Drywall Nail Pop Repair Tutorial

Drywall nail pops occur when drywall screws or nails loosen over time. As a result the drywall moves and the nail heads push through the surface causing an unsightly blemish. Use the following repair technique to permanently repair these nail pops in drywall and gypsum board plaster.

Locate the Framing

There will usually be several nail pops in a row indicating the direction of the ceiling joists or wall studs underneath. If only one nail pop exists, determine the direction of framing by looking in an attic or other exposed area. Otherwise tap the wall or ceiling to find the framing. In general a hollow sound indicates a space behind the wall. The difference between the hollow sound and the sharper sound of hitting the wall over a stud, gives one a rough idea of the location of the framing.

Reattach the Drywall to Framing

Drive 1 5|8 inch drywall screws through the wallboard and into the framing about 3 inches from the nail pop, on both sides. Drive the heads far enough to sink them slightly below the surface. You can do this with a screw driver in most cases with only a few screws involved. If you have many nail pops to repair, a cordless drill–driver will save alot of time and effort. The best way to ensure that loose nails will not pop again it is to remove them. However if removing the nails will cause unnecessary damage, sink the heads instead.

Dimple the Drywall

"Dimple" the drywall surface using a hammer to crush the gypsum. Make a depression in the drywall that can be filled with joint compound at each nail pop. The wall surface around the nail pops may be ragged or crumbling. If so, remove all damaged material using a drywall knife to cut any ragged drywall paper away.

If there's any contamination around the pops or screw heads, seal the wall surface with a shellac–based primer–sealer and let it dry for about an hour before proceeding with the repair. Bubbling may develop in the finished repair if contamination prevents bonding between the wall and joint compound.

Cover the Nail Pop

Use these skim coating techniques for mixing and handling joint compound to fill the dimples with mud.

Cover each drywall screw head and dimple with a thick coat of excess mud. Immediately skim off the excess using the joint knife held at about a 30° angle. Return the collected mud to the mud pan.

At least two coat of mud will be required at each point to level the wall surface. Apply the second coat after the first is dry. If you're using Durabond45® for this repair, let it set for about 30 minutes between coats. If you're using ready–mixed joint compound wait at least an hour for the first coat to dry and 30 minutes or more for the second, thinner coat to dry.

Sand and Touch Up Paint

When the second coat is dry, examine the patch to determine if another coat is needed to level the wall. Apply a third coat if necessary. When the patch is ready lightly sand with 120 medium grit sandpaper, feathering the edges into the surrounding wall or ceiling surface.

Brush any dust from the area before priming the patch and touching up the wall paint. If you are using flat latex finish paint, you can use it to prime the repair. If you are using semi–gloss or other shiny paint, prime with flat latex paint or a latex primer first.