Drywall Finishing in St. Louis: Levels 1 Through 5, Where Each Belongs, and How to Spec It So the Paint Looks Right
Drywall finishing is where a job either looks finished or looks cheap, and the difference is usually decided on paper before the first coat of mud goes on. The finish level in the spec, the paint sheen in the finish schedule, and the lighting in the room all have to agree. When they do not, the GC gets the call after paint. This guide covers drywall finishing levels as they apply to St. Louis commercial and large residential work, and how to spec and bid them so everyone is pricing the same thing.
The Five Finish Levels
The Gypsum Association and ASTM C840 define six levels, Level 0 through Level 5. In practice, four of them show up on plans:
Level 1: Tape embedded in joint compound, no additional coats. Used above ceilings, in plenums, and in concealed spaces where fire-taping is required but appearance is not.
Level 2: Tape plus one coat over joints and fasteners. Used in garages, mechanical rooms, and behind tile where the tile backer is gypsum.
Level 3: Two coats over joints, one over fasteners, surface smooth. Appropriate behind heavy textures and heavy wall covering, and in some back-of-house areas.
Level 4: Three coats over joints, two over fasteners, sanded smooth. This is the standard for painted walls with flat or eggshell paint and light to medium textures. Most St. Louis commercial interiors are Level 4 by default.
Level 5: Level 4 plus a full skim coat over the entire surface. Required under semi-gloss or gloss paint, dark colors, and anywhere walls are washed by light from windows, wall sconces or cove lighting. Lobbies, conference rooms, corridors with side lighting, and high-end residential.
Where Level 5 Is Worth the Money
Level 5 costs more because it adds a full pass over every square foot. It is not needed everywhere, and specifying it site-wide on a warehouse office is a waste. It is worth it in these conditions:
Walls that receive semi-gloss or gloss paint, including most healthcare and food-service walls.
Dark or saturated colors, which show every joint through the paint.
Critical lighting: long walls with windows at one end, wall washers, cove lighting, or fixtures mounted close to the wall.
Ceilings in rooms with recessed cans at low angles.
Anywhere the owner will stand and look, like a lobby, reception wall, or executive conference room.
A good compromise many St. Louis architects use is Level 5 in public and lit areas, Level 4 in offices and back-of-house, and Level 3 behind wall covering. The finish plan should say which is where.
Lighting Is What Exposes a Finish
The same Level 4 wall can look perfect under overhead fluorescents and terrible when the afternoon sun comes down it from a window at the end of the corridor. Raking light shows every joint crown, every fastener dimple, and any texture difference between paper face and compound. Before the finish level is set, someone should look at the lighting plan and the window locations. If the architect has not, the drywall contractor should raise it at bid time rather than at punch.
Texture, Skim and Paint Coordination
In the St. Louis market, most commercial interiors are smooth, and texture shows up mainly on residential ceilings and some multifamily. Where texture is used, the level underneath can drop to 3, but the texture type and pattern need to be matched to existing conditions on remodels. On smooth walls, the painter's primer is part of the finish system: a high-build or PVA drywall primer on a Level 4 wall does a lot of the work that Level 5 does on its own. That is a conversation to have between the drywall contractor and the painter before either one prices.
Corner Bead, Control Joints and Trims
Finishing is not only joint compound. Outside corners take metal, paper-faced metal or vinyl bead. Bullnose changes the look and the labor. Exposed board edges at reveals and openings take J-bead or L-bead. Long runs and changes in framing need control joints per the spec so the finish does not crack. Each of these is a line in a complete bid, and each is a place where a low bid can be hiding a substitution.
How to Write the Finish Into the Bid
For bids to compare, the drawings or the spec should state:
Finish level by room or by area, on the finish schedule or a finish plan.
Paint sheen by area, so Level 5 can be confirmed where semi-gloss or gloss is called out.
Corner bead type, and any bullnose or reveal conditions.
Texture type where used, and whether it must match existing.
Control joint locations or the spacing rule to apply.
Whether the drywall contractor or the painter is responsible for the final sand and inspection under raking light.
If any of that is missing, we call it out in the bid so the GC can level the numbers. The full list of what makes a drywall bid fast and accurate is in What GCs Should Send With a Bid Invitation.
How We Finish
St. Louis Drywall Pros finishes to the level on the drawings, checks every Level 4 and Level 5 area under a raking light before turnover, and coordinates primer and sheen with the painting contractor. We do this on commercial drywall projects across the St. Louis metro and on large residential drywall packages for builders. We do not take patch or repair work.
Send Us Your Plans
St. Louis Drywall Pros bids commercial drywall, metal stud framing and large residential drywall packages across the St. Louis metro. Send drawings, spec sections 09 22 16 / 09 29 00, the project location and your bid date to Stldrywallpros@gmail.com, or call (314) 691-2444. Office: 10781 Indian Head Industrial Blvd, Suite 1051, St. Louis, MO 63132.
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