Level 4 is the standard plasterboard finish for most new homes, and it's one you should check on your build.
Level 4 is the second-highest finish level for plasterboard. It gives a smooth surface ready to paint, where you shouldn't see joints or screw heads in normal lighting. Getting there takes careful filling, sanding and sealing, not just a coat of paint.
Most homeowners won't be doing this themselves. What matters is knowing what Level 4 means in your contract, how to check it at the fixing and painting stages, and what to do if the joints show.
C12 - Fixing Stage Inspection Checklist
$119.00 AUD
Last updated 28 Oct 2026 · Revision 5 · Free updates for life
Checklist Type: Major (Fixing Stage)
Form Factor: Fillable, print-ready PDF (A4, 40 pages)
When to use: Fixing stage: plasterboard, eaves, joinery, fixout carpentry and tiling
A 159-point fixing stage checklist. Inspect plasterboard, eaves, joinery, doors, skirtings and tiling over two visits, before the stage is signed off.
What Is Level 4 Plasterboard Finish?
The Australian Standard AS/NZS 2589:2017 (Gypsum linings, application and finishing) sets levels of finish from 0 to 5. For residential construction, Level 4 is the standard unless your contract says otherwise.
Level 3: joints and fixings finished, but suited to heavy textured finishes, not flat painted walls.
Level 4: joints set with a 3-coat system, sanded and feathered, suitable for flat or low-sheen paint under normal lighting.
Level 5: Level 4 plus a skim coat over the whole surface. Ask for it where lighting is critical: long walls lit by downlights or windows (raking light), or where you want gloss paint.
For Level 4, plasterboard sheets should be installed horizontally on walls and parallel to the main light source on ceilings, using full sheets where possible and minimising butt joints. Joints need a 3-coat system, each coat dried fully, with the top coat sanded smooth. Internal and external corners, fixings and cornices are feathered to the same standard.
Sealing the plasterboard face and joints with a quality sealer undercoat is essential. It evens out texture and absorption so the paint looks uniform. Two top coats then go on once the sealer is dry.
Gloss banding or sheen staining, where joints show as a different sheen, usually comes from poor sealing or recoating before setting coats are completely dry. A tinted sealer coat may be needed where yellowing, bleeding or sheen staining is a risk.
What to Check on Your Build
At the fixing stage (see our C12 Fixing Stage checklist), check:
Sheets installed horizontally, joints set with at least three coats, each dried completely, then sanded smooth and feathered so they blend into the wall.
Before painting starts (see our C15 Painting checklist), check the whole surface is sealed with a quality sealer undercoat. Without it, the wall won't take paint evenly and the joints will show as patchy areas.
Then two top coats of a good-quality paint, applied after the sealer has dried according to the manufacturer's recoat times.
Lighting matters when you inspect. Harsh, raking light shows every imperfection, while dim light hides them. Inspect walls in the same kind of lighting the room will have, including with downlights on and at the time of day when sun hits the wall.
Painting Over Level 4 Finish
Painting is where a Level 4 finish is made or ruined. Here's what good practice looks like.
Make sure the sealer undercoat is dry before top coats go on. Follow the paint manufacturer's recoat time on the tin.
Apply at least two top coats of quality paint. Rolling, or spraying and back-rolling, gives the most even coverage.
Imperfections such as pinholes, cracks and uneven patches should be fixed after the first coat, before the second.
Flat or low-sheen paint hides joints and minor flaws best. Higher sheens like satin or semi-gloss show every imperfection, especially under raking light.
Conclusion
If you can see joints or screw heads in normal light at handover, list it on your C16 Practical Completion inspection and ask the builder to fix it before you sign off.
