As you just read, there are five different levels of drywall finishing for a drywall installation project. Each level refers to how much work is done after the drywall is hung. Level 0 being the least amount of work to level 5 being the highest amount of work.
After hanging the drywall, nothing else is done. Tacks and nails, as well as seams, are left exposed. This is not common for many drywall projects and generally is only done when the work is meant to be temporary.
This level refers to having joint tape embedded into the drywall joints, but nothing more will be done beyond this. Again, this is usually not how drywall crews will leave your project, but it is sometimes done for quick or lower-budget jobs.
At level 2, you can expect the drywall tape and any exposed nails or tacks to be covered with a thin layer of joint compound. This is a level you may stop at if you know your finished project is going to involve installing tiles over the drywall itself.
This is similar to level 2, but a second or thicker layer of joint compound is applied to the tape and screws/nails/tacks that are exposed. If you are planning to have heavily textured walls, you could let your drywall contractors know in advance. They would be able to stop at this finish level in that case.
This is the most common type of finish for a drywall project. If you call for an estimate and don’t talk about specific types of finishes or needs, you can safely assume your project will include a finishing quote cost of a level four finish.
At level four you can expect all tape and screws, etc., to be covered in a thick coat of joint compound. After the compound has dried, it will be sanded down, leaving the walls smooth and easy to cover with paint or other finishing options.
This is one step further than a level four finish. You can expect this finish to cost extra, and it really only needs to be used if you have highly intricate finishes or decorations planned for your walls.
At level five you’ll have sanded walls that then have a “skim coat” applied to them. Skim coating is a watered-down joint compound that can be applied with a paintbrush or even, in some cases, airbrushed onto your walls. It makes for an extremely smooth finish on the drywall.
Again, you’ll want to remember what type of overall finish you are planning to use for your project. Remember that in general most projects commonly use the level four finish, but if you know your walls are going to be heavily textured, tiled, or require intricate work, you can mention that when you are planning out your budget and talking with your contractor.
This is a good example of how knowing about the process before you make calls will be helpful. You’ll be able to make sure the final project is exactly what you need, no one will be making assumptions about anything on either side, and you’ll get a more exact quote if you know you’re going to need more (or less) work in the finishing process.