Drywall Installation and Mudding
With rough inspection passed, it's time to close up the walls. Drywall installation and finishing transforms your construction zone into recognizable rooms. Whether you're hanging full walls or patching demo areas, proper technique ensures smooth, professional results that provide a perfect canvas for paint.
Quick Summary
Time needed
4-7 days
Cost
$1,200-2,500
Difficulty
Moderate-Advanced
Why Quality Drywall Work Matters
Drywall finishing is where craftsmanship shows—or doesn't. Perfect walls and ceilings look effortless, but they require skill, patience, and attention to detail. Poor finishing is glaringly obvious once paint goes on, showing every ridge, divot, and uneven seam.
The Lighting Test: Smooth walls look fine under overhead lights but terrible under raking light (light hitting at an angle). Natural light from windows is particularly unforgiving. If you want professional results, you need proper finishing technique—three coats minimum, proper feathering, and thorough sanding.
Many homeowners successfully hang drywall themselves but hire professionals for finishing. This hybrid approach saves money while ensuring quality results where it matters most—the visible surface.
Hanging Drywall
1. Plan Your Layout
Before cutting or hanging, plan which direction to run sheets and where seams will fall. Good planning minimizes seams, avoids creating small pieces, and makes finishing easier.
Layout Best Practices:
- •Run sheets perpendicular to studs/joists when possible
- •Stagger seams—avoid four corners meeting
- •Use full sheets when possible to minimize seams
- •Hang ceilings first, then walls
- •Avoid placing seams at corners of openings (weak points)
- •Leave 1/4-inch gap where walls meet ceiling
2. Cut and Install Sheets
Measure carefully, cut accurately, and secure properly. Drywall is heavy (50-70 pounds per sheet) and awkward to handle, especially on ceilings. Get help or rent a drywall lift.
Installation Tips:
- • Score and snap for straight cuts, use drywall saw for openings
- • Use drywall screws, not nails (screws don't pop)
- • Drive screws just below surface—don't break paper
- • Space screws 12 inches apart on walls, 8 inches on ceilings
- • Keep screws at least 3/8 inch from edges to prevent crumbling
- • Cut out electrical boxes after hanging (mark locations first)
- • Fit sheets snug but don't force them
Pro tip: Rent or buy a drywall lift for ceilings. Trying to hold heavy sheets overhead while screwing them in is miserable and dangerous. A lift ($40/day rental or $200 to buy) makes ceiling work manageable for one person and much easier for two.
3. Install Corner Bead and Trim
Outside corners need metal or plastic corner bead for protection and straight edges. Inside corners just need tape. Install corner bead before mudding begins.
Corner Bead Types:
- • Metal bead: Traditional, durable, needs careful nailing
- • Vinyl bead: Won't dent, adheres with mud or spray adhesive
- • Paper-faced bead: Flexible for slightly off-square corners
- • Bullnose bead: Rounded edge for design preference (archways, etc.)
Taping and Mudding Process
First Coat: Tape Embed
The first coat embeds tape in joint compound at all seams, corners, and around corner bead. This coat bonds the tape and fills the largest gaps. It won't look smooth—that comes later.
First Coat Technique:
- • Apply thin bed of mud along seam with 4-6 inch knife
- • Press tape into mud, centered over seam
- • Smooth tape with knife, squeezing out excess mud and bubbles
- • Apply thin coat over tape, feathering edges slightly
- • Fill screw holes with small amount of mud
- • Don't worry about perfection—focus on embedding tape
- • Let dry completely (24 hours) before second coat
Flat Seams
Apply mud, embed tape down center, smooth with knife removing excess. Keep this coat thin—you'll build thickness later.
Inside Corners
Apply mud to both sides of corner, fold tape down center, smooth each side. Use corner trowel or regular knife at 45° angle.
Second Coat: Build and Widen
After first coat is bone dry, apply second coat with a wider knife (8-10 inches). This builds thickness over tape and widens the joint to hide the tape bump. Scrape off any high spots from first coat before starting.
Second Coat Technique:
- • Use 8-10 inch knife for wider coverage
- • Apply mud 6-8 inches wider than first coat
- • Feather edges thin to blend with existing drywall
- • Fill any remaining screw holes
- • Apply smooth, even pressure—let knife do the work
- • Better to do light coats than try to fix heavy ones
- • Let dry completely again (24 hours minimum)
Third Coat: Skim and Feather
The final coat creates a smooth, nearly invisible transition from joint to wall. Use a wide knife (10-12 inches) with very light pressure, focusing on perfect feathering at the edges.
Third Coat Goals:
- • Extend joint even wider than second coat
- • Make edges paper-thin where they meet drywall
- • Fill any remaining imperfections or pinholes
- • Create smooth, flat surface across entire joint
- • Touch up corner bead edges if needed
- • Final coat should be thin—just smoothing and perfecting
Quality check: After third coat dries, use a bright light held at an angle to check for imperfections. Shine it along seams and you'll see any ridges, divots, or uneven areas. Mark these with pencil and touch up before sanding.
Sanding and Final Preparation
Sanding Technique
Once the final coat is completely dry, sand all surfaces smooth. Use 120-grit sandpaper or sanding sponge, working in circular motions with light pressure. The goal is smoothing, not removing material. Sand just enough to eliminate ridges and blend edges.
Dust control: Drywall dust is fine and gets everywhere. Use a vacuum sander if possible, wear a dust mask, seal off other rooms, and vacuum frequently. After sanding, vacuum walls and floors thoroughly before painting.
Prime Before Painting
Don't skip primer. Drywall compound is porous and absorbs paint differently than drywall paper. Without primer, joints will show through paint as dull spots. Use drywall primer/sealer on all new or patched drywall.
Primer benefits: Seals porous mud, provides uniform surface for paint, improves paint adhesion, reduces number of paint coats needed, and reveals any remaining imperfections you can touch up before final painting.
When to Hire a Professional
Drywall finishing is a skilled trade. If you want flawless results, hiring a professional finisher ($2-4 per square foot) is often worth it. They work faster, waste less material, and deliver smooth walls that look effortless.
DIY vs. Pro: Many homeowners hang drywall themselves (saves 50% of cost) then hire finishers for taping and mudding. This hybrid approach is cost-effective while ensuring professional results where it shows most—the finished surface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I hire a professional for drywall or DIY it?
This depends on your skills and project scope. Hanging drywall is physically demanding but learnable. Finishing (mudding and taping) requires skill and patience for professional results. If you're only patching small areas, DIY is reasonable. For full wall installation or if you want flawless results, hiring professionals ($2-4 per square foot installed and finished) is often worth it. Poor finishing is very visible and time-consuming to fix.
What thickness drywall should I use in a kitchen?
Standard 1/2-inch drywall works for most kitchen walls. Use 5/8-inch (Type X fire-rated) if required by code for certain locations like attached garage walls. For ceilings, 1/2-inch is acceptable but 5/8-inch resists sagging better over time. Moisture-resistant (green board) or mold-resistant (purple board) drywall is smart for areas near sinks or high humidity, though not required in most kitchens.
How many coats of mud do you need?
Professional drywall finishing typically requires three coats of joint compound: first coat embeds the tape, second coat (applied after first dries) builds thickness and width, third coat (skim coat) creates smooth finish with feathered edges. Each coat must dry completely before the next—usually 24 hours. Some DIYers need four or more coats to achieve smooth results. Don't rush the process.
What's the difference between paper tape and mesh tape?
Paper tape is traditional, stronger, and creates smoother joints when properly applied with joint compound embedding. It requires skill but provides best results. Mesh (fiberglass) tape is self-adhesive, easier for beginners, and good for repairs, but it's slightly weaker and can show texture. Professionals prefer paper tape for new installation. DIYers often find mesh easier for small patches. Both work—choose based on your skill level and application.
How long does drywall installation and finishing take?
For a full kitchen renovation, hanging drywall takes 1-2 days. Finishing takes 3-5 days due to drying time between coats (first coat: 1 day, dry overnight, second coat: 1 day, dry overnight, third coat: 1 day, dry overnight, sanding and cleanup: 1 day). Professional crews work faster. DIY takes longer. Don't rush drying times or you'll compromise quality. Budget at least a week from hanging to primer-ready walls.
Ready for the Next Step?
With walls finished and smooth, you're ready to move into the Cabinets phase and start ordering your new kitchen cabinets.