How to Cut Sheetrock Patches From Ceilings

Drywall is a relatively sturdy material, but it can sustain damage. When that happens, you do not need to remove and replace the entire drywall sheet. Instead, you can cut away the damaged area, to give it smooth edges, and apply a patch. If you applied a patch and do not like the way it turned out, you simply cut it from the ceiling and try again. Cutting a patch from the ceiling is very similar to how you cut away the damaged area before you applied the patch.

Ladder
Level
Drywall saw

Instructions

- 1
  Set a ladder underneath the patch. Lift a level up to the ceiling and place it next to the patch. Draw a pencil line down the level. Move the level to the patch's other side and draw another line. Use the level to draw two more lines, forming a square around the patch.
- 2
  Poke a drywall saw's blade through one of the square's corners. Use a sawing motion to cut along the line and then pull the blade out of the ceiling.
- 3
  Insert the drywall saw blade into the square's corner opposite from the corner you started from in Step 2. Cut along that line and pull the blade out.
- 4
  Push the drywall saw's blade into a third corner and cut along the line. Use your hand to support the patch square, since now it is free from three sides. Use the drywall saw to cut through the fourth and final line.
- 5
  Lower the patch from the ceiling. Measure the square opening's length and width and prepare a new patch, according to the manufacturer's directions.

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