| name | interior-finishes-trades |
| description | Expert guidance on interior finish construction including framing, drywall, painting, flooring, tile, millwork, and finish carpentry for commercial projects. |
Interior Finishes Trades
Comprehensive trade knowledge for managing interior finish work from rough framing through final punch list on commercial and institutional construction projects.
Quick Reference Tables
Gypsum Board Selection
| Board Type | Thickness | Primary Application |
|---|
| Regular | 1/2" | Standard residential, light commercial |
| Regular | 5/8" | Standard commercial walls |
| Type X | 5/8" | 1-hour fire-rated assemblies |
| Type X | 2 layers 5/8" | 2-hour fire-rated assemblies |
| Type C | 5/8" | Enhanced fire performance |
| Moisture-Resistant | 1/2", 5/8" | Bathrooms (not in wet areas) |
| Mold-Resistant | 1/2", 5/8" | High humidity areas |
| Abuse-Resistant | 5/8" | Corridors, high-traffic areas |
| Impact-Resistant | 5/8" | Gymnasiums, detention |
| Shaft Liner | 1" | Elevator/stair shaft walls |
Drywall Finish Levels
| Level | Description | Typical Applications |
|---|
| Level 0 | No finishing | Temporary construction, concealed |
| Level 1 | Tape embedded | Above ceilings, service areas |
| Level 2 | One coat on tape/fasteners | Tile substrate, concealed areas |
| Level 3 | Two coats, tool marks OK | Heavy texture, heavy wallcovering |
| Level 4 | Three coats, sanded smooth | Flat/eggshell paint, light texture |
| Level 5 | Skim coat entire surface | Gloss paint, critical lighting |
Metal Framing Gauges
| Gauge | Mil Thickness | Decimal (in) | Common Applications |
|---|
| 25 ga | 18 mil | 0.0188" | Light non-load-bearing |
| 22 ga | 27 mil | 0.0283" | Standard non-load-bearing |
| 20 ga | 33 mil | 0.0346" | Heavy-duty non-load-bearing |
| 18 ga | 43 mil | 0.0451" | Light load-bearing |
| 16 ga | 54 mil | 0.0566" | Load-bearing |
| 14 ga | 68 mil | 0.0713" | Heavy load-bearing |
Paint Sheen Levels
| Sheen | Gloss Units | Typical Applications |
|---|
| Flat/Matte | 0-10 | Ceilings, low-traffic walls |
| Eggshell | 10-25 | Office walls, residential |
| Satin | 25-35 | Corridors, moderate traffic |
| Semi-Gloss | 35-70 | Bathrooms, kitchens, trim |
| Gloss | 70+ | Doors, trim, accent areas |
Floor Moisture Limits (Concrete)
| Flooring Type | Calcium Chloride (lbs/1000 sf/24hr) | RH Test (%) |
|---|
| Carpet - Permeable | 5.0-8.0 | 80-85% |
| VCT | 3.0-5.0 | 75-80% |
| LVT/LVP | 3.0-5.0 | 75-80% |
| Sheet Vinyl | 3.0-5.0 | 75-80% |
| Rubber | 3.0-5.0 | 75-80% |
| Hardwood (engineered) | 3.0 | 75% |
| Epoxy/Urethane | Varies by manufacturer | 75-80% |
Tile Setting Requirements
| Tile Size | Trowel Notch | Coverage Required | Back-Butter? |
|---|
| Mosaic (<2") | 3/16" V-notch | 80% min | No |
| Up to 8" | 1/4" square | 80% min | No |
| 8"-12" | 1/4" x 3/8" | 80% min walls / 95% wet | Optional |
| 12"-16" | 1/2" x 1/2" | 80% min walls / 95% wet | Recommended |
| 16"+ / Large Format | 1/2" x 1/2" or 3/4" | 95% min all locations | Required |
AWI Quality Grades
| Grade | Description | Typical Applications |
|---|
| Economy | Basic quality, functional | Back-of-house, utility areas |
| Custom | Industry standard quality | Most commercial projects |
| Premium | Finest quality, meticulous | Executive areas, high-end |
Fire-Rated Assembly Requirements
| Separation Type | IBC Section | Typical Rating Required |
|---|
| Occupancy Separation | 508 | 1-2 hours (varies by occupancy) |
| Dwelling Unit Separation | 420.2 | 1 hour |
| Corridor Walls | 1020.1 | 1 hour (occupancy dependent) |
| Shaft Enclosures | 713 | 1-2 hours (height dependent) |
| Exit Stairways | 1023 | 1-2 hours (stories connected) |
| Exit Passageways | 1024 | 1-2 hours (stories connected) |
| Fire Barriers | 707 | Per Table 707.3.10 |
| Fire Partitions | 708 | 1 hour minimum |
Interior Finish Sequence
Typical Commercial Interior Finish Sequence:
1. ROUGH FRAMING
└── Metal studs, blocking, backing installed
└── Inspection: Framing and blocking complete
2. MEP ROUGH-IN
└── Electrical, plumbing, HVAC in walls/ceilings
└── Inspection: MEP rough-in complete
3. INSULATION
└── Thermal, acoustic, fire safing
└── Inspection: Insulation complete
4. DRYWALL HANG
└── Board hung, fire-rated assemblies complete
└── Inspection: Fire-rated assemblies before tape
5. DRYWALL TAPE & FINISH
└── Taping, finishing to specified level
└── Inspection: Finish level acceptable
6. CEILING GRID (if ACT)
└── Main tees, cross tees installed
7. PAINTING - WALLS & CEILINGS
└── Prime and paint complete
8. MILLWORK & CASEWORK
└── Cabinets, trim, millwork installed
9. FLOORING
└── Hard surface flooring installed
└── Carpet last (protect until occupancy)
10. PUNCH & TOUCH-UP
└── All trades touch-up and corrections
Key Coordination Points
Blocking Verification Checklist
Pre-Drywall Checklist
Pre-Floor Installation Checklist
Reference Files
Rough Carpentry & Framing
Drywall & Insulation
- Gypsum Board Systems - Board types, applications, shaft wall, installation
- Drywall Finishing - Finish levels, compounds, techniques, defects
- Fire-Rated Assemblies - UL listings, construction, inspection, documentation
- Acoustic Assemblies - STC, IIC, assembly design, weak points
- Insulation Systems - Batt, blown, spray foam, rigid insulation
Finish Carpentry & Millwork
Painting & Coatings
Flooring
Tile & Stone
Project Management
- Code Compliance - Fire-rated, flame spread, ADA, VOC, slip resistance
- Testing & QC - Moisture testing, inspections, mock-ups, standards
- Coordination & Sequencing - Finish sequence, phasing, trade coordination
- Protection & Punchlist - Floor protection, punch standards, final cleaning
- Safety Hazards - Trade-specific hazards, dust, chemicals, ergonomics
- Specifications & CSI - Division 06, 07, 09, 12 specification guidance
Related Skills
- doors-frames-hardware - Door/frame/hardware coordination with trim and millwork
- construction-safety-management - OSHA requirements, PPE, respiratory protection
- vdc-bim-coordination - Interior coordination and clash detection
- procore-project-management - RFI, submittal, and daily log workflows
- schedule-management-cpm - Interior finish sequencing and phased turnover
- quality-control-closeout - Punch list management and final inspections
- electrical-systems - Blocking coordination with electrical rough-in
- mechanical-plumbing-systems - Blocking coordination with MEP
