Skim Coating in Vancouver, WA
AvilaCo Drywall skim coats walls and ceilings for homeowners across Vancouver, WA, Camas, WA, Ridgefield, WA and the rest of Clark County. Thin coats of joint compound turn knockdown, orange peel, wallpaper damage and old patches into smooth walls. We sand, prime and leave the room ready to paint, with floors and furniture covered the whole time.
Free Skim Coating Quote
No strings. We respond within 24 hours.
Free Skim Coating Quote
No strings. We respond within 24 hours.
This drywall company is exceptional. The smooth wall finish they did in our living room, dining room, and hallway was so flawless that we immediately had them back to do our entire upstairs. They are incredibly clean, efficient, punctual, and fast... without ever sacrificing quality.
Skim Coating Turns Textured, Patchy Walls Into Smooth Ones
Skim coating means troweling thin coats of joint compound over the whole wall or ceiling, then sanding and priming it. Paint alone can't hide texture, patches or torn paper. A skim coat gives you one flat, even surface, and it's how you get a true smooth wall finish.
It's different from patching. A patch fixes one spot. Skim coating covers every inch, so nothing shows through the paint, even in strong window light. Our hand texture crew knows how texture is laid down, which helps when covering it.
- Smooth walls from knockdown or orange peel texture
- Walls ready to paint after wallpaper removal
- Torn paper face sealed before the mud goes on
- Old patches and repairs blended into one flat surface
- Smooth ceilings after popcorn removal
- Level 5 finish for flat paint and bright windows
- Sanded with dust control, primed and ready for paint
What Skim Coating Fixes on Walls and Ceilings
Most skim coating jobs start with one of these six problems. If yours isn't on the list, send us a photo and we'll tell you whether a skim coat is the right fix.
Knockdown and Orange Peel to Smooth
Texture that looked fine when the house was built can make it feel dated now. Thin coats of joint compound fill the valleys and bury the peaks, so you end up with a flat, smooth wall you can paint any color.
Wallpaper Damage After Removal
Pulling wallpaper often leaves gouges, glue residue and a ragged surface. A skim coat evens all of it out, so the wall looks like it was never papered.
Torn Paper Face Sealed Before Mud
When the paper on the drywall tears, plain joint compound bubbles right through it. We seal torn areas with a sealer or primer first, then skim over them, so the repair stays flat.
Walls Covered in Old Patches
Years of nail holes, anchors and small repairs leave a wall that shows every one of them once the paint dries. Skim coating the whole wall hides them all at once.
Smooth Ceilings After Popcorn Removal
Scraping popcorn texture leaves a ceiling with marks and uneven spots. A skim coat levels it for a clean, flat finish. Our popcorn removal service includes this step.
Level 5 Finish Under Bright Light
Window light that rakes across a wall shows every ridge and seam. A level 5 finish adds a skim coat over the whole surface so flat or glossy paint looks even from every angle.
Skim Coating vs. Replacing the Drywall
If the board is sound, skim coating is the better call. It's faster than tearing out and rehanging, it makes less dust, and the walls stay put. Texture, patches, wallpaper damage and rough ceilings all come out under a skim coat.
Replace the drywall when it's soft, water damaged or crumbling. Compound can't make weak board strong, and it won't hold up over moisture damage. That's a job for drywall repair or new drywall installation, and we do both.
We tell you which one your wall needs at the walkthrough. Sometimes it's a mix, with a few bad sheets replaced and the whole room skim coated for a finish that matches.
Skim Coating an Older Home Starts With a Texture Test
Homes built before 1981 can have asbestos in the wall texture or the joint compound. Sanding disturbs it. If your home is from that era, have a lab test a sample before anyone sands or scrapes old texture.
AvilaCo Drywall doesn't do asbestos abatement. If the test comes back positive, an abatement company handles it first, and we schedule our skim coating after they finish. Our guide on asbestos in popcorn ceilings covers how to test.
Skim Coat After Popcorn Removal and Level 5 Finishes
Scraping a popcorn ceiling leaves gouges, seams and uneven spots. We skim coat the whole ceiling, sand it and prime it, which is how you get a flat ceiling you can paint. It's built into our popcorn ceiling removal work.
A level 5 finish is the same idea applied to new or repaired walls. After the joints are taped and sanded, a skim coat goes over the entire surface so the paper and the compound take paint the same way. It's worth it under flat or glossy paint and on walls that catch strong window light.
Read our guides on drywall finish levels and smooth versus textured walls if you're deciding between them.
Skim Coating for Whole Houses, Single Rooms and Accent Walls
You choose the scope. We skim coat one wall, one room at a time while you live in the house, or every surface in the home.
Whole-House Smooth Walls
A full house is the biggest change and the most even result. Every wall and ceiling gets the same finish, so rooms flow into each other and the texture doesn't change at the doorway.
One Room at a Time
You don't have to do the whole house. Many homeowners start with the living room, then call us back for the next one. We plastic off the room, finish it, and move on when you're ready.
A Single Accent Wall
A feature wall behind a TV or fireplace gets the most attention, and it looks best perfectly flat. We skim the one wall and blend it into the rest of the room with a clean paint line.
Kitchens and Great Rooms
Big open rooms with lots of windows show texture and patches in the daylight. Smooth walls and ceilings make a kitchen and great room look bigger and cleaner.
Bathrooms and Hallways
Small rooms and hallways are close up and well lit, so uneven walls stand out. A smooth finish is quick to wipe down and gives paint an even surface. Bathrooms with moisture damage need the board fixed first.
Stairwells and Tall Walls
Tall walls take scaffolding and a steady hand. Our crew works from scaffolding to reach the full height, so the finish at the top matches the finish at the bottom.
How a Skim Coating Project Runs From Walkthrough to Paint
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Walkthrough and Wall Check
We look at your walls and ceilings with you, check the texture and the condition of the drywall, and talk about the finish you want. If a wall needs repair first, we'll say so.
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Protect, Repair and Seal
Our crew plastics off the room and covers floors and furniture. We patch damage, then seal any torn paper with a sealer or primer so it doesn't bubble under the mud.
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Thin Coats and Sanding
Two or three thin coats of joint compound go on, with drying time between each one. We sand smooth with dust control. A room usually takes a few days because every coat has to dry.
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Prime and Paint
Fresh compound soaks up paint, so we prime first. Then we can handle the interior painting too, so one crew takes the wall from rough to finished.
Skim Coating for Homeowners and Anyone Updating an Older Home
Skim coating is a clean, quiet way to change how a home looks without a remodel. One crew preps, coats, sands and primes, so the finish is even from the first wall to the last.
Smooth Walls While You Live in the House
We plastic off the work area, cover floors and furniture, and clean up at the end of every day. We can go room by room, so you always have somewhere to be. Estimates are free anywhere from Washougal, WA to Longview, WA.
Tell us about your walls or call (360) 904-3878 and we'll set up a walkthrough.
Dated Texture Gone Before Paint or a Listing
Smooth walls and a fresh coat of paint are a straightforward way to update an older home, for families staying put and for sellers getting ready to list. We coordinate with your painter or run the painting ourselves.
If other trades are on the job, such as an electrician or a flooring crew, we schedule around them. Those trades come from your general contractor.
Smooth Wall and Ceiling Work From Our Crew
The same crew that handles our skim coating, on jobs across Clark and Cowlitz Counties. See more on our projects page and our drywall installation page.
How to Get a Skim Coating Quote
Tell us which rooms you want smooth and what's on the walls now. "Knockdown in the living room and hallway" or "wallpaper just came off the dining room" is a perfect start. Send a few photos, including a close one of the texture, and the year your home was built.
Every skim coating job is quoted after a free walkthrough. Use our contact page or call (360) 904-3878. More about how we work is on our FAQ page.
Planning ahead? Our guide to preparing your home for a drywall project covers what to move and what we handle.
Skim Coating Walls and Ceilings FAQ
What Is Skim Coating?
Skim coating is troweling thin coats of joint compound over an entire wall or ceiling, then sanding it smooth and priming it. It covers texture, patches, small cracks and damaged paper so the surface looks like one flat piece. It works on a single wall, a room or a whole house.
How Long Does Skim Coating Take?
Each coat has to dry before the next one goes on, so skim coating a room takes a few days. Most of that time is drying, not work. Bigger jobs run longer, and humid weather slows the drying. We'll give you a schedule at the walkthrough. See how drywall drying times work.
Can You Skim Coat Over Textured Walls?
Yes. Knockdown and orange peel are the most common textures we skim over. Heavy textures like popcorn or a deep skip trowel take more compound or a scrape first. Our smooth walls versus textured walls guide explains the options, and we'll check your wall at the walkthrough.
Is Skim Coating Better Than Replacing Drywall?
When the board is sound, yes. A skim coat is faster, creates less dust and costs less than tearing out and rehanging. Replace the drywall when it's soft, water damaged or crumbling, because compound can't fix weak board. We handle drywall repair and drywall installation too, so we'll tell you which one your wall needs.
Can You Skim Coat a Ceiling After Popcorn Removal?
Yes, and it's the usual next step. Scraping leaves gouges, seams and uneven spots, so we skim coat the whole ceiling, sand it and prime it. The result is a smooth, flat ceiling ready for paint. Read more on our popcorn ceiling removal page.
What Is a Level 5 Drywall Finish?
Level 5 is the highest of the drywall finish levels. It adds a skim coat over the entire surface, on top of taped and sanded joints, so the wall has the same smoothness and absorbency everywhere. It's the right choice for flat or glossy paint and walls with strong window light. Our finish levels guide has the full breakdown.
Do You Need to Prime Before Skim Coating?
Sometimes. Torn paper gets a sealer before the first coat so it doesn't bubble, and glossy paint gets a bonding primer so the compound grips. Flat paint in good shape usually just needs a cleaning. We look at each wall at the walkthrough and prime after sanding too, so paint goes on evenly.
Who Tests for Asbestos Before Skim Coating an Older Home?
A lab does, and you should have it done before anyone sands old texture. Homes built before 1981 can have asbestos in wall texture or joint compound. AvilaCo Drywall doesn't do asbestos abatement, so a positive test means an abatement company handles it first. See our asbestos and popcorn ceiling guide.
How Much Does Skim Coating Cost?
It depends on how many walls and ceilings you want skim coated, the texture you're covering, and the condition of the drywall underneath. An accent wall is a much smaller job than a whole house. We quote every skim coating job after a free walkthrough. Request yours here.
Can I Stay Home During Skim Coating?
Yes. We plastic off the work area, cover floors and furniture, sand with dust control and clean up at the end of every day. Plan on the room being out of use for a few days while the coats dry. We can work room by room so the rest of the house stays livable.
Related Services
Let's Give You Smooth Walls
Tell us about your walls and we'll recommend the skim coating that fits, from one accent wall to the whole house. Serving Vancouver, WA and all of Clark and Cowlitz Counties.
