How To Fix Small Holes and Nail Pops On Drywall

Small holes caused by screws or hooks, wall fasteners or drywall fasteners that pop up are simple to repair, but again time consuming because you almost always have to repaint the walls. Nail pops are common and particularly irritating, because you are likely to have more than one. But drywall screws sometimes pop up too, as a result of damp framing that dries out and shrinks during the first year or two in new construction. 

The first step of the fix is to drive nails back down using a nail set. If you have screws, dig the drywall compound from their heads with a utility knife and turn them in tight with a screwdriver.

Then dimple the hole slightly concave with a hammer to indent any raised edges. But take care not to crush the drywall core. In addition, cut away any paper tears with a sharp utility knife. This is a good technique to use with old wall fasteners as well. It's usually easier to tap them into the wall slightly rather than pull them out.

Two coats of drywall compound, applied with two swipes of the knife in a "+" pattern, should fill the holes. The first coat will shrink a bit, leaving a slightly smaller dent to be filled by the second coat. Scrape the excess off the surrounding wall so you don't build up a hump. Sand lightly to blend with the surrounding wall.

Be sure to prime the spot. Otherwise the topcoat will absorb into the patch and make the area look different from the surrounding paint. And use a roller when priming to help raise the surface texture to match the surrounding wall.

1. Drive a popped nail below the surface of the drywall with a hammer and a nail set. Cut away loose joint compound and paper shreds.

2. Drive drywall screws about 1-1/2 in. above and below the popped nail. Sink the screwhead just below the surface of the drywall.

3. Fill the holes with joint compound, swiping first across the holes, then down. Let dry, apply a second coat, then sand, prime and paint.