Often an annoying nail pop on newly hung, taped, and painted drywall can be flattened without having to refill and paint it. I take a 6-in. taping knife and flatten it out over the pop. I then give a sharp rap with a hammer to the area of the knife over the pop, and at least half the time, the knife distributes the blow well enough to flatten the spot without marring the paint. A quarter of the time touch-up painting is required, and unfortunately, remaining instances will need recoating and repainting. But the odds are in favor of this technique, and I’ve never damaged a knife doing this.
Robert H. Brereton, Minneapolis, MN
