What Are Nail Pops?
Nail pops are the small circles that stick out or come through from the drywall of your walls as well as ceiling. Usually, the nail heads and bulges do not stand out very far, just about 1/8-inch. Mostly they crack the paint around them. They might even run in perpendicular or parallel lines. Nail pops are cosmetic fault, blemish, or undesirable features that sometimes show up in drywall ceilings as well as interior walls that have been secured using nails. Nail pops hardly affect your wall's structure, however, your wall might lose a section of drywall. Hammering in the nail pops at time works but mostly not, as hammering does not solve the main problem.
What Causes Nail Pops?
- Modern drywall systems are, to a great extent, installed using drywall screws. Drywall screws may, from time to time, snap off, however, they will never pop out. Instead, the nail pops in your ceiling as well as walls are caused due to short drywall nails that are no longer stably or tightly attached in the two-by-four studs.
- The majority of the houses that are built before 1970s & have not been eventually remodeled will almost always have drywall hung using nails, not drywall screws. Made of galvanized steel and having a broad head, drywall nails usually range from 1 1/8-inch to 1 7/8-inch length. Even if you have walls built after the 1970s, then you might still have wallboard hung using drywall nails, due to the fact that some drywall installers prefer to use nails.
- As the wood studs dry out slowly & gradually, the wood fibers lose their grip and are no longer able to take hold of the smooth shank of the drywall nail. The nails stick out or come through, generally bringing drywall compound filler and paint with them. It is normally fruitless to pound the nails back in place, due to the reason that the wood will not hold the shank.
Step By Step Instructions Of Fixing Nail Pops In Wall
The main thought process behind fixing nail pops is to place drywall screws, not nails, on both sides of the nail pop. This will help successfully replace the nail with the screws, however, make sure to avoid the mess of digging out the nail. If you are looking to fix nail pops in a wall, go through the below-mentioned step by step instructions carefully:
- Hammer The Nail Back: First of all, it is important to wear safety glasses, & then use the hammer to drive the protruding nail back into the wall, but make sure not to damage too much of the drywall around it. Use a smooth-headed hammer, not a hammer having a waffle or grid head. The result will be a small, round dent or notch in the wall.
- Secure The Nail: Now, secure the drywall to the wooden studs with the help of two drywall screws, one on each side of the nail. Use the drill as well as a driver bit in order to drive a drywall screw into the wallboard, hitting the stud underneath as long as the screw head creases the drywall paper. Position another drywall screw on the other side of the nail pop. Both screws should be at least 1 or 2 inches from the nail. In the previous step, if you were not able to hammer the drywall nail in and get it to stay in, then the two drywall screws that you drive in this step generally will be strong enough in order to pull the drywall tight up against the stud.
- Cover The Dimple: Use the drywall taping knife when it comes to applying a light layer of joint compound over the holes. Smooth the excess with the help of a knife in order to make sure that it is flush with the wall. At this point, do not worry if the dents or notches are still visible.
- Dry, Sand, And Prime The Drywall: Allow the joint compound to dry for at least two to four hours. Spread a second coat of joint compound. If the patch is not blending in well with the adjoining wall, then you can use a broad feathering knife in order to draw a wide, thin coat farther out on the wall. Inspect the area. Joint compound shrinks as soon as it dries, so it may be necessary to spread a third coat. Gently & firmly sand the area using fine-grit sandpaper. Apply primer to the repair area before painting it.