I'm about to tackle some nail pops in my wall and plan to install drywall screws. For each nail, I'm thinking of putting in one screw above and one below it. If I have 3 to 5 nails in a row, would adding 2 screws per nail be excessive? I just don't want to damage my studs by drilling too many screws into them. Any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
You don't need to worry too much about damaging the studs; they can handle a good number of screws. Since you're considering how many nails there are, maybe a better way to approach it is to just place the screws as you normally would, which is typically every 8-12 inches along the stud, rather than focusing solely on the nails. If the nails are sticking out, you could consider removing them altogether!
I'd suggest placing just one screw between the nail pops and another on each side. For new installations, they typically recommend spacing screws about 12-16 inches apart. This way, you won't overload the material but still provide solid support.
You're not going to harm the studs or joists with additional drywall screws. In fact, you could probably use more screws than necessary, and the joist would still hold up fine. Just make sure not to have the screws too close together; a few inches between them is ideal. Also, remember to sink them just deep enough to avoid breaking through the drywall paper!
Thanks for the reassurance! For my 6 x 1 1/4 coarse drywall screws, do you think I should drill a pilot hole into the stud?