Which Drywall Level Do You Need? A Complete Guide to Level 0-5

Not every drywall finish is the same. The level required to touch up a mechanical closet vs. a wall in a museum is vastly different. The finish level of your drywall matters more than you think. It definitely makes a difference when it comes to lighting, texture, and paint.

Here is a quick breakdown of the 6 drywall finish levels, what they mean, and when to use each one.

What Is a Drywall Finish Level?

Drywall finish levels are rankings on a standardized scale ranging from Level 0 to Level 5 used to describe how smooth and “paint-ready” your drywall is. Each level is designed for a different type of space or application.

Level 0 – No Finish

What it is: Just the sheetrock hung and fastened. No mud, no tape, nothing.

This picture shows two different levels. In the top part of the picture you can see just plain sheetrock hung, this would be an example of a level 0. The second half of the walls show only the seams taped and the screws showing only one coat, an example of level 1. This was taken the day we started to tape and bed a level 4 house in Oak Lawn.

Where you see it:

• Unfinished garages

• Storage closets

• Temporary construction zones

  
  

Dallas Insight: I’ve seen Level 0 used in new builds before the painter or finisher has even stepped in. If you’re seeing this in a living space it means it is not done.

Level 1 – Taped Only

What it is: Joints and seams are taped with joint compound, but that’s it. No sanding, no second coat.

Where it’s used:

• Attics

• Utility areas

• Spaces hidden from view

  
  

Pro Tip: This is sometimes used in budget builds to pass inspection, but not for anything visible. If you're planning to finish out a garage or storage room this might be your starting point.

Level 2 – Taped + One Coat of Mud

This is a perfect example of what level 2 is and where we would use it. This is a picture of an elevator shaft from a 3 story house we worked on in Flower Mound, TX. We only applied a Level 2 for this elevator since it satisfies code. All of it would eventually be covered by the elevator casing.

What it is: Taped joints with one coat of joint compound. Still rough and not smooth, but more coverage than level 1.

Best for:

• Areas that will be tiled (bathroom, kitchen backsplash)

• Garages where texture or paint isn’t a big concern

  
  

What to know: In Dallas homes, we're usually asked to leave a Level 2 behind built-ins where most of the wall gets covered anyway. Saves everyone time and money.

Level 3 – Taped + Two Coats (Rough Texture-Ready)

This is from a house in Kessler Park. We had done up to level 3 here so far just needed sanding. We a long way to go still to reach the level 5 end goal. I will show an example of how it turned out below.

What it is: Joints are taped and covered with two coats of compound, but still left a bit rough. Perfect base for heavy texture like knockdown or orange peel.

Common in Dallas:

• Garages, mechanical closets, storage rooms, attics

• Entryways or hallways where light texture will be `sprayed

  
  

Important: This is not ready for flat paint. Any imperfections will be very visible under paint without texture.

Level 4 – Smooth Paint-Ready

What it is: Joints and screws get three coats of mud, sanded smooth. No texture added. This is the standard for modern interiors with flat or satin paint. Personally, however, I am not a fan of how the level 4 turns out when applied this way. I feel it can sometimes make a bad joint worse even if the finisher is careful.

I instead like to coat everything with a layer or two of mud and float everything evenly. It's more work initially to do it this way as opposed to just widening the joints but I find a better end result when done this way. For me, the results are worth the extra work that it takes so I have it as my standard method when bidding a level 4 job. No complaints so far.

Here is Leo, one of our guys, starting to float out the first coat of level 4. We usually roll on our level 4 projects.

Perfect for:

• Living rooms

• Bedrooms

• Smooth wall remodels

• Areas with moderate lighting

  
  

Dallas Insights: Most of the homes I work on in places across DFW are going with Level 4. It’s clean, professional, and ideal for families who want something modern but not museum level perfect. This is the level I would recommend if you like a sleek look but can live with some imperfections. Unless you are looking at it really close with a light or you know that direct sunlight will hit your walls at an angle, I would save my money and go with a level 4 finish.

Level 5 – Premium Smooth (Luxury Finish)

This is the same ceiling as the picture above but taken closer to the staircase. You can see how smooth these level 5 walls and ceiling already look with just one a coat of paint on them in this picture.

What it is: Same as Level 4 but with an additional skim coat across the entire surface, then finely sanded. This is the highest level of drywall finish you can get. This masks any imperfection in the walls. Even things you normally would not catch with just a normal walk through as it is touched up in the dark using artificial lighting.

Tip: Using an artificial light while you walk this finish, is crucial. You don't want to miss anything.

Used in:

• Custom homes

• High-end remodels

• Rooms with direct lighting or big windows

• Commercial spaces

Real Example: I did a Level 5 job in a modern home near White Rock Lake with huge windows. Without that smooth finish, every bump or seam would’ve stuck out in the natural light.

There are some cons: Costly, a pain to maintain in high traffic areas, time consuming

But if you know yourself and you know that you can't live with anything other than perfect, then this is definitely worth the money. It is nice to have a peace of mind knowing that everything will be looked at with extreme detail. They call this a museum finish for a reason.

So... What Drywall Level Do You Need?

Here’s my quick advice for most Dallas homeowners:

Room Type	Recommended Level
Garage or Utility	Level 1 or 2
Textured Walls	Level 3
Living Areas (Painted)	Level 4
Custom or Luxury Rooms	Level 5

Final Thoughts

An example of a level 5 smooth finish I did in Flower Mound. Direct sunlight hits this wall and causes blemishes to stand out in certain times of the day where in normal lighting they wouldn't. Therefore we had to go all the way to a level 5 on this wall.

If you're planning a drywall project, ask your contractor what level of finish is included. As you can tell, the higher up in number you go on your drywall finishing scale the higher level of skill, time, and money that it will take.

Some projects will be perfectly fine with just a Level 3 and some texture. Most of the market however seems to be trending to at least a level 4 smooth minimalist look.

Every house is different, and every budget is different too. If you’re not sure what level is right for your project, I’m happy to take a look.

You should also check out our Instagram for more examples of cool projects we've done drywall for!

Need help with drywall repair or a new finish? I offer free estimates across Dallas-Fort Worth.