that in early 60's housing. There must have been a time before grounded romex was made but a ground was required.

Two prong outlets everywhere also.
 
We cut nice neat square holes and then put them back with backing. Also, sometimes we use our 4" hole saw. That way all the "plugs" are the same size and you don't have to number them. I totally agree that you should make the hole big enough to work in.

We have one GC that if you are going to have to make more than three or four holes, he will have his laborers cut out a 4' x 8' piece and replace a whole sheet of rock. The time factor for a bunch of holes as compared to float and texture one large piece of rock is a consideration to him. Makes work nice too.
 
Anybody can make a mistake but when I am sure that the carpenters are burying for fun I start with a crowbar to the tops of the doorbucks. This will immediately get you nose to nose where you can discuss a solution. They hate problems fixing doors being plumb and square it is real time consuming.
 
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