Can You Cut Drywall With A Table Saw?

Table saws are of course one of the most powerful woodworking tools out there. However, the question is can you cut drywall with a table saw?

A table saw can cut drywall provided that it is equipped with a thin kerf blade having a higher number of teeth. However, it is not an easy job to cut such a delicate material with a powerful tool as a table saw.

There’s a lot more this when it comes to knowing whether or not you can cut drywall with a table saw.

So, in this article, we will discuss the different factors that you need to keep in mind while cutting drywall with a table saw and some of the possible precautions that have to be taken when it comes to safely cut drywall with a table saw.

Can You Cut Drywall with a Table Saw?

As mentioned earlier, you can cut drywall with a table saw providing that it is equipped with a thin kerf blade, which will make the process easy.

However, while using a table saw for cutting drywall you have to be extremely careful about the thickness of the blade. Most people remove their dado insert when they wish to cut drywall with their table saw and use a thin kerf blade.

Also, you need to know that it is not only the thickness of the blade that matters but also how powerful your motor is. Drywalls are not very sturdy as compared to other home improvement materials. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful with it or you may ruin the whole project.

One of the most important things while cutting drywall with a table saw is that you have to set the depth of the blade very carefully.

Also, while cutting drywall with a table saw, you have to keep in mind that the drywall has a tendency to tear apart very easily and it is also not advisable to sand or paint over the cut edges because they will eventually lead to sanding marks.

Things You Should Know When Cutting Drywall with a Table Saw

There’s a lot more that is involved when it comes to safely cut drywall with a table saw.

For example, these are some of the things that you need to keep in mind when you will be using a table saw for this purpose:

Always make sure that your blade is sharp enough. When it is not sharp enough then it can damage the drywall or even worse. You might find yourself in a really bad situation.
You need to purchase the right type of blade for cutting drywall because not every blade will work well with drywall.
Always make sure that you are wearing safety goggles so if anything goes wrong then at least your eyes will be safe and secure.
When cutting drywall, always slide it away from you instead of towards you. This will help to avoid any damage or injury. Make sure that the piece which will be cut off falls to the ground so that there is no danger of something falling on your foot.
When cutting drywall, make sure that your table saw is in a closed position. This is because there is a chance for the dust to get in and it can seriously damage your table saw or even worse, if it gets inside of the motor then you might have to replace the motor after some time.

Is it a Good Idea to Cut Drywall with a Table Saw?

Honestly speaking, table saws are not made for cutting drywall at all. These are quite powerful tools and need a lot of skill to perfectly handle it. On the other hand, drywall is very delicate and can easily get damaged if handled without care.

Therefore, if you are not an expert in handling table saws then it is advised that you leave the job of cutting drywall to a professional.

However, if you are looking for ways how to cut drywall with a table saw then you might try using a very thin blade, and do not forget that your blade needs to be extremely sharp.

What Saw Would You Use to Cut Drywall?

As I already mentioned, using a table saw for drywall is not a very good idea. This may give rise to other questions in your mind. Such as you might be thinking what kind of tool can I use instead of a table saw then.

The best saw for cutting drywall is a jab saw. It is a small saw very similar to a utility knife which is extremely sharp and can effectively cut the object without making a mess.

Due to its effectiveness for such applications, the saw has earned a nickname as a drywall cutting saw.

Another best alternative for cutting drywall is a circular saw, but you have to be extremely careful while using it.

Can You Cut Drywall With A Wood Saw?

Yes, you can cut drywall with a wood saw as well. A circular saw works best for this application. All you need is the right skill set and planning for this project.

Wood saws are usually used for cutting small pieces of wood. Thus it can produce some good quality cuts whenever you plan to use it on drywall. Besides that, it is also quite easy to handle and use.

Do not forget that it will be better if you start this job with a circular saw. A table saw can cause too much mess and make the whole process very difficult for you to handle correctly.

How Do You Cut Drywall Cleanly?

A clean-cut is necessary when you plan to install drywall on any surface. However, cutting drywall is not an easy job and it requires you to follow specific steps in order to make the right cuts.

There are several ways for this:

You can use a special type of saw designed specifically for drywall like a Sawzall or a Jab Saw. Using a standard circular saw will create too much mess which is not good for the installation process because it can cause problems with fastening drywall to your wall.

Therefore, you should always use a special tool designed only for cutting drywall. You need to make sure that your blade is extremely sharp and this makes the whole process much easier as you will be able to cut the drywall with minimum force.

In this case, it is advised that you use a table saw as it can produce better results and give rise to more accurate cuts. Using a circular saw is also good for clean cutting but it is not recommended for beginners because of the dust and mess.

In order to get a clean-cut, you need to use a scoring tool that will create a mark on the drywall so that you can adjust your circular saw accordingly. After this simply start cutting from one side of the drywall until you reach the other side. And voila! You have your pieces of drywall cut out perfectly.

If you are looking for a more detailed guide for this process, then you can check out the video below:

Last Minute Thoughts

If you have already made it this far then you must have got an answer to your question i.e. can you cut drywall with a table saw? To conclude the whole article, it is advised that you look for a special blade designed only for cutting drywall. As a result, this will make the whole process much easier and avoid any kind of mishap from happening during the process.

In addition to it, you can also use a circular saw but I would still recommend using a table saw if you have one available. If not, then a jab saw is also good for the task as long as you have the right skill set and experience.

Finally, you should always wear protective equipment while performing this operation just to avoid any kind of injury or accident that might occur during this process.

I hope that I was able to answer all of your questions.

Thank You for reading!