Interior Finishes and Trim

Baseboard is the trim board at the bottom of a wall where it meets the floor.

A butt joint is a drywall seam where the cut ends of two drywall sheets meet.

Casing is the trim around doors and windows.

Caulk is a flexible sealant used to close small gaps between trim and walls.

Corner bead is the metal or plastic strip used to create strong, straight outside corners in drywall.

Drywall is the sheet material used to create most interior walls and ceilings.

Drywall finish level is a standard that describes how smooth and complete the drywall finishing is, from Level 0 to Level 5.

An expansion gap is a small space left at edges so flooring can expand and contract without buckling.

Joint compound is the paste used to cover seams, corners, and fasteners in drywall.

Level 4 finish means seams and fasteners are covered and sanded, ready for paint, with a typical residential smooth finish.

Level 5 finish adds a skim coat over the whole surface to make the wall as uniform as possible.

Paint sheen is how shiny the paint is, from flat to satin to semi-gloss.

Primer is the base coat that helps paint stick and helps create even color and sheen.

Raking light is light that hits a wall from the side, which makes bumps and seams easier to see.

A reducer strip is a tapered transition piece that bridges a height difference between two adjacent flooring materials.

A reveal is the small, consistent gap or step used as a visual line between trim pieces or between trim and a frame.

A screw pop is when a drywall screw pushes up and creates a small bump or crack in paint.

A skim coat is a thin layer of joint compound spread over a wall or ceiling to smooth and unify the surface.

Tape and mud is the process of covering drywall seams with tape and joint compound to make a smooth surface.

Trim is the finish woodwork that covers edges and gaps, like baseboards, door casing, and window casing.