--- title: "Our Quality Control Standards" description: "The quality control standards we apply on every drywall project, and how to verify the work you received meets them." url: "https://hanenburg-drywall.vercel.app/resources/quality-control-standards" section: "Resources" business: "Hanenburg Drywall" location: "Irvine, California" updated: "2026-09-25" --- # Our Quality Control Standards > **TLDR**: The checks that matter: **plane before board**, correct fastener depth, **full drying** between coats, and a **raking light inspection** before handoff. You can run the last one yourself in two minutes. Quality control on a drywall project means verifying framing plane before board, checking fastener depth and spacing, allowing full compound drying between coats, inspecting under raking light before handoff, and confirming the surface is genuinely dust free. ## What gets checked before board goes up? Framing plane, verified with a straightedge rather than by eye. Crowned or bowed studs get corrected, because a stud out by an eighth of an inch produces a bulge across three feet of finished wall that no amount of compound will hide. Blocking gets confirmed for every known and likely future mount. Adding it after the wall is closed means opening it again. ## What gets checked during installation? Small details, checked as we go rather than discovered at the end. - Fastener depth: dimpled just below the surface without breaking the paper face - Fastener spacing per the assembly requirement - Sheet layout planned to minimise butt joints - Joints landed on framing where possible - Board type correct for the location, particularly ceilings and wet areas - On rated assemblies, layering and staggering per the listing ## What gets checked during finishing? That each coat is fully dry before the next goes on. This is the check most often skipped under schedule pressure and it is the one that causes the most callbacks. That tape is properly bedded with excess worked out from underneath, so it bonds across its full width rather than blistering later. That each coat is feathered wider than the last, so there is no ridge at the edge of the compound. ## How do we verify the finished surface? With a raking light. A bright light held almost flat against the surface and swept along it reveals ridges, dips, and texture variation that normal room lighting completely hides. We do this from the direction of every window in the room, because a ceiling or wall that reads clean from one angle can show clearly from another. Anything the light finds gets corrected before handoff. ## How can you check the work yourself? Turn the room lights off, hold a bright flashlight almost flat against the wall, and sweep it across the surface. It takes two minutes and it is the same test we use. - Ridges at joints or bead lines should not appear - Dips or depressions along seams should not appear - Fuzzy patches indicate the paper face was sanded through - On a Level 5 wall, the plane should read uniformly with no visible joint bands - Run a hand across the surface: you should not feel a transition at any joint - Check for dust on ledges and sills, because primer over dust will fail ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What should I do if I find a problem after you leave? Tell us. Run the raking light check before your painter starts, because that is the cheapest moment to correct anything. If something on our work does not meet the standard we described, we come back and fix it. --- **Hanenburg Drywall** 12 Elksford Ave, Irvine, CA 92604 Phone: (949) 446-1300 Email: info@hanenburgdrywall.com Hours: Mon to Fri, 8:00am to 4:00pm Serving all of Orange County with no travel surcharge. Request a free written estimate: https://hanenburg-drywall.vercel.app/contact/request-estimate *Last updated: 2026-09-25*