

Skim coating requires 1 gallon of joint compound per 50 to 150 square feet of surface area. Installers apply the coating in thin layers, and the process often requires multiple coats. Skim coating a room takes 1 to 4 days, including the drying time between each coat. You can prime and paint drywall directly, but a skim coat is recommended for new drywall that will receive gloss, semi-gloss, or enamel paint or in rooms with bright lighting conditions. Smoothing old, worn, or bumpy wall surfacesĬovering unwanted wall or ceiling textures Touching up scuffs, holes, gouges, and other drywall damageįixing drywall damaged by wallpaper or paneling removal

Preparing new drywall for priming and painting Skim coating-also called a Level 5 drywall finish-creates a flat, uniform surface on walls and ceilings. Skim coating is a thin layer of diluted joint compound smoothed evenly over an entire drywall surface with a trowel or skimming blade. Skim coating also requires other tools and supplies, including:ĭrop cloths or plastic sheeting to protect the floor and furnitureįrequently asked questions What is skim coating? Joint compound is also called drywall mud.

Ready-mixed joint compound for skim coating costs $15 to $20 per 4.5-gallon bucket to cover approximately 250 to 650 square feet of surface area. Painting – Interior painting costs $1 to $3 per square foot of surface area. A knockdown texture is a popular alternative to skim coating. Wallpaper removal costs $1 to $2 per square foot.ĭrywall finish – A level 5 drywall finish costs $1.75 to $3.50 per square foot, and includes hanging the drywall, taping and mudding the joints, and skim coating the entire surface.ĭrywall texture – The cost to texture drywall is $0.80 to $2.00 per square foot. Popcorn ceiling removal costs $1 to $2 per square foot. Repairs and preparation – Skim coating prices do not include repairs:ĭrywall repairs cost $200 to $750 on average.Ĭeiling repairs cost $200 to $500 to fix holes, cracks, or other minor damage. Skim coating with more than two coats increases costs by 50% to 100%. Multiple coats – Most projects require at least two coats to achieve a smooth finish. Room size – Larger rooms have more surface area to coat, increasing time and costs.Ĭeiling height – Contractors charge more to skim coat ceilings over 10' due to the extra time, safety precautions, and additional equipment required to reach the surface. Labor cost – Drywall contractors charge $40 to $100 per hour to skim coat walls and ceilings. Labor for skimming walls costs $0.70 to $0.90 per square foot, or about 70% of the total project cost. Average cost to skim coat walls - ChartĪ drywall contractor adding a skim coat to a wall.
Skim walls and paint cost colorado windows#
Skim coating walls costs $90 to $210 per wall on average, depending on the wall size and height, room shape and complexity, and number of doors and windows the contractors must work around. Skim coating estimates are based on the wall or ceiling surface square footage, not the home's floor square footage. Labor makes up approximately 70% of the total cost of skim coating. The skim coating cost does not include the cost of drywall sheets or drywall installation.
