"Finished drywall" is not a specification — it is a ladder of six finish levels (GA-214) that decide whether paint looks flat or reveals every joint. The levels are the vocabulary of every pro quote, and knowing them is the difference between buying the right finish and buying twice.
The ladder
| Level | What happens | Where it belongs |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Board hung, nothing else | Temporary construction |
| 1 | Tape embedded, no coats over | Above ceilings, attics |
| 2 | Tape + one coat wiped thin | Garages, behind tile |
| 3 | + another coat, sanded | Surfaces receiving heavy texture |
| 4 | + finish coat, sanded smooth | The standard — flat/eggshell paint ready |
| 5 | + full skim coat | Gloss paint, critical lighting, dark colors |
Why level 4 is the default — and when it lies
Level 4 makes joints invisible under flat paint in normal light. It fails under critical lighting: big windows raking afternoon light down a long wall, glossy sheens, and dark saturated colors — all of which telegraph joint ridges and screw dimples that sanding cannot fully erase. Level 5's skim coat buries the whole face in compound, and critical light finds nothing.
The cost ladder
- 2 → 4: the coats cost materials and days; the level-4 premium over level-2 is the smallest money and the biggest appearance step.
- 4 → 5: roughly 30–50% more finishing labor — priced honestly in pro quotes, skipped quietly in cheap ones. Ask which level a quote includes, in writing.
Choosing by room
- Garage, utility: level 2–3, textured — done.
- Bedrooms, halls, matte paint: level 4.
- Living walls with big windows, baths with bright lighting, dark paint: level 5 where the light hits.
- Ceilings: level 4 with flat paint hides nearly everything — skip the 5 unless the light rakes.
Quantify supplies for your chosen level with the mud calculator, then hold the quote to the level. The finish level is the product; the board is just the substrate it protects.