# Ceiling Screw Pops- an anxious homeowner



## JS1989 (Nov 19, 2021)

Hi Everyone!

Our house is about four years old and the ceiling above my kitchen seems to have about 5 or so screw pops (or at least thats what it looks like) and i have a major fear of the ceiling drywall coming lose and falling (just an anxiety thing lol). I know that if a screw pops the drywall is not fastened tightly to the frame, but does that mean that the screw is useless? or does the popped screw still have some holding power? Are the screw pops cosmetic or is this something to worry about? There are no cracks in the ceiling or surrounding walls. 

Appreciate your time!


----------



## Theebigguy (Nov 19, 2021)

They probably screwed in to far tearing through the paper.... If the drywall is secure then get some drywall screws and add a few to each joist...And contact the neighbors to see if others are having trouble..If they are then you might need to go after the builder...


----------



## Tonydif (May 8, 2021)

Push on ceiling, see how much movement there is. 

You'll see if ceiling is holding or not.


----------



## picks drywall (Apr 13, 2021)

did you have anyone walking in attic?
is there a moisture problem in attic?
like said push on it and see if its flopping. watch where you run screws. i have seen water lines run through ceiling joists 1/4" from the rock! not everything is built like supposed to be. 

if they just didnt screw it tight then its easy fix of a couple more screws and some mud n paint. screws should be just a tad under flush. highly unlikely it would fall until sagging well over a foot, so put yourself at ease on that.


----------



## dwnorman (Jan 10, 2022)

Screw pops or nail pops aren't usually too serious, but if you see a lot in your ceiling I would definitely look into fixing them. Like you said, the screw isn't tightly fastened to the frame. This means the screw isn't holding the drywall to the stud. They're fairly easy to repair.

To fix screw or nail pops, you need to drill a screw into the drywall one or two inches above the nail pop to re-secure the drywall to the stud. You also need to screw below the nail pop as well. Be sure to sink the screws below the surface of the wall. You don't want the nail or screw to be sticking out. After that, you just have to finish the holes. 

If you don't want to do it yourself, you can get some drywall guys to come and fix it for you pretty easily. Hope this helps!


----------



## Mjaw (Nov 24, 2020)

JS1989 said:


> Hi Everyone!
> 
> Our house is about four years old and the ceiling above my kitchen seems to have about 5 or so screw pops (or at least thats what it looks like) and i have a major fear of the ceiling drywall coming lose and falling (just an anxiety thing lol). I know that if a screw pops the drywall is not fastened tightly to the frame, but does that mean that the screw is useless? or does the popped screw still have some holding power? Are the screw pops cosmetic or is this something to worry about? There are no cracks in the ceiling or surrounding walls.
> 
> Appreciate your time!


Just did a ceiling that fell 45yr old home, they had a moisture issue in attic (not vented properly) id check that 1st


----------



## Muddobber (Jan 14, 2022)

JS1989 said:


> Hi Everyone!
> 
> Our house is about four years old and the ceiling above my kitchen seems to have about 5 or so screw pops (or at least thats what it looks like) and i have a major fear of the ceiling drywall coming lose and falling (just an anxiety thing lol). I know that if a screw pops the drywall is not fastened tightly to the frame, but does that mean that the screw is useless? or does the popped screw still have some holding power? Are the screw pops cosmetic or is this something to worry about? There are no cracks in the ceiling or surrounding walls.
> 
> Appreciate your time!


----------



## Muddobber (Jan 14, 2022)

More than likely your house has settled somewhat. Screw pops are to be expected and nothing to worry about. Apply new screw beside each popped screw and remove old screws. Apply compound, let dry, apply again. Sand and paint. If ceiling is textured apply small dobbs of mud and sand lightly if needed.


----------



## 🤡 drywall 🤡 (Feb 12, 2021)

I will agree with Muddobber....happens alot, but he gave the remedy...👍


----------



## Adi11aQ (8 mo ago)

In most cases, cracks can be repaired by applying gypsum mortar or synthetic paste. If the cracks are small and located in a small area, you can use a moisture-resistant, quick-drying fine-grained putty. I covered these defects with a suspended wooden ceiling one month ago. I used https://www.scrooz.com.au/fasteners/plasterboard-wall-anchor-fasteners/hollow-wall-anchors/ to fasten it. Btw, a small crack or hole on the drywall can be dealt with using a repair plaster solution. A large crack should initially be sealed on the reverse side.


----------



## David Schwaiger (6 mo ago)

You may have uneven ceiling joists and the drywall gave up due to the pressure. If that is the case and there is an attic space above, you will want to install blocking alongside of the joist and re-screw the dry to the new board. There is no choice in this situation. New screw will not do any good in the long run, it will just pop loose again. Another possibility is the screws were simply overtightened and you could just install new screws next to the pops. The other is that it was caused by a human being in which case you can still install new screws.


----------

