Drywall finishing · Calgary, AB
Drywall finishing in Calgary
The final coats, the sanding and, where it is needed, a skim coat over the whole surface. This is the stage that decides how your walls look once the paint and the lights are on.
Free estimate · No obligation
Common requests
- New drywall ready for final coats
- Walls that look wavy under window light
- Skim coating over repairs or old texture
- Smoothing damaged or torn paper
- Preparing for dark or glossy paint
- Ceilings with pot lights or large windows
- Usual standard
- Level 4 for painted walls and ceilings in homes.
- Worth more for
- Strong side light, dark or glossy paint, feature walls.
- Priced by
- Area, finish level, current condition and dust control needed.
Finish levels
Drywall finish levels, 0 to 5
The industry describes drywall finishes in six levels, based on guidance from the Gypsum Association. Naming the level in a quote removes a lot of guesswork about what you are paying for.
| Level | What is done | Typically used for |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | What is doneBoard hung only. No tape or compound. | Typically used forTemporary work, or where finishing is decided later. |
| 1 | What is doneTape bedded in compound at joints and corners. | Typically used forAttics, above ceilings, service areas out of sight. |
| 2 | What is doneLevel 1 plus a thin coat over tape and screw heads. | Typically used forGarages, storage areas, behind tile. |
| 3 | What is doneLevel 2 plus one more coat on joints and screws. | Typically used forWalls that will get a heavy texture. |
| 4 | What is doneLevel 3 plus another coat, sanded smooth. | Typically used forMost painted walls and ceilings in homes. |
| 5 | What is doneLevel 4 plus a skim coat over the entire surface. | Typically used forStrong side light, dark or glossy paint, critical areas. |
Skim coating
When the whole wall needs a coat
At level 4, the joints and screws are covered but the rest of the wall is still the paper face of the drywall. Under flat, even light that difference is invisible. Under light raking across the wall from a big window, a skylight or a row of pot lights close to a ceiling, the joints can show as faint bands.
A skim coat puts a thin, even layer of compound over everything, so the whole surface has the same texture and porosity. It is also the fix for walls with many repairs, torn paper, or an old texture being smoothed out.
What you should expect
A good finish looks flat and uniform in normal light once painted. No finish is flawless under a work light held against the wall, so agree on the level up front and look at the walls with the room’s own lighting when judging the result.
Signs a skim coat is worth it
- Floor-to-ceiling windows along a wall
- Pot lights close to a flat ceiling
- Dark, deep or glossy paint colours
- A wall with many old patches
- Torn or fuzzy drywall paper after wallpaper removal
- Texture you want replaced with a smooth finish
Unsure whether you need level 4 or 5?
Mention your windows, lighting and paint plans in the request. The contractor can advise on the visit.
Before paint
Getting finished drywall ready for paint
Once sanded, the dust is cleaned off and the surface is primed with a primer made for new drywall. Primer seals the compound and the paper face so they take the finish paint evenly; skipping it is a common cause of joints “flashing” through the paint as dull or shiny stripes.
Agree who is priming. Some drywall contractors prime as part of the job; others hand over sanded walls to your painter. Either works, as long as someone does it.
Textured finishes in older homes
Textured walls and ceilings, and joint compound, in homes built before about 1990 may contain asbestos. Have them tested before sanding, scraping or skim coating over them in a way that disturbs the surface. Ceiling repair covers this for textured ceilings.
Common questions
Drywall finishing questions
Question not answered here? Ask it in your estimate request.
What level of drywall finish do I need?
What is a skim coat?
Is sanding drywall dusty?
Do I need primer on new drywall?
Can you smooth out a textured wall?
Related
Also worth reading
- ServiceDrywall taping and muddingThe coats that come before finishing, and why seams show when they are rushed.
- ServiceDrywall repairFinishing is also how a repair is blended into the wall around it.
- ServiceCeiling drywall repairCeilings are the hardest surface to finish flat under light.
- GuideDrywall cost factorsHow finish level changes the price of the whole job.
Free, no-obligation estimate
Get a free drywall finishing estimate
Describe the walls as they are now and how you want them to look. Photos taken with light across the wall show problems best.
Useful to include
- New drywall, existing walls, or both
- Any texture you want removed or matched
- Paint plans: colour and sheen if known
- Big windows, pot lights or long hallways
Get a free drywall estimate
About two minutes. Fields marked * are required.