What causes them
Lumber drying. Framing installed at higher moisture content shrinks as it acclimates. As the stud narrows, the fastener stays put relative to the board while the framing pulls away behind it, pushing a small dome or crescent crack through the finish.
They are most common in the first year or two after construction, which is when most of that drying happens.
Why filling does not work
Because the fastener is still loose. Compound over a loose fastener conceals it until the next seasonal cycle, at which point it moves again and the pop returns in exactly the same spot.
The repair that holds
Drive the original fastener back below the surface or remove it entirely. Add a screw an inch or two away into solid framing. Then rebuild the surface over both locations and texture match.
It is barely more work than filling and it is the difference between doing it once and doing it every couple of years.
Preventing them during installation
Several choices at installation meaningfully reduce them.
- Screws rather than nails, because screws resist backing out
- Kiln dried framing lumber with lower initial moisture content
- Correct fastener depth, dimpled without breaking the paper face
- Correct fastener spacing so no single fastener carries excess load
Go deeper