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Save Time, Right to the Finish
Reducing labor time on an installation often comes down to reliable building products that make the intricate details of your workflow more efficient. All CertainTeed Gypsum finishing products are designed to give you those critical time-saving edges that add up over the course of the project. Our dependable primers, compounds, tapes, textures, and more help you take the job across the finish line quickly and efficiently, saving you time and money along the way.
Finishing Product Solutions
Ready Mix Joint Compounds
Create smooth, seamless finishes with our ready mix compounds that require minimal mixing or thinning.
Setting Compounds
Our range of setting compounds set up and dry quickly and are specially formulated to harden with very little shrinkage.
Primers & Coaters
Get better, more consistent coverage over larger interior drywall and concrete surface areas with our specially formulated quick prep primers and finish coats.
Joint Tape
CertainTeed Gypsum has a range of tape products to reinforce joints and smooth corners quickly and cleanly.
Textures
Easily add a splatter, knockdown or orange peel decorative appearance to gypsum panels and other interior wall and ceiling surfaces.
Sustainability
Get data you need to make the most informed building product choices and meet customer needs with our suite of easy-to-use sustainability tools.
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Tools & Accessories
Our drywall solutions are designed to be complete systems, start to finish, and we have all the accessories you need to finish the job quickly and easily.
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A Complete Range of Products
CertainTeed Gypsum Trophy
Every two years project finalists from across the United States and Canada share stories of the projects that define our landscape and celebrate the talented contractors who make them possible. Every project has a story, and it is our honor to celebrate the best and the brightest in the gypsum industry at the CertainTeed Gypsum Trophy.
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Drywall Finishing
Finishing refers to taping together drywall pieces and covering any bumps or crevices with a mud-like drywall compound. When you complete the finishing process, you will be able to cover your walls with paint, wallpaper, tile, or any other design preference of your choice.
The finishing process starts with applying paper or fiberglass tape over the joints of drywall pieces, and then covering the taped seams, screws, and surface imperfections (such as dents or cracks) with drywall compound. Builders will then let the compound dry before everything is sanded down to create an even, uniform surface. It is not unusual to have to perform additional rounds of compound application and sanding.
Finishing drywall isn’t a complex process, but it does require finesse and takes time and practice to master. While some homebuilding professionals require little sanding to create a smooth finish, first-time DIYers will likely have a harder time getting the look they want.
Beautifully finished walls require the right products. To effectively finish drywall in your home, you will need drywall taping knives, drywall compound (also called mud), a compound tray to hold your mud, drywall tape, and sandpaper or a pole sander.
If you are ready to finish parts of your home, start with the top materials for the job provided by CertainTeed to make your walls look smooth.
With the right preparation, you can properly finish drywall and create smooth walls within your home. There are a few tricks of the trade that we recommend for getting the results you want.
• Start by inspecting your materials and your surfaces. Make sure the compound you use is blended and smooth, then inspect the wall for any screw heads that need to be driven deeper (all fasteners should be slightly recessed) or loose paper bits that need to be torn away.
• Work with small amounts of mudding compound at a time, since it is fast to dry. Using a five-inch drywall knife, apply and smooth compound until each drywall joint is completely filled in and the screw heads are covered.
• When you start to cover your newly-mudded joints with tape, don’t tear off short pieces and place them on the wall. Instead, place the tape on top of the fresh compound and use your fingers to unroll it along the wall. Start from the inside corners and work toward the outside corners. This prevents unsightly cracks where you would have broken the tape.
• Use corner bead to improve the look of corners in the home and increase stability. Try AquaBead® corner reinforcement as an alternative to the traditional metal option. AquaBead® is easy to apply, self-adhesive drywall that won’t blister or crack. If this is the first time you have finished a wall, this product can increase your chances of getting the look you want.
• Finesse is particularly important when you cover the tape with drywall compound. Paul Landry, of P.L. Drywall in Waltham, Massachusetts, tells This Old House that feathering out the compound over the tape to create an imperceptible ledge is a challenge for many beginners.
• Sanding can also be tricky, as homeowners can keep working the drywall until the tape starts flaking off. If you are sanding tape, you’ve sanded down too much and should reapply compound.
• Make sure the compound is uniformly white before you start sanding. This indicates that it is dry. Use a hand or pole sander to apply gentle, even pressure. You only want to sand out raised bumps and rough areas. Avoid sanding the paper face of the drywall.
• Once you have the first coat completed, you can add a second coat of compound. Depending on the desired level of drywall finish, you may add a third layer of compound and a layer of skim coat, which is the highest level of drywall finishing possible. If this process is complete, then your walls are ready for paint, wallpaper, or a spray texturizing treatment.
• To save time, know the level of drywall finishing you need for each part of the house. Garages and attics are often left unfinished because they are made for utility, not design. The walls of the kitchen and bathroom might only have limited finishing until after the cabinetry and tile are installed as there is significantly less to finish once the majority of the walls are covered. Mapping out what areas need to be finished can help you develop a plan to work quickly and effectively.
• If this is your first time mudding drywall, practice on less important walls (like the inside of a closet or along the walls of a garage) first and then move on to more visible surfaces. This will help you improve your skills.
• Finally, if you are a DIY homeowner finishing drywall for the first time, don’t get caught up in making sure every square inch is perfect. You may find that some bumps or lines are inevitable, no matter how much you mud and sand your surfaces.
A little preparation and practice can significantly improve your drywall finishing skills. Soon every room in your house will have the finish you desire.