Best way to cut hole in plasterboard

[smallsteve1]

I need to cut into a boxed part of the wall downstairs to access some badly fitted plumbing from when the house was built,. I am wondering what the best approach is?
The attached picture gives some idea of what I think maybe the best method, as in staying at least 1 inch away from the edges, to save the supporting metal work, and cutting the hole in between. I can then obviously patch the wall after, but I’m not quite sure how to make the repair essentially vanish?
I suppose one option would be to fit an end bead and plaster the affected box area. But is there someway in which I could fix the repair without needing to go that far?
TIA

 

[ree]

Wear gloves & glasses - mark your lines with a level.
Using both hands cut into the lines with a knife - make three or four shallow passes.
The clean cut piece can be kept and put back in place when the plumbing is fixed.

 

[blup]

Depends how much plumbing you have to do, it might be better to take most of or even the whole sheet off, or do a local repair if you know what and where the problem is. The mini inspection cameras are useful, just drill a small hole big enough to fit the head of the camera in, and watch the video on your phone.

 

[Alastairreid]

You can get a clean cut with a knife, pad saw or multi- tool. The cut sheet can be fixed back in place, taped and filled with easi fill 20/20. Then sanded. You will not see the patch if you run right over that whole side of the wall.

 

[smallsteve1]

You can get a clean cut with a knife, pad saw or multi- tool. The cut sheet can be fixed back in place, taped and filled with easi fill 20/20. Then sanded. You will not see the patch if you run right over that whole side of the wall.

Thanks for your input and this exactly the type of information that I was looking for.

I am fine with taping, but the tape will be very close to the edge of the bead, and so I’m not quite sure how to deal with that!? Normally you would taper-off, but obviously I don’t have the space to do that. That is why I was thinking that I might need an end-bead, but I guess from what you are saying that that is overkill?

 

[Alastairreid]

Skim the whole side once you have replaced the panel..feather to nothing just clear of the corner ..it will blend in once sanded...don't use gypsum plaster as that's not designed to be sanded.