Drywall Saw: Uses and How to Cut Drywall Cleanly

A drywall saw, often called a jab saw, is a short hand saw with a stiff blade, a sharp point and coarse teeth. Its job is cut-outs: you push the point through the board, then saw around the outline of an outlet box, switch, pipe or vent. For long straight cuts across a sheet, scoring with a utility knife and snapping the board along the line is faster and leaves a cleaner edge.

What a drywall saw is good for

• Openings for electrical boxes and switches in boards already on the wall.
• Holes for pipes, vents and recessed lights.
• Notches and short cuts where a knife can’t reach.
• Cutting away damaged drywall for a patch.

Drywall (gypsum board) is soft, so the teeth are large and the blade is stiff enough to punch through without a starter hole. That makes it a poor saw for wood: the coarse teeth tear wood fibers and dull fast. Types of hand saws with uses covers the keyhole, coping and other narrow saws for wood.

How to cut an outlet hole

1. Find and mark the box. Trace around the box on the board, or rub chalk or lipstick on the box edges and press the board against it before hanging.
2. Check for wires and pipes behind the wall before cutting into an existing wall. Turn off the power to any circuit nearby.
3. Push the point in at a corner of the outline, angled slightly into the waste side.
4. Saw along the line with short strokes, keeping the blade shallow so it doesn’t hit the box or anything behind it.
5. Cut the remaining sides and knock the piece out. Clean up the edges with the saw or a utility knife so the cover plate sits flat.

Drywall saw vs other cutting tools

Tool	Best for	Notes
Utility knife	Long straight cuts: score, snap, cut the back paper	Fastest and cleanest for full-width cuts
Drywall (jab) saw	Cut-outs and short cuts	Quiet, no power needed, little fine dust
Oscillating multi-tool	Plunge cuts in installed drywall, flush cuts	Quick and accurate; more dust
Rotary cut-out tool	Many outlet holes in new board	Very fast around boxes; lots of dust
Jigsaw	Rarely needed	Overkill; vibrates and tears the paper

Tips for clean cuts

• Keep the blade shallow and angled slightly toward the waste to avoid cutting wires or pipes behind.
• Support large pieces so they don’t break off and tear the paper face.
• Smooth rough edges with a rasp or sanding block before taping.
• Replace or sharpen the blade when it starts tearing the paper instead of cutting it.

Drywall dust is fine and irritating, so wear a dust mask when cutting or sanding, especially with power tools. For cutting other building materials, can a jigsaw cut a 2x4 covers framing lumber.