How to Fix Plasterboard / Drywall Screw Pops
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- Опубліковано 3 чер 2022
- These small bumps on your new wall or ceiling are unsightly and annoying so watch as I show you why they exist and how to get rid of them permanently.
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I've had my new build for 2. Years mad it's bugged me for the past 12 months. Not now. Did every thing step by step now 13 done and dusted went and got my self a tube of pre mix plaster. And it's all sorted just needs a teeny touch up of paint at the week end. I was told it was £220 job ? Hence me holding of. Tube of plaster cost me £7.99. Over £200 saving. Thanks
Great job! I really like getting comments like this - I'm so glad I helped you DIY and save money!
What about the new build's NHBC warranty? Is it worth the paper it's written on?
@@ParaBellum2024 Seriously? that's for major issues, not for snagging like this.
@@robcherry6734 I've never bought a new build, so I wouldn't know. Is this sort of thing covered for a shorter period, or not at all? At what point does an issue become major enough for the warranty to apply?
@@ParaBellum2024 nhbc warranty is very dissapointing, they used to arrange for a genuine craftsman to fix the issue, but not anymore, they give you an ultimatum, accept this amoint of money and never come back, Claimed for floor tiling at about 18 months, accepted their offer as you really dont have any option. Left it for two more years and it got worse, contacted them and was told to F O.
Good video but a couple of things I'd like to mention.
1. You don't need to make a big batch if not using premixed, make as little as you want.
2. Polyfilla is awful stuff to apply and sand IMO. Gyproc easifill is so much nicer to work with.
3. I'd recommend always sealing all filler jobs with 50/50 water/paint before applying topcoat to prevent it flaking and blending better with existing topcoat.
5. I'm not a professional, this is just from my DIY experience 😊
Thank you Stuart. Thoroughly well explained and demonstrated solution. Have just sorted a couple of large screw pops in my kitchen which have been there for years but I never had the courage to deal with them due to not knowing how to deal them. And then I came across this video. Followed your instructions to the letter and they’re now gone and my stud wall looks like new. Great teachers are the bedrock of a stable, happy and civilised world. Especially when they also save you a shed load of money by imparting their wisdom and experience! I salute you, sir. And thank you. I just hope others come across this video, since these things are so common in modern houses. I had never even heard of the term “screw pop” until very recently. And I’m in my sixties!
Brilliant timing (for me) as I've just had a screw pop appear in my kitchen ceiling and now I now know how to sort it. Thanks very much.
Great video Stuart, I had to do a similar job a few weeks back on an older house, nails instead of screws, ended up removing the nails and installing plasterboard screws.
Exactly what I want to see, we have a good few ceiling pops around our house that need to be sorted before we repaint. Thanks Stewart. 👍
Excellent video, so professional and well shot, pleasure to watch, thank you 👍
Thank you, great video. I've had a rash of these start to appear in my attic since the roof and battens was replaced, they're coming up every day! So good to know I should wait for the wood to finish settling before going after them all
Thank you Sir for your excellent video, I'm, 60 yr old lady from rural Lancashire decorating her sloping ceiling in newish built extension. I've counted 6 pops in my ceiling. 😢 But at least I know what to do now, decorating bedroom just turned into a 7 day job. 😮 Regards.
Been watch your channel explode from the start, you honestly deserve all the success. Amazing content creator.
Thank you Mr Wood much appreciated.
Well done. When I repaired my screw pops, I removed the drywall screw to find they were a fine thread. I replaced them with a coarse thread screw an inch on either side of the pop and plastered over. So far so good!
Do the fine thread make a difference?
Another masterclass, great work and great explanation, well done Stuart….
Perfect example of how to deal with screw pops. Liked and subscribed. Thank you
Very informative video stuart.Always watch your DIY videos which are always great.
great videos Stuart a good tip from Vancouver Carpenter. don't puncture the paper on drywall with screw head when screwing in. just below surface only 👍
Thanks for advice. Really handy at the moment.
Perfect timing. Good video too. Thank you
Always wondered why I had a few screw heads appearing in our shite new build. Now I know! And now I can hopefully resolve the issue too. Thanks!
No problem
Great video. Very informative. Definitely subscribed really appreciate it.
Really helpful advice! Thanks!
Perfect timing. Got a few of these to sort at some point this year.
You and me too!
Apposite for me too. It’s 2 years since our extension was built and those screw pops are quite visible. I can now fix those, with some confidence - so thank you so much for your guidance.
Now, if you were to follow up this video with how to fix ceiling and wall cracks that have also appeared in my extension, that would be just fantastic…👍🏻
Perversely, make the cracks worse first by scraping out with something like a brick laying pointing rounded tool. Then basically do what Stuart did today - steady layers of filla into the channel you’ve dug, followed by sanding back to level and a bit of paint.
@@AccountantDoesDIY Many thanks for the advice Chris - I’ll certainly give it a go.
Exactly same issue, heavy traffic immediately above (chilrens' room) downstairs newly plastered, I'm going to scrape out first and fill a bigger crack, hairline cracks are more difficult to do in my experience.
if it is at the joint of a wall with ceiling a 'caulk' type filler that can flex slightly may be needed, in bad cases looks almost like sealing round a bath (but do not use silicone bath sealant, that cannot be painted ! )
Absolutely helped me on my 2020 new build.
Thank you for a great demo of fixing the screw pops. I have a few on my new house extension. Could you do a demonstration on how to do with large-ish settling cracks between wall and ceiling please.
Nice vid - obviously Mrs. PD wasn’t at home when you did this ... pictures still hanging on the wall!
I’ve got a few of these to do. Great video, thank you.
No problem
I always thought that, typically using cordless drivers that the builder has driven the screw through the paper/ card surface of the plasterboard this is effectively the same as an under-tightened screw where as the centre of the plasterboard is soft, that any movement of the board is not restrained by the screw and the plaster around the head is popped. In either case I would rather not risk re-occurance and always move the screw over a bit. Re the filling for the reasons you mention i never attempt use the standard filler. There are at least two options one is a specialist soft filler which is easily sanded down or use jointing tape compound which is also relatively soft and easy to sand down
Excellent video ...love it
Toupret Interior Filler is also recommended. Sanded down with 320 grit paper the finish is excellent
Thanks. Very informative.
Brilliant thank you 👍🏼
There are not even drywall screws before.. thanks for the tips again
Great video mate!!!
Super explanations of a truly annoying problem. I feel fully confident of solving my screw pops now, but I've heard that in doing so there may be an issue with paint flashing afterwards. I get its fairly hard to see on white surfaces but what about colours? any recommendations greatly appreciated.
When using the dry polyfilla easy sand interior filler, for small amounts it’s easy to add some dry to a small disposable container and mix small amounts. It’s preferable to the ready mix as it keeps, and it goes off really quickly. Less shrinkage. You can then mix up a thinner mix for the finishing passes.
You can also mix small amounts of paint into the final skim to get a nice fill less prone to flashing.
Nooice!
Another good vid Stuart. I've had loads of these over the years in my house (36 years old). At least you had screws. Mine were galvanised nails. If they were loose enough I removed them & replaced with screws otherwise I had to centre punch the nails in as far as I could to take up the gap & / or put in extra screws where necessary. The hardest ones were those under the Artex ceilings (I hate that stuff). I got quite good at replicating the textured ceiling with filler. All part of the fun of house ownership 🏡
Same here! Galvanised nails of all different sizes some of which were tiny.
One strike filler (Toolstation) is good for ceiling screw pops. It's a ready mixed, lightweight filler, with no shrinkage and it's very easy to sand. It can be indented with a finger nail when dried, so it's not ideal for high traffic areas, but fine for a ceiling. It can be made flush on the first application. Drying time is about 30 mins.
I like the 5 minute Polyfilla. Possibly similar to One Strike? For bigger filling jobs, I've had great results with Gyproc 60, but it does take a lot longer to set.
Great content, thanks so much 👍
Great stuff. Top job.
Thanks for the video. An issue I often have is not with the patch itself but with the final product matching the surrounding painted surface. It can be smoother and so stands out from the rest of the wall. A small paint roller helps some but does not always work. Suggestions?
Great video. What paint do you use for touching up. Johnstone's Perfect Matt is brilliant as you can't see the touch up marks
Of course (haha) you could always get your builder to come back and fix the screw pops under the NHBC warranty.
But in the real world, I’ve followed much the same technique as you showed for fixing screw pops, tightening the screw up first, cutting the plaster back to get a clean edge, then filling it in layers. Only difference is that I tend to use Easyfill which my builder recommended to me, it is much softer than normal plaster so is very easy to sand completely flush. It does need mixing up though but with care you can mix only a tiny bit to fill the job
I love Easyfill. Unlike many other fillers this stuff does not shrink.
Good video, it's great that you made that model. But, once a fastener has failed like that and the paper around it is damaged, it is not strong at all if you just replace it in the same hole. You need to add a new screw about 1"-2" away from the failed one where the paper is still strong.
Along the same line, can you suggest how to repair cracks between wall drywall boards originally fixed by dap & dot. Thanks and love you channel.
Top video Sir. Best of British in action.
Glad you enjoyed it
Another really good video from which I learnt a lot [as always]. I noticed your screw seemed to be attached to the drill bit and was wondering what that piece of kit is [magnetic]? Thanks for all your guidance. 10/10.
Looks like Dewalt, easy to find online.
@@Chief81 Magnetic Dewalt screw holder - good piece of kit
Everbuild , "one strike", filler, (Howdens and I think Tool station sell it),does what it says on the tub, doesnt require sanding afterwards if you apply it carefully. Has the added bonus of being flexible. Works for me anyway.
Another absolutely top video - thank you! Quick request - can you make a video on cracks in the wall, especially where the ceiling joins the top of the wall? My new build is reaching that age where quite a few of these are popping up now!
Ok I think I need to - lots of request a for this
@@ProperDIY I see you have some cracks where what here in the States we call the vaulted ceiling meets the vertical wall. Common problem. Great to have a video on repairing that.
So helpful.
Perfect timing for me, thank you. 1 year in a new build and loads appearing. Now I know what to do I can try and find time to fix them all!
You may be able to ring the customer support line and get someone from the housebuilder to repair them, we had two years to report and get things fixed with regards to the house.
Glad to help!
I wonder what you think about the continental blade type filling tool?
Thanks again
Oh thank you Stuart….how nice that you can buy ready made Poly filla in a tube….cant get that here….good video as always
Really. It's always been around in the UK so I thought it was universal
Painter with 37yrs exp i always use decorators caulk which is flexible & also sinks to then be filled with standard filler, it's caused by the movement of the screws in the board which causes the plaster to crack away, the caulk sticks & the filler can be applied immediately if you wish,just make sure you scrape completely off using the caulk, never failed me in the same way oilbased undercoat for water stains & damp spots has always worked 100%
Good tips. I've got a few of these so I now know what to do. BTW, I like your picture of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.
Excellent
In my opinion the major cause of nail/screw popping is the shrinkage/moisture movement of the timber. The worst case is the galvanised nail pops where the timber shrinkage causes the nail to be squeezed back out. By and large these nail/screw pops only occur on timber stud partition, timber joisted floor and ceilings and rarely on metal stud versions, where the cause is as you have described non-solid bedded plasterboard. Most of the causes of timber shrinkage/movement is due to the use of kiln dried timber that acts like a sponge out of the kiln, swelling the timber and then settles over time. Drywall screws were supposed to stop this problem but it still exists to a lesser degree. Unfortunately, the best solution is to leaves the timber to stabilise and then drive the nails down and screw the screws tighter after a few months. One of the other issues that ought to be recognised is that we overheat our houses and prevent them from breathing that exacerbates the problem.
In Poland they use painted screws which prevents this issue.
@@tdc_2021 Are these not standard drywall screws? The drywall screw has a phosphate black coating for anti-corrosion properties and is very sharp and hard to be used as a drive screw in metal stud. The heads are self countersinking with a deep bugle head that prevents pull through whilst driving..
As I said above, the screw popping still happens but to a much lesser extent
Hi Stuart, if you mix a drop of the finish paint in with the filler it will stop any flashing through from the filler, especially on walls
Rubbish, that's just an old painters trick on price work to fill & roll walls without touching up first as normal mixed filler needs at least 2 coats to cover, paint never touches up we can send a man to the moon but we can't develop a paint that doesn't flash when touched up, in a room that's shaded you get away with it but not when there's lot's of light
Amazing. Our new house isn’t even skimmed, it’s taped and jointed so we have loads!!! In two minds about asking the house builder to come back as I don’t think they’ll be this thorough!
Unfortunately if you see them now you will see more later. It is worth complaining
I would tell him,because maybe one of his boys needs to be shown that their not tightening screws enough. He might be glad you told him.
two part epoxy filler is my go to. 50 to 1 mix. granted it costs a bit more, however, it is far stronger, and sands incredibly well. use it for just about everything, from small holes in walls. damaged timber, or to plug up hinge cut outs on doors and the screw holes. even rotted out timber, remove the rot, fill it. and as a bonus,. its also water proof, it can be sanded with in 5 min or so of placing it in hole.
Not personally my favourite method, however a brilliant and affordable product for this is Milliput.
Amatuer.
Suggestion for another video:- cleaning and re-using paint brushes after using gloss paint - mine always ends up solid and in the bin.
Great video as always! I have a question not necessarily within your area of expertise, but you might know the answer to... If I am the tenant of a new house (last than 4 years old) that has this kind of issue, who's responsible for fixing it, me or the landlord? Thank you.
That will depend on the rental contract agreement. You may be responsible for decoration or not, or indeed not allowed to do it without permission. Best look at the papers or ask the landlord..
Fantastic 👍👍
Thanks 🤗
I always thought this was caused by non galvanised screws being used. When coupled with the wet plaster skim over the top and given time, the screw head corrodes and its that corrosion pushing the plaster off.
One not mentioned trick maybe? I placed a piece of tape over the hollow where the screw sat, then skimmed filler over the top. Leaving a bit of movement clearance. No new pops since. Next up, how to find any paint in 2022 that will actually block stains...
This happens because the plasterer / dry liner was to lazy to tape over the screws. Get your self a small ammount of plaster, clean and wet the surface of the screw pop with clean water and a paintbrush, and with a smooth blade apply a small amount. Wetting the area stops the moisture from being sucked out to quickly. Do a couple and then with a smooth damp sponge carefully drag the edge across the area just filled and then do a final blade across. No sanding required. That's how us profesionals do it, of course if I had taped over the screws in the first place I wouldn't be back doing this.
You can see in the video that the popped screws had scrim over them. I’ve been in the game 18 years and never seen a plasterer put tape over every single screw head apart from the joints.
Have you any advice on how to deal with pops caused by galvanised clout nails?
Thank you, great tips.
If you find there are nails rather than screws, would you suggest replacing the nail with a screw to prevent future movement?
Absolutely.
Tip, cover what's below or take it off the wall before starting ,saves a rollicking from the boss when she comes home!😉
Tightening the screw is short term fix. Finding the stud or joist and screwing above and below or each side to tighten the board to the stud or joist is better. Then fill it with 2 passes, let it set/dry... then once more before sanding and paint. There will be no more movement then.
Wow, I'm painting and see a lot of these and wondered what they are. How timely...do you prime the area before filling?
I will paint PVA around the bare plaster using a small paint brush and apply the filler 5 minutes later when the PVA is tacky.
@@MrGeoffHilton thanks. I see some use pva a lot as a primer
I keep small jars of each room paint for touch up. This way you don’t have to open the original can. Piece of masking tape on the jar with the room name.
I do likewise i also write down the paint details and colour like say dulux trade vinyl mat lemon tropics.
Makes like for like redecoration easy .
I “hate” that you guys are so so smart by avoiding my dilemma of not knowing what paint SWMBO had ordered for the original covering. I guess this means I’ll have cover the whole ceiling 😭.
That works if you have to touch up a wall for maybe 6 months but any longer the paint changes color slightly as it ages. When you put the new paint on top of the old you’ll see it better to put a quick coat over the entire wall.
How do you deal with the cracks along the edges? Like the one above your head at 8:30.
Knife yourself a V with a Stanley down the crack. Paint with 2-1 PVA wait till tacky and fill as per video.
Great videos as usual .. thank you ! I have plenty of these ‘pops’ in a 10 yr old house and they have used nails/clouts. I never trust them as i never feel they grab and hold as well as screws. Would you recommend popping a drywall screw next to it or remove the nail /clout and replace with a screw if possible? Thanks in advance : )
I like screws over nails so I would definitly always pop in a screw near it and get rid of the nail
When you backed that screw out to replace it, why did you decide to do that when you might have tried to tighten it? Was it already too deep into the board?
That was a wood screw and not a drywall screw which has better thread grip.
I find ready mixed Polyfilla far too hard after setting. certainly compared to the surrounding plaster. After trying many different products over the years, I swear by No Nonsense Instant Plaster cartridges. Good value, perfectly smooth, with no shrinkage, and much easier to work.
One for the shopping list, thanks :)
Walking around in the loft can also cause these pops. Where I work cleaners move beds and they use their bums as leverage to move the bed away from the lath walls, you get nail head pops. I hit them away with a punch and put a screw above. Never ending. Some drywall ceiling pops is also poor installation of the screw. Such is life
I wonder why do they still use wooden studs (considering the house is not with wooden construction) instead of metal profiles for attaching the plasterboard/drywall to. Here we only use metal profiles. I think that's why I have never seen screws popping.
9:32 - This would have been the ideal place for a short message from Mr. Paul Hogan.
Looks like one of those screws at least was a coarse thread wood screw which won't have helped. Drywall screws are fine thread for a reason.
I don’t understand how putting a new screw or tightening the old screw solved the problem. Is the screw poping out again after a few months?
You should have your own tv series!
I keep turning the BBC and ITV down
@@ProperDIY 😂 The nation needs you!
Going to have to check but I've got a feeling the buggers used nails instead of screws for me!
Dap latex calk will work just fine.
Probs best to remove the pictures hanging on the wall before starting work and covering them with plaster dust
Note sanding dust on picture frame.
Those 2 screws that had popped weren't even drywall screws lol just standard turbo golds. Sooner or later they will all show through if the whole ceilings been fired up with them
The best method to fix these once and for all, and the way it's done in the trade, is to use a small ball of paper mache pressed into the hole for the first fill then cover this over with one strike lightweight filler. You won't ever have to revisit and the job's a good 'un. Put the kettle on and make yourself a nice cup of tea.
👍
👍👍👍
Are they even drywall screws ??
These screw pops are the bane of my existence. I think I must've fixed every screw in my ceilings over the years. I recommend using quick drying Polyfilla instead of multi-purpose. It's much easier to sand and you can do subsequent layers much quicker. Great if you're up against a deadline! 😉
Totally! It is so frustrating to keep doing this. The walls in my 50 year-old house has nails, which make it even more necessary to remove and replace with screws once they pop.
Read my mehod so easy & works 100% never failed me
Youve left yourself a good bit of cleaning up those black picture frames below . I know if it was me there would be blobs of filler on them and plenty of dust, then spots of paint. Thats why i remove anything im likely to ruin to avoid giving any ammunition to my mrs.
5:00 "all that's happened is the screw has pushed out the plaster in this area"
I really think you've nailed it there (pun intended). I don't think it's plaster moving. It's the wood drying, but more the screw is expanding and contracting with the temperature change.
What happens when it rusts thru the filler
Proper plasterboard / drywall screws should be rust proof.
Why is there a mesh on top of the screw?
It’s scrim tape. It’s put onto plasterboard at joints, especially where ceiling meets wall. Plasterer then skims over the top of it.
I just use One Strike filler. Needs virtually no sanding and doesnt shrink
Or plasterboard nails tacks.
Unfortunately even if you use the same ceiling paint as the original …. It dries with a slightly different look. In my case the whole ceiling needed to be repainted.