Master Your Home DIY Project: Learn How to Easily Cut Bead Board Panels

Cutting into bead board paneling when installing around fixtures can be a bit of a hassle, but with a few tools and careful measuring, you can make perfect holes for pipes, electrical outlets, taps, and more. Here’s how:

First of all, make sure to turn off the water if there are pipes or taps involved, as well as disconnecting them if possible. This will make it easier to install the bead board. You’ll also need a spare piece of bead board, a tape measure, a pencil, a jigsaw and a drill bit.

To make the perfect hole for a pipe, measure from the bottom of the pipe to the floor, and subtract 1/8 inch from that figure. Mark the width of the pipe at the bottom of the paneling or the affected boards for individual panels. Measure the distance from the last piece of panel that you installed to the edge of the pipe, and subtract 1/8 inch from that figure. Draw a vertical line and make sure it overlaps slightly with the horizontal line.

Draw a second horizontal line half the width of the pipe, and draw a vertical line crossing over it. Use a compass from the intersection to the first bottom line, and draw a circle that touches both lines. Drill a hole in the center of the circle, a little bigger than the pipe, and any remaining cuts can be made with a jigsaw.

Be sure to go slowly and carefully when measuring and cutting, as one mistake can cost you valuable materials. If you have trouble cutting, use a spare piece of bead board to confirm that you have the line drawn correctly before applying it to the baseboard over the pipe or inlet.

When everything is finished, reconnect the pipe and slide the bead board over it. With practice, these cuts will become easier and you’ll be able to make them quickly and accurately. Just remember the golden rule- measure twice, cut once!
Making difficult cuts on a Bead board panel can be a challenge, but with a few simple tools and careful measuring, you can create neat cutouts for taps, pipes and electrical outlets. When starting the job, you should always turn off the water first and disconnect any taps or pipes if possible. This will make it easier to install the bead board paneling or boards. It can also be useful to have a spare piece of bead board material so you can practice measuring and drawing before working with your good boards.

For pipes or taps, measure the distance from the bottom of the pipe to the floor, then subtract 1/8 inch from this figure. If you are installing a panel, mark the width of the pipe at the bottom of the paneling. For individual boards, mark the width of the pipe at the proper height. Next, measure the distance from the last piece of panel that you installed to the edge of the pipe. Subtract 1/8 inch from this measurement and then draw two horizontal lines – the first slightly wider than the pipe (the width of the pipe plus 1/8 inch) and the second the full width of the pipe. Now, draw a vertical line in between the two horizontal lines. This line should be the same distance from the edge of the board that you are installing.

At this stage, you’ll need a compass and a drill bit that is a bit larger than the pipe size. Calculate the circle width of the pipe by taking the width of the pipe plus 1/8 inch and divide by two. Draw a horizontal line above the horizontal line already on the bead board, roughly parallel to the first. Then use the same measurement to draw a vertical line that crosses the second horizontal line. Place the point of the compass on this intersection. Move the pencil side of the compass (while keeping the point on the intersection) to the first bottom line and draw a circle, so that it touches both the first bottom and side lines. Check your measurements if it doesn’t touch both lines.

After the circle is drawn, you can then drill the hole. If the hole is too large for your drill bit, use a jigsaw instead. Start by drilling a small hole at the inner edge of the circle and then place the jigsaw blade in the hole and cut along the drawn circle until the hole is cut out. Once the hole has been cut, the paneling or boards can be installed over the pipe outlet/inlet and connected back up.

Making difficult cuts on a Bead board panel doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right tools and careful measuring, you can take the guesswork out of the job and create neat, professional-looking cutouts for any pipes, taps or electrical outlets. As with all DIY projects, it’s better to measure twice before you cut. In this way you can help ensure that the cutting was done correctly and the end result looks great.