Bed coat, block coat, finish coat

By James Grokman, CEO, TapeAndFloat · Updated 2026-10-28

These are the coats of mud over a joint. The bed (or tape) coat embeds the tape, the block (or fill) coat widens and fills it, and the finish (or skim) coat smooths it before sanding.

Why it matters on a drywall job

The number of coats is usually what separates one finish level from the next.
Each coat needs drying time, which affects your schedule and crew planning.

Related guides and tools

Drywall finish levels guide
Glossary: mud
All glossary terms

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¿Prefiere español? Capa de asentado, segunda capa y capa final.