Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the USG Tuf Hide? One drywall contractor has recommended it as an easy, economical way to get a level 5 finish, and the videos are convincing. However, none of the other contractors I've talked to have heard of it. Of course, I live in the Houston area, so when you tell someone you want a smooth finish, most look at you like you're crazy and tell you how boring your walls will be. Because I know smooth vs. texture is pretty regional, I was wondering if people in other areas where smooth is the norm had any experience with it? Thanks in adavance... Here is a link that might be useful: Tuf Hide

Looks like the drywall company we hired to restore both ceilings to a level 5 smooth finish will start Tomorrow. We had a highly recommended paint company from Monterey stop by yesterday and they will be able to provide the high level of paint finish we are looking for. The owner of the new paint company could not believe how smooth and flat the walls I just restored were. He said they are not Level 5, but must be Level 7 or 8. He knows Level 5 is the highest, but could not get over what I had done with drywall. I received similar comments from other contractors in different trade before the first paint contractor we hired damaged our walls. We have sufficient evidence now to prove the paint application done by the sprayer was felony vandalism under California law. The individual who was hired by the sprayer admitted he witnessed the damage and could not get him to stop. The owner of the company will not explain why this happened to us and why an individual he has had problems with in the past was brought into our home. He just wants to come to a financial settlement and move on. Our insurance agent is recommending we file a report with the Sheriffs Department. Regarding the Sherwin-Williams Emerald paint, we like it very much. I prepared a 4â x 4â piece of 5/8â drywall and painted half with Sherwin-Williams Emerald Greek Villa in satin using a 1/4â roller sleeve and the other half using a 3/16â roller sleeve. The finish on both were excellent. This post was edited by Aptos_Station on Tue, Jul 8, 14 at 14:21

I lived in California where Orange Peel is the norm and now live in Pennsylvania where smooth walls are the norm. In all honesty, at 26, when I moved to California, I didn't even notice that all the walls had a bumpy finish. Didn't notice until I painted and had to learn how to make a straight line on an orange peel finish. Today, I can recognize different finishes, but it doesn't matter. I know that smooth is more expensive and more difficult to repair. There isn't a spray to make a repair blend. But when I go to someone's home it is not something that I notice immediately or something that makes me think one home is expensive and the other is somehow less. Think about the last 10 homes you have been in. Can you remember which had orange peel walls and which had smooth walls. What do you remember about those homes? Since I help people with choosing paint colors I do notice the walls in these homes. Many who have smooth walls have used 3/8" rollers and no longer have a really smooth finish. But no one really seems to notice or care. Remember the purpose of a home. It is where memories are made. It is far more important that your home be comfortable and inviting and that your family is happy and making pleasant memories that they will carry in their hearts for the rest of their lives than fretting over what finish is on your walls. Those people who will judge you on the wall finish in your home vs the company they are in may not be worth entertaining.

I am a bit confused. This is not my area of expertise but I have had to specify drywall enough times in renovations and I always specify level 4 and it is always smooth. I believe that drywall level refers flatness rather than smoothness (although level 5 will also really be smoother than level 4) or really how the seems are handled. In level four the seems are mudded and sanded several times to achieve a smooth looking drywall finish but really the buildup at the seems is spread out over 12" or so. So if you place a light on the wall you will see some raised areas even though it appears flat from a distance. In level five the entire surface of the wall is mudded and sanded which further hides the raised areas. While it would be silly, you could have a level five finish with texture. --- For a modern home I would prefer level 5. However, if available in your area look into getting veneer plaster rather than drywall. Not every area has someone who does it, but it is probably cheaper than a level 5 if your area has someone who can do it and it is nicer looking and better.