Hey everyone! I'm a first-time homeowner living in a house built back in 1969. While trying to hang a heavy wall decoration, I heard a pop and noticed that part of the drywall feels loose when I push on it. The screw I used is secure in the stud, but the drywall seems to be the issue. I tried searching for solutions and found a lot about rotting drywall, but mine feels fine. Do I need to reattach it somehow, or is it better to call in a pro? Not sure where to start here, any advice would be great!
3 Answers
It sounds like you might have a screw or nail that popped through the drywall. This can happen if the wall studs weren’t flush. I'd recommend finding the stud near the loose part and adding a few drywall screws to secure it again, but be careful not to over-tighten them. If it’s really bad, you might need to cut out the drywall and use paper shims before patching it up.
It’s likely that some screws connecting the drywall to the studs have snapped. A good fix would be to add some new sheetrock screws through the drywall to reattach it to the studs behind. Just make sure you screw them in slightly below the surface to avoid any issues.
No need to bolt it down! Just grab a box of drywall screws. You want to screw them in about 1/8 inch below the surface of the drywall. After that, you’ll want to patch over the screws with some plaster. There are plenty of YouTube tutorials if you're unsure how to do it. I deal with popping screws too—my staircase tends to make that happen, but a few added screws usually does the trick!