---
title: "Which blade cuts plasterboard?"
description: "A utility knife for straight cuts and a jab saw or multi-tool for cutouts — a circular saw is the wrong tool entirely. The ranked options, the technique that changes"
url: https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-plasterboard/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Which blade cuts plasterboard?

**Which blade cuts plasterboard?: A utility knife for straight cuts and a jab saw or multi-tool for cutouts — a circular saw is the wrong tool entirely.**

Plasterboard cuts by scoring the paper facing on one side, snapping the gypsum core along the score and then cutting the back paper — the core is weak and does the breaking for you, which is why a knife outperforms any saw for straight cuts and generates almost no dust. Cutouts are the risky part of the job: cables run in defined zones above and below sockets and switches, but old wiring and plumbing do not always respect them, so a blind plunge with a jab saw is the classic way to cut a live cable. A detector and a shallow depth setting cost nothing. Sawing plasterboard with a circular saw fills the room with gypsum dust for no gain at all.

## The options, ranked

*Ranked best-first for the stated job. The third column is why the others exist.*

| Option | Good at | Bad at |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Utility knife, score and snap | Almost no dust, fast, accurate against a straightedge, and it is how the trade cuts sheets. | Straight cuts only, and it needs a fresh blade to cut the paper cleanly. |
| Jab saw (pad saw) | Plunges straight into the board for socket and downlight cutouts with no setup. | Blind cutting: you cannot see cables or pipes behind the board. |
| Oscillating multi-tool | Controlled plunge cuts with a shallow depth setting, much safer against hidden services. | Slower, and it makes more dust than a knife. |
| Router with a drywall bit | Fast and accurate around back boxes and downlights on a large job. | Throws a great deal of gypsum dust, and needs the fitting already installed to follow. |

## Technique that changes the outcome

1. Score once firmly through the paper, snap the board back over the line, then cut the rear paper
2. Use a fresh knife blade — a blunt one tears the paper rather than cutting it
3. Check for cables and pipes before any plunge cut
4. Set an oscillating tool to just past board thickness so the blade cannot reach a cable

## What goes wrong

- Blind plunge cuts near sockets, switches and consumer units
- A circular saw, which produces enormous dust for no benefit
- Cutting a board resting on the floor edge-on; support it flat or vertically against a wall

> Compiled practical guidance rather than a published standard. Product formulations vary by brand and market, so read the label — and where the work is structural, electrical or gas, the regulations that apply where you are govern rather than anything here.

## Other blade questions

| For | Use |
| --- | --- |
| Metal | A bi-metal or carbide-tooth blade with at least three teeth in the cut — that tooth-count rule matters more than the machine. |
| Tile | A continuous-rim diamond blade with water — and cut wet, because dry cutting tile produces respirable silica dust. |
| Wood | 24 teeth for ripping and framing, 40 for general work, 60-80 for a clean crosscut finish. |
| Plywood without tearout | A sharp 60-80 tooth blade, a scoring pass, tape on the line, and the good face oriented for the tool you are using. |
| Brick | A segmented-rim diamond blade, cut wet or with on-tool extraction — brick and mortar dust is a serious silica hazard. |
| Laminate | A triple-chip or negative-hook blade for worktops, and a reverse-tooth jigsaw blade for laminate flooring cut face up. |
| Acrylic | A triple-chip negative-hook blade on a table saw, or score-and-snap for thin sheet — and keep the feed steady so it does not melt. |
| Glass | None — a tungsten carbide scoring wheel, one firm pass with oil, then snap it. And toughened glass cannot be cut at all. |
| Plastic pipe | A fine 24 TPI hacksaw or a proper pipe cutter — and deburr the inside afterwards, which is the step people skip. |

## Common questions

### Which blade cuts plasterboard?

A utility knife for straight cuts and a jab saw or multi-tool for cutouts — a circular saw is the wrong tool entirely.

### What should I avoid?

Blind plunge cuts near sockets, switches and consumer units A circular saw, which produces enormous dust for no benefit Cutting a board resting on the floor edge-on; support it flat or vertically against a wall

## Related pages

- [Which blade cuts metal?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-metal/)
- [Which blade cuts tile?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-tile/)
- [Which circular saw blade for wood?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-wood/)
- [Which blade cuts plywood without tearout?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-plywood/)
- [Which blade cuts brick?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-brick/)
- [Which blade cuts laminate?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-laminate/)
- [Which blade cuts acrylic?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-acrylic/)
- [Which blade cuts glass?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-glass/)
- [Which blade cuts plastic pipe?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-plastic-pipe/)
- [Which screw should I use for plasterboard?](https://atoneplace.net/which/screw-plasterboard/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)