A wood-framed, two-story home can shrink vertically and place substantial forces on rigid building components such as gypsum wallboard (drywall). These forces can cause drywall to crack. Minor cracks can be filled and primed before the area is repainted. Though drywall nails have been replaced by drywall screws (which hold better than nails), nails are still used to initially hold the wallboard in place until it can be screwed down. Nails are susceptible to ‘nail pops’ which happen when wood shrinks and expands, forcing nails holding Gypsum Wallboard the gypsum to work their way through the wallboard. This results in a bump in the drywall as the nail forces its way through the drywall. These nail pops typically appear at the upper edge of a wall or at a truss line on a ceiling. To repair nail pops, cut away the damaged wallboard. Then, pull the nail out with a pair of needle-nosed pliers, nail it farther into the wall with a punch tool or replace the nail with a screw. Finally, fill the hole with joint compound, prime and re-paint the area. INTERIOR FINISHING 61