Hours vary Jacksonville (904) 699-2626
Strictly Builders Inc
Drywall Expertise From Rough Framing to Level 5 Finish

Family-owned · Jacksonville Local

Drywall Expertise From Rough Framing to Level 5 Finish

Hanging, taping, mudding, and finishing handled by the same licensed contractor managing your full project.

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Drywall Expertise That Holds the Whole Project Together

Drywall expertise covers more than hanging panels. A specialist handles board selection, seam placement, corner bead, tape and mud application across multiple coats, and a final finish level matched to the paint or texture the room requires. Level 5 finish, which requires a skim coat over the entire surface before priming, is the standard for high-gloss paint in kitchens, bathrooms, and new construction rooms where light rakes the walls at low angles. Most contractors skip it. Strictly Builders Inc doesn't. Ryan Alson has been on job sites for three years handling drywall as part of complete renovation and new build scopes, which means the work ties in correctly with framing, moisture control, and the finish trades that follow. Call for a free estimate on any drywall scope.

Cost on a drywall project is driven by square footage, board thickness, finish level, ceiling height, and whether existing drywall is coming out first. A straightforward repair in a single room and a full hang on a room addition are priced differently, and patching water-damaged sections requires addressing the moisture source before any board goes up. We handle flooring demolition and removal and structural prep on the same job when the scope calls for it, so there's no handoff gap between trades. Every job is different, contact Strictly Builders Inc for an accurate estimate.

Finish Levels

The Five Levels of Drywall Finish Explained

Specifying the wrong finish level is one of the most common and costly drywall mistakes on renovation projects.

01

Level 0

Temporary installations only. No taping, finishing, or fastener treatment. Not appropriate for any permanent residential or commercial space.

02

Level 1

Tape embedded in joint compound at seams and angles. No additional coats. Used in attics, plenum spaces, and areas that won't be viewed directly.

03

Level 2

One coat of compound over tape and fasteners. Minimum standard for tile backer applications. This is what goes behind your tile shower installation or kitchen backsplash field.

04

Level 3

Two coats on joints and angles, one on fasteners, then a smooth surface coat. Correct for heavy texture finishes. Not adequate under flat or eggshell paint.

05

Level 4

Three coats on joints, two on fasteners and beads. The standard for most paint applications. Sanding between coats keeps the surface flat.

06

Level 5

Full skim coat over the entire surface after Level 4 work. Required under high-gloss and semi-gloss paint, and anywhere raking light will expose surface variation. Standard on kitchen remodels and new construction rooms with significant natural light.

What Strictly Builders Inc Handles on Drywall Jobs

These are the scopes we take on, standalone or as part of a full renovation.

  1. 01

    New Installation

    Full hang on framed walls and ceilings, including board layout to minimize seam placement in high-visibility areas. We calculate board count, confirm framing spacing, and handle fastener pattern to spec.

  2. 02

    Repair and Replacement

    Water-damaged, impact-damaged, or structurally compromised sections cut out and replaced. We don't patch over saturated board. The damaged material comes out, the framing dries, and new board goes in properly.

  3. 03

    Multi-Coat Finishing

    Tape, first coat, second coat, third coat where required, sanding between coats. Skipping coats shows up in six months when the seams telegraph through the paint. We don't skip them.

  4. 04

    Texture Matching

    Patches that can't be matched to the surrounding texture read as patches. We match orange peel, knockdown, and smooth finish textures so repairs disappear under paint rather than advertising themselves.

When to Call

Drywall Work You Should Not DIY

  1. 01

    Any Ceiling Work

    Ceiling drywall is heavier, harder to support during installation, and far more unforgiving on joints. A ceiling seam that fails shows immediately. This is not a weekend project.

  2. 02

    Water or Mold Damage

    Patching over saturated board without removing it traps moisture behind the wall. The mold you can't see is the one that costs you later. We cut back to dry framing before any new board goes up.

  3. 03

    Any Room Going to Level 4 or 5 Finish

    High-gloss paint reads every surface flaw. A Level 5 finish requires consistent skim coat thickness and a flat base. If the application is uneven, the paint amplifies it. The finishing coat is where most amateur drywall work fails.

How Drywall Fits Into a Full Renovation Scope

Drywall rarely stands alone on a renovation project. On a bathroom remodel, moisture-resistant board replaces damaged standard drywall behind the tile field before the tile shower installation begins. On a kitchen remodel, new drywall goes up after electrical rough-in and before cabinet installation. On a new build, the hang and finish schedule coordinates with insulation, framing inspection, and the paint contractor. Strictly Builders Inc handles all of those scopes under one contractor, which means the drywall schedule doesn't slip because a separate sub didn't show up. Ryan Alson manages the sequence directly. Serving areas including Ponte Vedra, Fleming Island, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, and Saint Johns.
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Moisture-Resistant Board: Where Standard Drywall Fails

Standard drywall in a bathroom or kitchen is a liability. The paper facing absorbs moisture, the gypsum core degrades, and mold establishes itself behind the finish surface before you know there's a problem. Moisture-resistant board uses a fiberglass mat facing rather than paper, which doesn't absorb water the same way. In high-humidity environments like shower surrounds, areas around tubs, and below-grade rooms, we spec moisture-resistant board as the substrate. It costs more than standard half-inch. It's worth it. Any contractor who hangs standard board behind a tile surround is cutting a corner you'll find in two years when the tiles start to debond.
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Why the Work Holds Up

Strictly Builders Inc runs drywall as a core trade, not a subcontracted afterthought.

3 years on active renovation and new build job sites
Drywall is a standard scope on every project type we take on
Moisture-resistant board specified in all wet areas
No standard drywall behind tile, tub surrounds, or below-grade
Finish level matched to the specified paint sheen
Level 5 finish applied where high-gloss or semi-gloss is specified
Single contractor from demo through finish
No handoff between a drywall sub and a painting sub, we coordinate the sequence

Drywall Questions We Get on Every Job

What does a drywall specialist actually do that a general laborer doesn't?
Board layout, seam placement to avoid high-visibility joints, proper fastener pattern and depth, multi-coat compound application with sanding between coats, corner bead installation, and finish-level matching to the specified paint system. A laborer can hang board. A specialist produces a surface where the seams don't telegraph through the paint in six months.
What are the five levels of drywall finish and which one do I need?
Level 0 through Level 5, where Level 0 is temporary and Level 5 is a full skim coat over the entire surface. Most interior paint applications require Level 4. High-gloss and semi-gloss paint in kitchens and bathrooms should have Level 5. If you're using flat paint in a utility space, Level 3 may be adequate. We specify the finish level based on the room, ceiling height, and paint system before work starts.
How do you match drywall texture on a repair so the patch isn't visible?
The key variables are compound viscosity, application tool, and technique. Orange peel requires a specific spray pressure and droplet size. Knockdown is applied wet and partially flattened at a timed interval. Smooth finish requires feathering the compound edge past the repair boundary and sanding flat. We test the texture match on a scrap piece before touching the wall. If the surrounding texture is worn or inconsistent, we may need to skim the full wall section.
What's the difference between regular drywall and moisture-resistant board in a bathroom?
Standard drywall uses a paper facing that absorbs moisture. Moisture-resistant board uses a fiberglass mat facing that resists water penetration. Behind a tile surround or around a tub, standard drywall will fail at the seams and degrade the gypsum core within a few years. We use moisture-resistant board in all wet-area applications as the substrate behind tile.
When does drywall repair require removing more than just the damaged section?
Any time the damage source is moisture, the cut-back area needs to extend to dry framing. Cutting a patch around a water stain without removing the wet material behind it traps moisture. You'll see mold or smell it within months. We probe the framing for moisture before determining how far the cut-back goes. If the framing itself is compromised, that gets addressed before the board goes back up.
How thick should drywall be on walls versus ceilings?
Standard wall applications use half-inch board. Ceilings typically use five-eighths-inch board, which is heavier but sags less between framing members over time. Half-inch ceiling board on 24-inch stud spacing can develop sag, especially in humid climates. In Florida's humidity, five-eighths on ceilings is the right call on most applications.

Schedule Your Drywall Estimate

Hanging, finishing, repair, or full renovation scope. Call Strictly Builders Inc to walk through the job.

Call (904) 699-2626

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