Top 12 Drywall Finisher Skills to Put on Your Resume

In drywall finishing, the resume that wins the call-back shows breadth and control. Technical chops, a steady hand, an eye for clean lines, and the practical know-how to move fast without leaving flaws. Put those strengths front and center and you’ll stand out.

Drywall Finisher Skills

1. Taping
2. Mudding
3. Sanding
4. Texturing
5. Skimming
6. Plastering
7. Joint Compound Application
8. Drywall Priming
9. Patching
10. Level 5 Finishing
11. Spray Texture
12. Corner Beading

1. Taping

Taping means embedding paper or fiberglass mesh tape in joint compound across seams and corners so the surface reads as one continuous plane once finished.

Why It's Important

Taping locks seams, stops cracks from telegraphing, and sets the foundation for a seamless finish that holds up under paint and light.

How to Improve Taping Skills

Dial in your taping by tightening the basics and staying consistent:

1. Set the stage: Fasten drywall tight, clean dust, prefill gaps over 1/8 inch. Setting-type compound works well for prefill.

2. Right materials: Paper tape for flat seams and inside corners; fiberglass mesh only with setting-type mud to reduce cracking. Use flexible knives (6" for tape coat, wider for later).

3. Mud consistency: Smooth and creamy. Too thick drags, too thin blisters.

4. Embed cleanly: Lay a thin bed of mud, center the tape, press it in, then knife off excess without starving the tape.

5. Corner control: For inside corners, crease paper tape and use a corner tool or two knives. Keep one side clean while working the other.

6. Chase bubbles: If you see a blister, cut it, add a touch of mud, re-embed. Don’t leave it for later.

7. Dry fully: Let coats cure before the next pass. Feather wider each layer.

8. Light touch sanding: Only knock down ridges before subsequent coats to avoid fuzzing paper.

How to Display Taping Skills on Your Resume

2. Mudding

Mudding is applying joint compound to seams, corners, and fasteners to flatten transitions and build a paint-ready surface.

Why It's Important

Mud hides fasteners, fills seams, and unifies texture so light doesn’t reveal dips, ridges, or patchwork.

How to Improve Mudding Skills

Refine your finish and cut rework:

1. Pick the compound: Setting-type for speed and strong base coats; all-purpose for taping; lightweight for easy sanding finish coats.

2. Mix right: Aim for peanut-butter smoothness. Mix thoroughly to chase out air bubbles.

3. Thin coats win: Multiple light passes beat one heavy one. Let each coat dry fully.

4. Feather wide: Step up knife widths (6" → 10" → 12"). Extend farther with each coat to hide joints under a gentle taper.

5. Knife pressure: Slightly more pressure on the outer edge of the knife to feather clean.

6. Clean edges: Wipe knife edges often and pull long continuous strokes to avoid chatter.

7. Between-coat sanding: Very light, just to knock down nibs. Save real sanding for the end.

8. Keep tools spotless: Dried bits in your mud make scratches and ridges.

How to Display Mudding Skills on Your Resume

3. Sanding

Sanding smooths joints and blends textures so the surface reads flat and uniform under primer and paint.

Why It's Important

It erases tool marks and transitions, preventing shadows, flashing, or roller lines from revealing flaws later.

How to Improve Sanding Skills

Make it clean, fast, and safe:

1. Use the right grits: Start around 120–150 on build coats; finish at 180–220 on final. Mesh screens or paper—both work, just stay consistent.

2. Dust control: Vacuum-attached sanders or damp sanding sponges for small areas. Wear eye protection and a quality respirator.

3. Even pressure: Broad strokes, light touch. Don’t dig; let the grit do the work.

4. Rake lighting: Hold a bright light low across the surface to spot ridges and pinholes.

5. Clean between steps: Wipe dust before the next coat or primer to avoid adhesion problems.

6. Know when to stop: Over-sanding exposes paper and creates fuzz. If you hit paper, skim again instead of grinding deeper.

How to Display Sanding Skills on Your Resume

4. Texturing

Texturing adds a decorative or practical finish—orange peel, knockdown, skip trowel, or smooth polish—to disguise minor flaws or deliver a specific look.

Why It's Important

It elevates the space, masks small imperfections, and can soften reflections in rooms with tough lighting.

How to Improve Texturing Skills

Consistency is everything:

1. Prep perfectly: Prime or seal as needed and fix defects first. Texture won’t hide bad seams.

2. Match the method: Sprayer for orange peel/knockdown, knives and trowels for hand finishes. Practice on scrap to dial in pattern and pressure.

3. Control thickness: Thinner mix for sprays; thicker for hand-applied textures. Keep the batch consistent throughout the room.

4. Timing: For knockdown, wait until peaks dull but aren’t dry, then lightly flatten.

5. Blend repairs: Feather outward and match scale so patches disappear once painted.

How to Display Texturing Skills on Your Resume

5. Skimming

Skimming is spreading a thin coat over large areas to erase minor waves, texture, or paper fuzz and create a uniform surface.

Why It's Important

It delivers that glassy, even finish that paint loves—especially under harsh or side lighting.

How to Improve Skimming Skills

Keep it smooth and wide:

1. Surface ready: Clean, dry, dust-free. Spot fill and sand ridges first.

2. Tools: Use a 10–14 inch knife, trowel, or skimming blade. Slightly thinned compound helps flow.

3. Thin, continuous passes: Hold a shallow angle and overlap edges. Work top to bottom, then cross-pass to level.

4. Multiple light coats: Two clean passes usually beat one heavy layer.

5. Feather and pull: Maintain wet edges and finish with long strokes to minimize lap marks.

6. Final touch: After drying, sand lightly with fine grit and wipe down before priming.

How to Display Skimming Skills on Your Resume

6. Plastering

Plastering applies plaster or compound to achieve a flat, durable skin over drywall or patches, ready for finish.

Why It's Important

It strengthens surfaces, hides irregularities, and produces a refined look that resists dings and dents.

How to Improve Plastering Skills

Precision pays off:

1. Prep and prime as needed: Sound substrate, no dust or flaking. Bonding agents where required.

2. Mix to spec: Smooth, lump-free, workable. Follow set times closely.

3. Layering: Apply thin coats, close pores with subsequent passes, and keep a damp edge.

4. Trowel technique: Vary pressure to burnish lightly on final passes without tearing the surface.

5. Minimal sanding: Aim for a trowel finish that needs only a gentle touch at the end.

How to Display Plastering Skills on Your Resume

7. Joint Compound Application

Joint compound application covers seams, fasteners, and imperfections through a sequence of coats that flatten and blend the surface.

Why It's Important

It’s the backbone of a clean finish—no humps, dips, or telegraphed joints under paint.

How to Improve Joint Compound Application Skills

Work methodically:

1. Tape coat: Bed tape with a 6" knife. Keep it thin and fully embedded.
2. Fill coat: Step up to 10". Level the joint and begin feathering.
3. Finish coat: 12" or wider. Feather far beyond the joint for invisible transitions.
4. Feather edges: Slight pressure on the outer edge of the blade to vanish lines.
5. Mind fasteners: Two to three passes, each wider than the last.
6. Light check: Side-light to spot divots and ridges before sanding.
7. Keep it clean: Scrape dried ridges between coats; clean tools often.

How to Display Joint Compound Application Skills on Your Resume

8. Drywall Priming

Drywall priming seals paper and compound so paint adheres evenly and finishes uniformly.

Why It's Important

Primer stops flashing and uneven sheen, reveals remaining flaws, and improves durability of the topcoat.

How to Improve Drywall Priming Skills

Get the base right:

1. Use PVA primer on new drywall: Or a primer-surfacer for critical light or Level 5 work.

2. Prep first: Vacuum dust, wipe down, and touch up pinholes.

3. Apply evenly: Roll and back-roll for uniform film thickness; brush edges cleanly.

4. Allow full dry time: Don’t rush paint onto tacky primer.

5. Inspect under raking light: Mark and repair defects, spot-prime repairs, then proceed to paint.

How to Display Drywall Priming Skills on Your Resume

9. Patching

Patching restores damaged drywall—dings, dents, and holes—so the repair disappears after paint.

Why It's Important

Clean patches protect aesthetics and keep walls sound without calling attention to the fix.

How to Improve Patching Skills

Make repairs vanish:

1. Prep the edges: Cut damaged areas to clean lines. Bevel edges slightly for compound to bridge.

2. Match the method: Use a California patch for small holes; add backing (scrap wood or backer board) for larger cutouts and screw in a new piece.

3. Tape seams: Paper tape with all-purpose or setting-type compound for strength.

4. Build gradually: Fill, then finish with wider coats to blend. Keep the patch slightly crowned; sand to flat.

5. Texture match: Replicate existing texture before priming. Feather well beyond the repair.

6. Prime: Spot-prime patched areas so paint sheen stays consistent.

How to Display Patching Skills on Your Resume

10. Level 5 Finishing

Level 5 is the highest smooth finish: a skim coat over the entire surface (or a primer-surfacer system) that minimizes any joint read-through under critical light or glossy paints.

Why It's Important

It’s the standard when ceilings rake with daylight or when high-sheen coatings amplify the smallest flaw.

How to Improve Level 5 Finishing Skills

Precision plus patience:

1. Prep flawlessly: Correct joints first; no ridges, no chatter.
2. Skim everything: Tight, uniform coat with a skimming blade or trowel. Maintain wet edges.
3. Alternate option: Use a high-build primer-surfacer to even porosity and texture, then touch-skim as needed.
4. Sand fine: After full cure, sand with 220 and inspect under raking light.
5. Prime and inspect again: Touch up micro-defects before paint.

How to Display Level 5 Finishing Skills on Your Resume

11. Spray Texture

Spray texture applies a controlled pattern—orange peel, knockdown, splatter—using a hopper or texture sprayer.

Why It's Important

It’s fast, consistent, and great for blending large areas while hiding minor substrate variation.

How to Improve Spray Texture Skills

Control the variables:

1. Surface and masking: Repair first, then mask thoroughly. Texture finds everything.

2. Nozzle and pressure: Match orifice size and PSI to the desired pattern. Keep distance steady.

3. Mix consistency: Uniform thickness across batches prevents pattern shift.

4. Test panels: Spray a sample board, adjust, then move to the wall.

5. Knockdown timing: For knockdown, wait until sheen fades, then pass lightly with a wide knife.

6. Environment: Watch temperature and humidity; both affect atomization and dry time.

How to Display Spray Texture Skills on Your Resume

12. Corner Beading

Corner bead (metal, vinyl, or paper-faced) reinforces outside corners and delivers a crisp, straight edge. Inside corners are typically taped, not beaded.

Why It's Important

It resists chipping, keeps lines straight, and raises the overall durability and look of the job.

How to Improve Corner Beading Skills

Sharp corners, fewer callbacks:

1. Choose the bead: Paper-faced for fast embedding and clean lines; vinyl for moisture-prone areas; metal for high-impact zones.

2. Cut clean: Measure accurately and cut square. Dry-fit before mud.

3. Set with intent: Apply an even bed of compound (or spray adhesive per product) and press bead straight and true. For nail/screw-on metal, fasten every 8–10 inches.

4. Build out: Apply successive coats feathered 6–12 inches each side, sanding lightly between.

5. Check plumb and straight: Sight down the edge under light; correct while compound is workable.

6. Finish and protect: Final sand, prime, and keep corners clear during follow-on trades.

How to Display Corner Beading Skills on Your Resume