Drywall taping is an art. Some people have more talent than others. We at New Generation are professional Drywall Finishers. You will see a professional final product, done correctly.

A typical taping job can take at least 5 to 7 working days. The bigger the job, the longer it will take. The temperature needs to be at least 55 °F constantly during the taping process, as recommended by drywall compound manufacturers.

Most drywall finishing is specified to a Level 4 finish: See levels of finish for explanations of the levels.

The six phases of the drywall taping process:
This is a very basic overview of the drywall taping process. There are some situations in which we may use different joint compounds or processes for better outcomes.

Phase 1, "Tape coat": Prefill the joints and tape with paper tape, install and tape cornerbead, coat (spot) screw holes once.

Paper tape is the proper material to use on joints; anything else will not stand the test of time.

We use all-purpose drywall compound to adhere the tape to the drywall. All-purpose compound has a high glue content to give the tape a strong hold to the drywall.

Drying time: Usually a day or two.

Phase 2, "Filler coat": Coat all joints with lightweight joint compound, coat one side of angle, fill cornerbead, spot screws once.

Drying time: The joint compound needs to completely dry; usually 24 hours, minimum. The more offset the drywall is, the more joint compound needed, which may increase the drying time. The filler coat needs to be totally dry before we move to the finish coat (Phase 3). Fans, heat, air conditioning and dehumidifiers can help with the drying process. (Customers usually provide and supervise any of the above drying aids.)

Phase 3, "Finish coat": With lightweight joint compound, coat all the joints again, the other side of the angle, fill cornerbead, spot screws once.

Drying time: Usually 24 hours, minimum. The finish coat needs to be totally dry before we texture or sand.

Phase 4, "Texture coat": If any texture is being applied to ceilings or walls, this would be the next step.

Drying time: Usually 24 hours.

Phase 5, "Skimcoating": Skimcoating provides a smooth finish, which is often preferable for ceilings, for drywall that will be visible in strong natural sunlight, or for under dark or high-gloss paints. Skimcoating can also be done on walls damaged by wallpaper removal or to cover over textures. Two coats of compound and then sanding are generally needed to cover damage or textures.

Drying time: Usually 24 hours.

Phase 6, "Sanding": We use strong (500-watt) lights to view surfaces for sanding. We use a vacuum sander, when possible, to cut down on the dust somewhat. Realistically, there will be dust; be mentally prepared.

After the Job Is Done: Let the walls dry for up to five days before priming, following the recommendations of the joint compound manufacturer.