Fixing Screw Pops in Drywall: A Complete Guide

Published December 30, 2024 by Mike Sullivan

Key Takeaways

  • Screw pops happen when wood shrinks and releases its grip on the screw threads
  • The fix requires driving new screws above and below the popped screw, not just resetting the original
  • Use 1-5/8 inch coarse-thread drywall screws for secure attachment to studs
  • Setting compound works better than all-purpose for screw pop repairs
  • New construction homes are more prone to screw pops during the first 2-3 years as lumber dries

Three months after we finished the basement, the screw pops started appearing. Little bumps, scattered across the ceiling like acne on a teenager. I pressed one with my thumb and felt the screw head move under the paint.

I'd done the drywall myself. Hung every sheet, drove every screw. And now I was looking at what seemed like a complete failure of my work. I counted 23 visible pops on the ceiling alone.

Called Uncle Frank in a panic. He laughed. "That's not failure," he said. "That's wood drying. You used fresh lumber and it's shrinking. The screws are fine, the wood just isn't holding them as tight as it was." He was right. The fix took a weekend and most of those repairs have held for six years now.

Why Screws Pop

The screw isn't actually coming out on its own. What's happening is the wood around the screw is moving, usually shrinking, which releases the pressure that was holding the screw tight. Once that pressure is gone, the drywall can shift slightly on the screw, pushing the head outward until it presses against the compound and paint.

Several things cause this:

Lumber drying out. New construction uses lumber that hasn't fully dried. As it loses moisture over the first few years, it shrinks. My basement project used standard framing lumber from Home Depot that probably had 15 to 19 percent moisture content. By the time it equilibrated with indoor air, it had shrunk noticeably.

Seasonal humidity changes. Even in established homes, wood framing expands and contracts with humidity changes. Winter heating dries everything out. Summer brings moisture back. This cycle can loosen screw grip over time.

Wrong screw type. Fine-thread screws are meant for metal studs. Coarse-thread screws are meant for wood. Use the wrong type and you'll have grip problems from day one.

Screws too close to edges. Screws driven within an inch of a drywall edge don't have much material holding them. Movement in the framing can pop these screws more easily.

The Proper Fix

Just resetting the popped screw doesn't work. The wood has already lost its grip on those threads. You need to anchor the drywall with new screws in fresh wood, then deal with the popped screw.

Step 1: Drive New Screws

About 2 inches above and below the popped screw, drive new 1-5/8 inch coarse-thread drywall screws. Set them just below the paper surface without breaking through. These new screws hold the drywall securely while you address the problem screw.

Step 2: Reset or Remove the Popped Screw

You have two options. Either drive the popped screw back in until it's below the surface, or remove it entirely. I usually just drive it in. Removing it leaves a bigger hole that's harder to fill.

The popped screw isn't actually doing any structural work at this point, but it needs to be below the surface so compound can cover it.

Step 3: Apply Compound

Cover all three screw heads with joint compound. I use 45-minute setting compound for screw pops because it shrinks less and hardens faster. Feather the edges out 3 to 4 inches.

Let it cure. Apply a second coat if needed, feathering wider. Sand smooth when fully dry. Prime before painting to prevent the repair from flashing.

The Tempting Shortcuts That Don't Work

I tried just spackle once. Figured if it's just a little bump, a dab of spackle would hide it. It did hide it. For about a month. Then the movement continued and the spackle cracked and fell out.

I also tried just resetting the original screw without adding new ones. Same result. The wood had already lost grip on those threads. The screw popped again within the year.

Neighbor Dave tried caulk on his screw pops. Said he saw it on YouTube. The caulk stayed flexible, never hardened properly, and now his ceiling has shiny spots where the caulk shows through the paint. He's planning to actually fix them this spring.

Preventing Future Pops

In my experience, screw pops are somewhat inevitable in newer construction. The lumber needs time to stabilize. But you can reduce them:

Let lumber acclimate before building. If you're finishing a basement or building new walls, stack the lumber in the space for a couple weeks before framing. Let it adjust to indoor humidity levels.

Use construction adhesive on studs. A bead of construction adhesive between the drywall and studs provides extra holding power. The glue keeps the drywall in place even if individual screws loosen.

Proper screw spacing. Follow manufacturer recommendations, usually every 16 inches on ceilings and walls. Don't skimp on screws thinking fewer means fewer pops. The opposite is true. Proper screw density means each screw carries less load and is less likely to pop.

Use coarse-thread screws for wood framing. This seems obvious but I've seen people grab whatever screws were on sale. Fine-thread screws are for metal studs only.