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AMN Construction · Trade secrets · Drywall and plaster

Trade 10 of 13

Drywall and plaster, where the walls you see are made.

The finish you see is made in the last coats. Light shows every flaw, so the level of finish should be chosen with the lights in mind.

In short

  • Smooth walls are made in layers and sanded. Dust is part of the process.
  • Walls by big windows show every flaw. Ask for the top finish, Level 5, there.
  • Plaster is hand troweled. It looks richer and costs more.
Drawing: Drywall and plasterRaking light1234
  1. Drywall boardsHung on the studs, with a small gap at each joint.
  2. Tape and first coatTape bridges the joint so it cannot crack. The first coat embeds it.
  3. Second coatWider than the first, to start hiding the edge.
  4. Final coatFeathered out wide and sanded. Light across the wall shows any ridge.
A drywall joint in section: tape, then a first coat, a wider second coat and a final coat feathered flat. A light raking across the wall shows any ridge.

What you will see

In the order it happens.

  • NoiseMedium
  • MessHeavy
  • Your sayMedium
  1. Step 1

    Boards are hung on walls and ceilings. The house suddenly feels like rooms.

  2. Step 2

    Joints are taped and coated, then sanded after each coat. Fine dust travels.

  3. Step 3

    Primer goes on, and walls are checked under a side light.

  4. Step 4

    Plaster, if used, goes on in coats by hand and cures before paint.

How it is done well

The techniques that matter.

  • The finish level matches the lighting: higher where window light rakes across a wall.
  • Damp rooms get moisture-resistant board. Showers get cement board or similar.
  • Planned joints break up long runs to limit cracking.
  • Floors and openings are protected, and dust is contained.

The hardest parts

Where this trade earns its fee.

  • Ceilings and tall walls, where joints show.
  • Color and texture consistency in hand plaster.
  • Keeping dust out of an occupied house.

Think deeply here

Decide this before the trade starts.

These are the choices that decide whether the finished house matches the one in your head. Changing them later costs time and money.

  • The wall finish: smooth drywall, plaster or limewash.
  • Corner details: square, bullnose or metal-edge.
  • Shadow gaps and reveals at ceilings and baseboards.
  • Which walls need the highest finish level.

Ask any builder

  • What level of finish is quoted, and where?
  • Can we see a sample panel in the room’s light?
  • How is dust controlled?
Before thisInsulationNext on siteTile

All the trades, in the order you will meet them

  1. 01Site work
  2. 02Foundations
  3. 03Framing
  4. 04Roofing
  5. 05Windows and exterior
  6. 06Plumbing
  7. 07Electrical
  8. 08HVAC
  9. 09Insulation
  10. 10Drywall and plaster
  11. 11Tile
  12. 12Cabinetry
  13. 13Floors and paint

General guidance, not a specification. Your drawings, your engineer and your building inspector govern every job. See the whole process · Trade secrets home

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Updated October 2026

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