How to cut into Plywood walls

An oscillating multitool with appropriate blades can make plunge cuts into the siding. Then you can continue to use the tool, or switch to a jigsaw or reciprocating saw.

If you are careful, you can also make plunge cuts with a jigsaw, but it is a bit more difficult.

Here's an example of an oscillating multitool:

BLACK+DECKER 2.0-Amp Variable Speed Oscillating Multi-Tool
BLACK+DECKER 2.0-Amp Variable Speed Oscillating Multi-Tool-BD200MTB - The Home Depot
SKU# 203124595



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If you have a jigsaw, and don't want to buy additional tools, drill a starter hole slightly larger in diameter than the jigsaw blade as a starter hole.

Put your jigsaw blade through the hole and cut away. If you are cutting a square or rectangular hole, drill holes at each corner. Or, just two holes at diagonally opposed corners and cut down the sides to meet up at the other two corners.

Cut from the drilled holes like this:

O____

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Try this to find the actual location if you're interested in minimizing the 'cutting out':

Walabot DIY: The Only Visual Stud Finder | Award Winning Wall Scanner & Stud Finder

 

red squirrels?

 

Can also plunge cut with a circular saw.

I assume you don't want to dismantle everything.

 

Perhaps get a borescope, or inspection camera. Drill a few access holes between the studs and use the inspection camera to visualize what's there before you start sawing.

Small holes will be much easier to patch. You can even glue in a short piece of wood dowel if you pick your hole/dowel diameters appropriately.

If you find any critters, drop some naphtha mothballs down into the space and see if you can get them to abandon the area before getting destructive?

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How big of a section do you want to open up? If you are trying to remove a large portion of the plywood in between the studs, then a circular saw would be the quickest and maybe easiest depending on your skill. You can just use the existing stud in the wall as a guide to rip the board. That is provided you have no wire or pipes to worry about. You can do a similar thing with a reciprocating saw or a jigsaw, but cutting a straight line and removing a large section with them is going to take more effort, I would think.

 

Would mothballs work?

 

Yep, nasty smelling and toxic stuff.

Smells That Squirrels Do Not Like | Home Guides | SF Gate

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Bad news Stevewoods. In my state it is not legal to evict anyone during the Covid Epidemic. Pretty sure that in Washington this includes squirrels. Squirrel lives matter...

 

hav a hart with bird seed is gourmet squirrel

 

Do the rafters have blocks between them where they meet the wall / top plate of the shed? It's not going to do much good to get rid of the current nests without solving the initial way in, that the squirrels have found and it sound like you may not have yet.

 

Concur.....
Squirrel Stew is rich and flavorful with a hit of Cajun spice.

 

i hope the squirrels didn't make steve stew

 

I'll take a ground hog over a squirrel any day. I had one living under my 100 year old my garage slab. It was just another thing I had to take car of when rebuilding the 20x20' garage a few years ago.
~ ground hog kabobs anyone?~ ground hog lives matter?

 

mrs b's garden disagrees

 

Ask me in a couple of weeks.

 

I like squirrels, but they're basically rats with longer tails, right?

 

Going to Punxsutawney?

I'm sure once they remove Phil from the hole and he sees his shadow, you can ask "what's next for him".