Understandingthe3levelsof
finishforplasterboard
ThreeLevelsofFinishforplasterboardarespecifiedintheAustralian&NZStandardAS/NZS2589;
2006.Level4and5Finishesarecommonlyspecifiedandencounteredinbothresidentialand
commercialconstruction.
LevelsofFinishSelectionChart
Whatisthefinaldecoration?
Finishnotimportant
Finishnotimportant
orundecorated
orundecorated
Paint
Wallcovering,
Wallcovering,
Wallpaperortexture
Wallpaperortexture
Flat/Matt/Satin/
LowSheenFinishes
Paint
Criticalor
Non-Critical
Lighting#
Pastel/Mid
Tones
Tones
Non
Critical
Lighting
Semi-Gloss/
GlossFinishes
Dark
Tones
Critical
Lighting
Criticaland
Non-Critical
Lighting
Level3*
Level4
Level5
#CriticalLighting–whenthelightsourceisnearlyparalleltothesurface.
NonCriticalLighting–Whenthelightstrikingthesurfaceisdiffuseand/oratrightangles.
*Maynotbesuitableforsubsequentdecorationtohighlevelsofqualityinthefuture.Refer
tolevel4or5forupgradingrequirements.
MasterPaintersNZAssociation-FactSheet035
Level3
Level3shallbeusedinareasthatdonotrequiredecorationsuchasaboveceilinglevelorinside
serviceshaftsandthelike.Alljointsandinterioranglesshallhavetapeembeddedinjoint
compoundandoneseparatecoatofjointcompoundappliedoveralljointsandfastenerheads.All
jointcompoundsshallbefinishedsmooth.(Generallythisisachievedbyscrapingoffnibsand
ridgesandthelike,withtheedgeofatrowel.)
Level4
Level4shallbethedefaultleveloffinishforgypsumliningsunlessspecifiedotherwise.Flator
lowsheenpaintsshallbeusedforthislevel.Alljointsandinterioranglesshallhavetape
embeddedinjointingcompoundandaminimumoftwoseparatecoatsofjointingcompound
appliedoveralljoints,angles,fastenerheadsandaccessories.Alljointingcompoundshallbe
finishedevenlyandbefreeoftoolmarksandridgesinpreparationfordecoration.
Notes:
1)Incriticallightingconditions,surfaceimperfectionsmaystillbeapparentinaLevel4surfacefinish
2)Wheregloss,semi-glossordeeptonepaintsareused,surfaceimperfectionswillbemoreevident.
Level5
Level5isforusewhereglossorsemi-glosspaintsarespecifiedorwherecriticallighting
conditionsoccuronsatin,flatorlowsheenpaints.Level5ischaracterizedbyaparityoftexture
andporosity.Thesurfacetextureshallberandominfashionandmonolithic,concealingjointsand
fixingpoints.Alljointsandinterioranglesshallhavetapeembeddedinjointcompoundplusa
minimumoftwoseparatecoatsofjointcompoundappliedoveralljoints,angles,fastenerheads
andaccessories.Alljointcompoundshallbefinishedsmoothandbefreeoftoolmarksandridges.
Apaintorplastermaterialshallthenbesprayed,rolledortrowelledoverthedefinedarea.
Note:
•Level5isdifficulttoachieveandalwaysrequiresco-operationoftheframer,plasterboard
installer,plastererandpainterinestablishingsuitableworkpracticesthatdelivertheagreedpaint
finishforthegivenproject
•Someminorimperfectionsmaystillbevisibleinalevel5finish,howeverthesewillbeminimised
undertheadditionalmeasuresappliedunderlevel5
•Thesurfaceofthedefinedareamayrequiresandingtobesuitablefordecoration
MasterPaintersNZAssociationPoBox39-120LowerHutt5045–PH044725870
[email protected]
MasterPaintersNZAssociation-FactSheet035