Fixes for Damaged Drywall – Nail Pops and Small Holes

Most interior walls in homes are covered with gypsum wallboard commonly known as drywall. However, over time, these surfaces become old and inevitably get cracks, holes, and sometimes dents. These damages, however, need to be repaired before a fresh coat of paint is added. Fortunately, repairing this dent requires simple tools and with the right material and a few tricks, you will have your drywall as good as new again. C.L. McDaid Painting, a Chester County painting contractor, recommends correctly repairing the drywall prior to painting.

1. Nail Pops

Most often than not, drywall is often fastened to wall studs and ceiling joists with the drywall nails. The drywall nails have long, thin shanks and have characteristically large, round heads. These drywall nails may occasionally lose their grip and pop through the surface and this happens mostly when the wood framing shrinks or the nails aren’t driven solidly into the center of the stud or joist.

To repair this minor damage, start by using pliers to remove the popped nail then proceed to locate the exact center of the stud or joist. Locating the center of the stud or joist may be done by using an electronic stud finder or in the absence of the electronic stud finder, a hammer may be used along with a finishing nail.

To use a hammer and finishing nail, drive the nail through the drywall until it is possible to pinpoint each edge of the stud or joist.

Following this, proceed to use a cordless drill/driver to drive two 1-5/8-inch coarse-thread drywall screws into the center of the stud or joist making sure to position the screw at about 1 inch above the old nail hole and the other, an inch below.

The next step is to use a 4-inch drywall knife to apply a thin layer of joint compound over the repaired area and allow the compound to dry out overnight. Proceed to sand the repaired area till it is smooth and then proceed to apply a second layer coat of compound making sure it is applied with a 6-inch knife this time and it is spreads inches beyond the first coated area. After the coat has dried out, sand the area then proceed to prime and paint it.

2. Small Holes

For small holes popped into your drywall either as a result of throwing an item too hard, fisting the wall in anger or opening a door too hard, the easiest way to repair this will be to buy a stick-on repair plate. This can be purchased at the convenience centers or hardware stores. The stick-on plates are hard plastic plates with an adhesive backing. Once purchased, peel off the protective backing and stick the plate to the wall over the hole then proceed to paint the plate to match the existing wall color.

For small holes, another quick fix could be done by cutting a strip of half-inch or thicker plywood and make it half an inch wider in diameter to the drywall hole and about 4 inches longer than the hole’s diameter. Proceed to tie a string around the center of the plywood strip and slide it into the wall through the hole. Pull the string so that the plywood strip is flat against the backside of the drywall and then drive a 1-5/8-inch drywall screw into the plywood on the opposite sides to fasten it. Remove the string and then cut a round piece of drywall to fit the hole and smear joint compound into the back of the round patch and press it into the hole and allow the compound to dry overnight prior to priming the drywall and painting the wall.