Level 5 Drywall Finishing

Level 5 finish - It is the premium finish and it looks fantastic! But why do it? What are the advantages? Make sure to watch the video to see why it might be the best option for your job. You'll be surprised at what a difference a Level 5 finish will make!

[drywall-skills]

Luxuriously explained👌 Here in Central Europe, the nomenclature is different: Level5 its Quality Q4, Level4 its Quality Q3 and so on👷‍♂

[jonasaur]

I have wondered this for a long time. Thanks for good explanation!

[ronsmith]

Very educational ! Thank you ! Beautiful & badass as usual much respect 🙏

[rdytrvl]

Nice video especially in combination with your recent Build Network Level 5 vs Skim coat. If you haven't seen that - it's definitely worth a watch.

[Thetreefella]

Level WOW!!!! man the work that goes into a level 5....wow.

[saltorres]

So drywall primer and sealer won’t cover that up on a level four ? I thought the purpose of the primer sealer was to do the same thing ?

[Huskerj]

I'm puzzled why Blueboard and skim coating are not used. Easier, faster, cheaper, less weight than drywall, no sanding, and totally flat.

[corysturgis]

I always wonder what is the point and if you can just prime the wall good or 2 coats. It should lay flatter than joint compound. ?

[Sidneys-Painting-N-Drywall]

I tend to disagree with most ideas of what a level 5 finish is. To me, Level 5 is a perfect, flat wall. If level 5 is the highest quality finish, it needs to be flawless. To most people, Level 5 is a skim coat. I consider a skim coat to be 4.5 not level 5. A skim coat is not labor-intensive to me. If you have a wall that is not flat and you paint with a glossy paint, it will show in the reflection of the lighting.

Making the wall flat, entails planing down crowned studs, shimming studs, and sometimes replacing them if they're really bad. If you are renovating instead of a fresh installation, it involves a bit of build out with mud to fill valleys and creating barely perceptible rolling undulations in areas the are a bit too proud. Only after all this, would I begin to skim coat.

There is a huge difference between a smooth wall and a flat wall. Larger skimming blades make skimming a lot easier, but if the walls have highs and lows, you'll find that the deeper the lows the less mud you'll have in the middle of them. Too much mud will crack, not enough means more coats. I'd rather check and mark my highs and lows, and fill them in before skimming.

I pride myself on my level of quality and attention to detail. If it isn't perfect, it could be better.

[chrisdonner]

Do the different muds show through differently? Does type of tape have any impact?

[ThomasAlban-oh]

If you're patching a hole. How do you get rid of the flashing?