How to Fix Nail Pops

Nail pops are a result of the construction materials in a house drying plus the natural settling of a house over time. If your walls have nails "popping" back out, creating unsightly bumps on the wall (or even worse, the nail head itself is actually showing), don't panic. If you can use a hammer, a putty knife and a paintbrush, you can fix it in a day.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Drywall nails
• Hammer
• Joint compound
• Putty knife (3"-4")
• Piece of sandpaper (150 grit)
• Paint and a small brush

1. Gather the materials you will need to complete this project.

2. Use the hammer to drive the popped nail back into the wall. If you have a nail set, you can actually reset the nail by driving it further into the stud.

3. Drive a second drywall nail into the wall stud about 1/2 inch away from the original nail. When you are doing this, make a small indent in the drywall with the hammerhead. You want to dent the surface, not break it.

4. Fill the indent with joint compound and smooth the surface with your putty knife. Then let the joint compound dry.

5. Check your repair. You may need to apply and smooth out more joint compound as it tends to shrink as it dries.

6. Sand the repaired area lightly and then wipe away any sanding dust.

7. Paint the patch.

Tips & Warnings

• Drywall screws are less likely than nails to "pop" out of walls. Repairing nail pops with drywall screws instead of another nail will make your repair more permanent.
• Be sure you drive the second nail into the wall stud. A nail driven through the drywall won't hold anything.
• It's always a good idea to keep any leftover paint from when you painted your walls so you can match the color. (Keeping the color mixing label/tab from the paint store or home center will ensure you can get an exact color match as well).
• You'll probably need to give your repair a couple of coats of paint since the first coat will act as a primer.
• The eye tends to notice small details. Your patch may be less noticeable if you paint a larger area (a couple of feet around the patch).