'Popping' screws

[AndrewSchofield]

Can anyone tell me causes screw heads to 'pop' in plasterboard stud walls that have been skimmed? Is it just movement in the wall, screws incorrectly fitted, wrong screws used, bad skimming??

Some of the screws in our office have 'popped' but it was skimmed about 6 years ago so i assume that's down to movement (its on an underdrawn roof with a big span) but my sister-in-law had an extension done last year and it was only skimmed in December 2010 and already some of the screws have started 'popping' Over the last few years i've studded out our entire loft conversion and (touch wood) none have 'popped' yet but i just wondered if i'm likely to see it happen in the coming years and if it'll be my fault if it does happen?

 

[keyplayer]

In my experience this happens when the board doesn't naturally sit flush with the stud and the screw is pulling the board in a bit at that position. If this is the case, a few extra screws should hold it. It can also happen if a screw is driven too far below the board surface. Again, cure with more screws. Not down to the skimming really, no skim will deal with movement 'twixt board and stud.

 

[stevethespreader]

Can anyone tell me causes screw heads to 'pop' in plasterboard stud walls that have been skimmed? Is it just movement in the wall, screws incorrectly fitted, wrong screws used, bad skimming??

Some of the screws in our office have 'popped' but it was skimmed about 6 years ago so i assume that's down to movement (its on an underdrawn roof with a big span) but my sister-in-law had an extension done last year and it was only skimmed in December 2010 and already some of the screws have started 'popping' Over the last few years i've studded out our entire loft conversion and (touch wood) none have 'popped' yet but i just wondered if i'm likely to see it happen in the coming years and if it'll be my fault if it does happen?

one of the main reasons for screws popping is that the screw wasent sunk in far enough to the board and lack of key

 

[AndrewSchofield]

so chances are its down to whoever put the screws in - probably because they either didn't screw them in flush with the boards, or because they over screwed them and the screw head has gone through the board.

In that case, i'm quietly confident mine were ok Fingers crossed anyway.

 

[stevethespreader]

because they either didn't screw them in flush with the boards, or because they over screwed them and the screw head has gone through the board.
In that case, i'm quietly confident mine were ok Fingers crossed anyway.

they are not ment to be flush with the boards but sunk in without braking the paper, you sometimes get a little tool with your screws that countersinks them to the right deph, if you havent got one then get one of these http://www.sourcingmap.com/home-imp...gle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=ukfroogle

 

[stevethespreader]

because they either didn't screw them in flush with the boards, or because they over screwed them and the screw head has gone through the board.
In that case, i'm quietly confident mine were ok Fingers crossed anyway.

they are not ment to be flush with the boards but sunk in without braking the paper, you sometimes get a little tool with your screws that countersinks them to the right deph, if you havent got one then get one of these http://www.sourcingmap.com/home-imp...ium=froogle&utm_campaign=ukfroogle[/QUOTE]ive just got to add here, are we are talking about the skim popping off the screw head ? which is what i assumed you are talking about and not the screw popping out of the joist or frame which i think keyplayer has assumed?

 

[AndrewSchofield]

because they either didn't screw them in flush with the boards, or because they over screwed them and the screw head has gone through the board.
In that case, i'm quietly confident mine were ok Fingers crossed anyway.

they are not ment to be flush with the boards but sunk in without braking the paper, you sometimes get a little tool with your screws that countersinks them to the right deph, if you havent got one then get one of these http://www.sourcingmap.com/home-imp...ium=froogle&utm_campaign=ukfroogle[/QUOTE]ive just got to add here, are we are talking about the skim popping off the screw head ? which is what i assumed you are talking about and not the screw popping out of the joist or frame which i think has keyplayer assumed?

Yes Steve, i'm talking about the plaster either raising up in a circle around the screwhead so you get a circle raised above the general surface off the wall, or a circle of plaster skim 'popping' out completely and leaving the screw-head visible.

All my drywall screws came with a PH2 bit but not the thing you mention - I have seen the thing you've linked to but never used one. Done all the stud work i plan on doing for the time being now though!!

While we're talking about it - what's the best way to repair these 'popped' screw heads? Is it just a case of filler, sandpaper and re-painting? Are they likely to 'pop' out the filler again?

 

[stevethespreader]

because they either didn't screw them in flush with the boards, or because they over screwed them and the screw head has gone through the board.
In that case, i'm quietly confident mine were ok Fingers crossed anyway.

they are not ment to be flush with the boards but sunk in without braking the paper, you sometimes get a little tool with your screws that countersinks them to the right deph, if you havent got one then get one of these http://www.sourcingmap.com/home-imp...ium=froogle&utm_campaign=ukfroogle[/QUOTE]ive just got to add here, are we are talking about the skim popping off the screw head ? which is what i assumed you are talking about and not the screw popping out of the joist or frame which i think has keyplayer assumed?

Yes Steve, i'm talking about the plaster either raising up in a circle around the screwhead so you get a circle raised above the general surface off the wall, or a circle of plaster skim 'popping' out completely and leaving the screw-head visible.

All my drywall screws came with a PH2 bit but not the thing you mention - I have seen the thing you've linked to but never used one. Done all the stud work i plan on doing for the time being now though!!

While we're talking about it - what's the best way to repair these 'popped' screw heads? Is it just a case of filler, sandpaper and re-painting? Are they likely to 'pop' out the filler again?

get a screw driver and push them in or use a drill ideally using the countersink in the link i gave you there only a quid for 2, then fill and sand and hopfully you wont see them anymore.

 

[roughcaster]

Another reason for plasterboard screws popping, or nails for that matter is shrinkage. A sheet/s of plasterboard will absorb moisture and swell slightly. When the board/s dries out, they shrink back slightly, but the screw head stays in the same position causing a bump around the screw/nail head ,and popping off the plaster/filler.

 

[ursamajor]

A plasterer I knew told me that he always runs self adhesive scrim over every screw-run regardless of whether they are along the edges/joins or not. Claims that this helps prevents screws from popping through the plaster.

 

[roughcaster]

A plasterer I knew told me that he always runs self adhesive scrim over every screw-run regardless of whether they are along the edges/joins or not. Claims that this helps prevents screws from popping through the plaster.

I would agree with that Ursa, plus, i think the thinner the skim coat, the more liable they are to pop. With thicker cover over the wall/ceilings, the stronger the surface. Every stud wall or ceiling i do, whether new boards or old, i always use 2 tight bonding coats, followed by 2 coats of multi, so quite a bit of moisture going onto the boards, but i don't get a problem with popping. I know it's more work doing it that way,,, but old dogs and all that!! I think what Steve said too,, make sure that each screw is in far enough to be covered, rather than sitting flush on the surface. Another thing to remember is making sure there's no play in the sheets to start with,, if you feel a bit of movement in the boards while you're spreading, give the screws in that area a little tighten up. I like to push onto the board as i'm tightening up any screw, as it takes out any play/slack when tightening the screw,,,,, it saves the screw trying to do all the work and going too deep into the board.

 

[ursamajor]

Every stud wall or ceiling i do, whether new boards or old, i always use 2 tight bonding coats, followed by 2 coats of multi, so quite a bit of moisture going onto the boards

Sorry to sound daft, but what do you mean by 2 coats of bonding? The way I'm reading it, this means 2 coats of bonding (subcoat) plaster, then the skim on top. As is a float and set?

 

[roughcaster]

That's exactly what it is Ursa, a thin float and set onto plasterboard. Coat the walls or ceiling with 2 tight coats of bonding coat in the morning, let it set up, (around dinner time), then 2 coats of multi finish afternoon.

 

[1john]

It's a nice way to do it although I have only used this method to sort out a bit of a balls up of some dabbing I once did on a very bumpy wall.

 

[Micilin]

Great way to sort out dodgy ceiling lines, humps and hollows too - this is what I would do in domestic work too.


Obviously site work @ £X /m2 would not warrant it

For popped screws I would shove board up , screw that screw in and put another in beside it