Wallpaper peeling or paint bubbling? Here’s Why!

There is nothing more frustrating than a home you’ve lovingly decorated showing signs of damage or degradation. Peeling wallpaper or bubbling, flaking paint is a common complaint – and often happens for seemingly no reason!

However, there is always an underlying issue when this happens. The base of the issue is that the adhesive that holds the wallpaper in place is either being broken down or weakened due to environmental factors in your home. For paint, it’s being affected in similar fashion. Once the wall and adhesive are compromised, your paint or wallpaper will begin to come away.

These issues with wallpaper or paint can be caused by many things – often it is due to rising damp, penetrating damp or excess condensation. These issues create the perfect environment for disrupting the adhesive that holds the wallpaper down, or creating a barrier of moisture between your wall and the paint. Whilst there are a few things you can do to help alleviate this problem, it’s important to contact a qualified damp surveyor such as Biocraft South West who can help you address the problem at its root.

By fixing the core of the issue, you can ensure your home is completely dry, and damp proof – meaning your walls will never peel or flake ever again!

What Causes Wallpaper Peeling

Wallpaper peels when the adhesive is weakened. The glue holding the paper onto the wall can affected by a number of factors, but is typically one of a few related reasons:

Moisture weakening the adhesive:

Moisture from damp patches or excess condensation can break down the adhesive over time, making it less effective. Peeling wallpaper in a specific area may indicate a patch of rising damp or penetrating damp in that area. If the wallpaper is peeling across the whole home, it may indicate there is excess condensation either due to a damp issue, or poor ventilation.

Expansion and contraction of walls:

Damp conditions can cause your walls to expand and contract. When the walls shift in this way, it puts strain on the wallpaper as it’s not designed to fluctuate in size. This process repeating multiple times can cause the wallpaper to weaken and consequently start to peel.

Mould and mildew:

When you have damp in your home, it’s not uncommon to see mould or mildew grow on surfaces – typically walls, or around your windows. Due to the dark conditions behind wallpaper, mould and mildew can thrive, and the proteins they release will break down the wallpaper adhesive. This – unfortunately – often leads to scenarios where people don’t know they’ve got mould until the wallpaper has peeled away.

What Causes Paint Bubbling

Paint is affected in much the same way as wallpaper. Excess moisture in or on your walls due to damp or condensation disrupts the paint, either breaking it down, or physically pushing it off the wall.
When moisture is trapped beneath the paint due to damp or excess condensation, it will eventually evaporate, which is what causes the bubbling effect. The expanding and contracting of the wall due to damp conditions will also make paint crack and fall away.

In terms of mould – it’s not uncommon to hear people discuss having to repeatedly paint over mould patches in their home. Mould itself will not typically cause paint to crack and fall off; however, it is symptomatic of other damp and condensation issues that will affect the paint.

Painting over mould, unfortunately, is not a solution as it is simply covering up the issue. Mould can grow through paint layers and unless you address the problem at the source, the damp and mould issue will continue.

The Deeper Implications of Mould & Damp

If you notice any of these problems around your home – it’s important to act fast. Whilst aesthetic issues with your paint and wallpaper may be frustrating, it is minor in comparison to the deeper structural degradation damp and mould issues can cause to your property.

Mould and high humidity can also contribute to health problems, particularly to young & elderly people or those who have existing health conditions.

Peeling wallpaper or bubbling paint may be a surface level symptom, so make sure to get it properly investigated by a qualified surveyor.

What Can You Do About Peeling Wallpaper & Bubbling Paint

The best way to ensure your wallpaper stops peeling is address the root issue. If you own your home, you can contact a qualified damp and waterproofing specialist such as Biocraft South West, who can perform a damp survey to figure out what’s causing the damp issue. If you’re a tenant, contact your landlord as they must take action to address the problem.

In the meantime, some small ways you can help with your damp issue is to ensure your home is warm to allow spaces to dry out. Spaces such bathrooms and kitchens should also receive adequate ventilation following showers or cooking to ensure moisture has the chance to escape.

Another way to assist can be implement lüften as part of your daily routine. This involves opening your windows for a few minutes 2-3 times a day to cycle damp air out of your home.

Be aware the above suggestions are just treating the symptoms without fixing the main problem – damage to your home will continue as long as the damp/moisture is not addressed.

How we can help

If you have concerns about a damp or moisture issue within your home – our helpful and professional team are always happy to help. Visit our contact us page to start a discussion with us, or to book a damp survey!