Plaster walls on the inside of a building may develop bubbles for a variety of causes, the most common of which are moisture infiltration and improper installation practices.
Let’s investigate some practical solutions to this issue so that we may bring the attractiveness of your walls back to their former state.
Are you sick and weary of the unsightly bubbles that appear in the plaster on the walls of your home?
Have no fear; you’re not the only one!
Many homeowners are dealing with this annoying issue, which not only lowers the overall aesthetic appeal of their homes but also raises questions about the underlying issue.
Within the scope of this detailed guide, we will investigate the factors that lead to bubbling in interior plaster walls and present you with actionable recommendations for resolving this problem once and for all.
Why Plaster Wall Bubbles?
Plaster walls might bubble when there is an increase in the amount of humidity that rises through the wall.
At this point, the plaster begins to crumble, and the powdered mixture begins to fall down the adjacent floor.
The absence of a damp-proof course, problems with site drainage, or insufficient sub-floor ventilation can all lead to an increase in the amount of moisture that enters the building via the walls.
Damp walls are the most common and frequently only cause of plaster bubbling.
The moisture previously contained within the wall has risen to the surface of the masonry, where it has made contact with the plaster used to coat the bricks.
This causes the bubbles that can be seen in the plaster.
When the moisture gets in touch with the plaster, it begins to bubble and eventually detaches itself from the wall to which it was previously glued.
The plaster will eventually crumble and fall off the wall, becoming dust as it accumulates at the base of the structure if it sits long enough.
Simply put, the bubbling in your plaster is the consequence of moisture escaping from the wall’s brickwork.
As a result, the plaster is pushed up, and as a result, the plaster is ruined.
It’s a bothersome issue, and it’s one that needs to be treated with the utmost seriousness;
The bubbling of the plaster is an indication that your house is suffering from dampness, which is a critical issue with regard to property maintenance that needs to be rectified.
This is not because the plaster is precious or because replacing it is an annoyance.
The Reason Behind Bubbling in the Plaster Wall
It is more probable that you will experience problems with dampness if the plaster walls within your home do not have a damp-proof coating applied on top of the paint.
At this point, the moisture is rising through the wall, which can be seen as bubbles.
The plaster is subsequently removed, and the powdery substance that was created falls to the ground below.
It gives off an unhappy and worn-out appearance.
If the top layer of your walls were to peel off and fall to the ground, you would never feel renewal while inside your home.
Sometimes bubbling might be caused by problems with the drainage system or inadequate ventilation in the area.
If you are experiencing problems with dampness in your home, it is essential for you to seek the guidance of a professional as soon as possible in order to find a permanent solution.
The most useful recommendation could only come from a knowledgeable professional.
How to Stop My Plaster from Bubbling
The problem that your plaster is bubbling off the wall it has been applied to is a problem, but it is not a problem that can be fixed by chiselling the plaster off the wall and then adding fresh plaster.
In point of fact, in this scenario, removing the existing plaster and then laying a new layer of plaster is almost the literal equivalent of putting a band-aid on the problem.
Instead, you should concentrate on treating the moist walls on the interior of the structure before even addressing the plaster issue.
There are a few possible entry points for moisture into your walls, but unless the source of the moisture is identified and remedied, you will continue to have bubbling plaster.
There are a few different entry points for moisture into your walls.
Rising Damp
The breakdown of certain construction materials can lead to dampness, known as rising dampness.
This failure causes rising dampness.
In cases of rising dampness, the damp proof course, also known as the DPC, of a home has failed (or been poorly installed), and as a consequence, moisture is now able to make its way into the walls of your property.
Capillary action is the term that describes the mechanism by which water is able to enter the walls of your property after a damp-proof course has failed.
This occurs as a direct result of the failure of the damp proof course.
When moisture is pulled into the masonry of a building, a process known as capillary action causes it to migrate upwards through channels in the mortar and brickwork, where it eventually becomes wet in the walls of the building.
Rising dampness can be simple to see in a home since it rises in the wall from ground level and won’t ascend higher than approximately one metre from the floor.
This makes it one of the most obvious types of dampness.
However, despite the fact that it does not reach very high, you should not be fooled into thinking that it is any less harmful.
Rising damp is still wet, and it is still capable of bubbling and destroying your plasterwork.
It is also still capable of bubbling and destroying underfloor joists, skirting boards, flooring, wallpaper, and everything else that may have come into contact with the rising dampness.
A damp-proofing professional is the only person who can stop rising dampness from occurring in your home.
After doing a study to confirm that the problem is rising dampness, the technician will install a new DPC in your residence to prevent capillary action.
After the DPC has been completed, the walls will be able to dry out safely, and you will be able to remove and replace the plaster on the walls that have been damaged.
You will also be able to take care of any other necessary repairs, such as fixing the floorboards, which you will accomplish.
Remember that you shouldn’t reapply your plaster to the wall until after the problem with the underlying dampness has been fixed; otherwise, you may find yourself in the same predicament the next time it rains and moisture is present in the ground that can migrate into your property!
Penetrating Damp
piercing damp is another type of damp that can emerge in a home as a result of a failure in the building materials; however, the definition of the actual building materials that have failed in the situations of piercing damp is considerably broader and looser than in the case of rising damp.
Penetrating dampness can be caused by a number of different factors, including a leak in the roof, a broken pipe, or an improperly installed window or door.
Penetrating dampness can be caused by any form of a structural flaw in a building that results in the development of dampness.
If, for example, your guttering is clogged and the obstruction causes rainwater to cascade down the side of your home, the falling water can quickly harm paint, embed itself in your walls, and over time cause a problem with dampness to develop in.
This can happen if your guttering is clogged.
This kind of problem can arise from a wide variety of other issues, such as drains that won’t drain, failed lintels that allow moisture to enter around a property’s windows, or cracks in exterior walls that allow rainfall to enter the masonry of a property.
These are all examples of penetrating dampness and problems requiring slightly different remedial work.
However, they will require some sort of repair.
You can rely on the services of a damp surveyor to correctly identify not only the cause of penetrating dampness in your property but also to deliver a proposed remedy to the dampness itself, which a qualified damp proofing technician can carry out.
In terms of the specific remedy required to end the penetrating dampness in your property, you can rest assured that the services of a damp surveyor will meet your needs.
After the work on your damp proofing has been finished, you should consider beginning the process of repairing the interior of the property.
This entails replastering and replacing the plaster that has bubbled up due to the penetrating dampness that was there.
Condensation
Condensation is another method by which dampness can seep into your walls; however, condensation is not the result of a construction material failing but rather the result of everyday life and the decisions you make.
The bathroom is an example of a room in a property prone to condensation that quickly transforms into dampness within the walls.
If a shower generates a lot of steam and warm, moist air, but there is nowhere for that condensation to go, then it is practically likely that the warm, moist air will condense on the walls of the bathroom. This is because there is nowhere for the condensation to go.
The same is true for any hot air that is produced inside of a building that does not have anywhere for it to ventilate to; as a result of the differential in pressure that exists between the inside and exterior of a building, the warm, humid air will frequently be drawn towards the walls of the building.
When it comes into touch with the cooler inner walls of a building, warm air that is saturated with moisture will transform back into a liquid state.
This is the process by which condensation is generated, and it can result from activities such as taking a shower, as was discussed previously, or from perspiration, cooking, drying clothes, or plants – basically anything that emits moisture as a byproduct of its being.
If condensation is continually produced and continues to gather in the same location over and over, then there is a good chance that dampness will develop as a result of this.
This sort of dampness is distinct from others in that the moisture seeps into the masonry from the interior of the building rather than coming from the more likely source of moisture spreading out from within the masonry itself. Other types of dampness are characterised by moisture coming from the exterior of the building.
Because of this, you are likely to discover that your home has a problem with condensation before it sets within your wall. You will observe that condensation sits on top of your plaster and perhaps impacts the same plaster long before it becomes full-fledged wet.
This means that you are likely to detect that your property has a problem with condensation before it sets within your wall.
However, this does still mean that you need to sort up any condensation issues, as the condensation can still cause your plaster to bubble. If you act early enough, you may be able to avoid full damp-proofing treatment.
If condensation is what’s producing the bubbles in your plaster, your top goal should be to take measures to cut down on the amount of condensation.
This necessitates an increase in ventilation by means of devices such as an extractor fan or a positive pressure system and a heightened awareness on the part of the individual in question regarding their actions to reduce the amount of condensation that forms.
When you are certain that the condensation problems plaguing your home have been resolved, you will then be able to safely begin repairing any damaged plaster that your home may have.
It is important to keep in mind that bubbling plaster may not be the only sort of damage that the humidity has caused.
As a result of condensation, you can also discover that the wallpaper is curling, that the paint is broken, or even that there is black mould.
If you are unsure as to whether or not your building is experiencing problems that are caused by condensation, or if you would want more information on how you can prevent these problems from occuring in the future, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with our staff for more details.
How to Repair an Interior Plaster Wall With Bubbling?
Before beginning work on repairing the plaster, it is critical to identify and address the issue that is causing the bubbling in the walls.
When you have determined the primary reason for the wetness, you can then turn your attention to mending the bubbling plaster wall.
You can try to fix your bubbling wall by going through this approach, which consists of the following step-by-step instructions:
Get Rid of the Damaged Wall Coating
You are going to require a putty knife for this task. You can use the knife to scrape the cracking paint with the bubbling plaster on the bubbled wall. This will allow you to repair the wall.
Using the knife, you can simply remove the pliable material that is only lightly adhering to the wall.
You will need to dig a bit in a methodical manner while applying the appropriate amount of pressure all the way around the wall, beginning in the middle of the bubbling portion and working your way out to the boundaries of the same region.
When you get to this point, you need to keep scraping until a solid plaster layer that has not been harmed comes to the foreground.
- Utilising a putty knife, carefully scrape the surface to remove the damaged material.
- Utilising a putty knife, remove the peeling paint as well as the bubbling plaster. Remove all the softer and more loose material attached to the wall surface. This is achieved by applying steady pressure and excavating in a measured manner. Continue to follow the method around the perimeter of the damaged area as well.
- Digging should be continued until a layer of plaster that is rock-solid and unbroken is found.
- Examine the paint in the region surrounding the damage to see if it can be readily peeled off.
- Always begin removing the paint from the damaged area’s centre, then work your way outward.
Cleaning the Wall
You can clean the wall with a nylon brush if you want to. When you brush up against the wall, you’ll find that any excess dust falls off.
After that, you can remove any lime deposits that are still there by scrubbing them with water and a sponge.
Before moving on to the following phase, you must ensure the wall is tidy and free of bumps.
Wait until the wall is totally dry before continuing.
Seal the Wall
You can apply a coat of primer to the wall once it has had time to dry and is prepared for the next step in the procedure.
Primers are used to prevent the spread of any type of residual pollution that may already be present on the surface of the wall. In addition to that, it stops the buildup of stains while you are painting.
The primer may be a sealer that dries quickly or one that is oil-based.
Correctly apply the primer to the damaged area along with the paint on the walls close to the damage. Allow the primer to dry completely before proceeding further.
Oil-based Primers take an entire day to dry, but quick-drying ones are only wet for a few hours.
- A coat of primer should be applied after the wall surface has been cleaned and prepared. The priming procedure eliminates any lingering contaminants that may have been present on the wall’s surface. Getting a good bond with the patching compound is made easier by doing so. Using a primer helps prevent stains from bleeding through the paint. An oil-based primer or a quick-drying primer-sealer might serve as the base coat for the project.
- To ensure that the solution is thoroughly combined, forcefully shake the primer. Paint the surfaces that are harmed and make sure to overlap the paint onto the walls that are nearby as well. Give the primer some time to dry. The drying time for oil paint is typically 24 hours, whereas quick-dry primers are typically only an hour.
Repair
Applying plaster will help you fill in the wall and get it level. A jointing compound is the best option if the damaged area is not extensive; nevertheless, plaster is preferable for repairing larger areas.
You might begin with a jointing compound mixture and apply it at a thickness of one-quarter of an inch, then use a jointing knife to remove any extra compound that remains after doing so.
Make every effort to prevent the formation of thick layers of coating around the perimeter of the damage. Sandpaper with a coarse grain can be used to even out any remaining rims.
It is imperative that you wait to begin the sanding procedure until after the compound has been allowed to completely dry.
During the second coat, you will need to apply the mixture to the more deeply damaged parts of the portion of the surface that has been harmed.
Once more, remove any excess of the mixture.
Make an effort to coat the surface with a very thin layer of the compound. After allowing it to cure completely, the next steps are to scrape, sand, and remove any dust that may have accumulated.
- Patching plaster or jointing compound can be used to fill in the missing plaster and bring the wall back to its original level. The choice depends on the kind of damage that needs to be fixed. The jointing compound can be utilised even for a relatively small region. Plaster is the most effective type of repair compound when the damaged area becomes more extensive.
- The depth of the repair, measured from the wall’s existing exterior layer, will determine the number of coatings of jointing compound or plaster that need to be applied.
Application of the Jointing Compound for the First Coat
- You need to use jointing knives to apply the first coat of the jointing compound mixture. To begin, spread the mixture on the wall to a one-quarter of an inch thickness using butter. Now go back over it to skim off the excess that was caused by the repair on one side being applied to the opposite side of the problem.
- At all times, you should float the blade across the deeper damage to fill it, and you should skim it along the surrounding walls to give them a thin layer. It is important to avoid creating thick layers around the edges of the damage, as this will require further sanding in the final stage.
- If you need to cover a broad area with the compound, you should apply it with a long, thin board. Sandpaper with a coarse to medium grit can be used to smooth down any remaining ridges. Sanding should only be done after the compound has been allowed to completely dry.
- When you are through sanding, brush away any dust that may have accumulated and then use a clean, moist sponge to wipe off the area. To prepare the surface for the subsequent coat, clean away any scraping and sanding dust that may be present.
Application of the Jointing Compound for the Second Coat
- Apply the compound to the areas of the injury that are the most severe during the second application. Remove any excess of the mixture with strokes that are parallel to one another. The buttering and skimming-off processes are carried out in a direction perpendicular to the one followed in the initial coat.
- When using the jointing knife, you should not be concerned about the ridges that it creates. However, in order to reduce the amount of final sanding that needs to be done, the compound should be kept as thin as possible.
- Wait for the second coat of paint to dry. After this, the process of scraping and sanding will begin. Remove any debris and dust that may be on the surface. If it is necessary to do so, the number of coats can be increased.
Final Step
Sanding the wall will be necessary after all of the coatings have been applied to it, after it has been smoothed out so that it is flat against the rest of the plaster, and after it has been smoothed out so that it is flush with the rest of the plaster.
After this step, a cursory dusting with a moist cloth is typically performed to ensure that the wall is clean and that the primer will not entrap any dust that may have been missed.
The use of the primer is a necessary step in the process of reapplying plaster because it prevents any water damage that may have been left behind in the walls from having an influence on the plaster that has just been reapplied.
After applying that primer, you can consider redesigning the wall in any way you see fit because the process will have been finished at that point.
Conclusion
Bubbling in interior plaster walls is caused by moisture infiltration, poor installation techniques, and lack of a damp-proof course.
Moisture escapes the brickwork of the wall, pushing plaster up and ruining it, and should be taken seriously.
It is important to take advice from an expert if you are dealing with bubbling plaster.
Rising dampness is caused by a failure of a damp-proof course, which causes moisture to enter the walls through capillary action.
It can ruin plasterwork, underfloor joists, skirting boards, floorboards, and wallpaper.
Rising dampness can be stopped by installing a DPC to stop the capillary action, while penetrating dampness is caused by a failure within building materials.
A damp surveyor can identify the cause and provide a proposed remedy to the dampness.
Condensation is a common way that dampness can get into a property’s walls and can be caused by a variety of sources, such as a shower, perspiration, cooking, drying clothes, and plants.
It is important to act early to avoid full damp proofing treatment. Reduce condensation by increasing ventilation and being mindful of your behaviour.
Repair the bubbled plaster wall with a putty knife to get rid of the damaged wall coating. Contact our team for more information.
Remove damaged material with a putty knife, dig out soft and loose material, check paint peeling, clean the wall with a nylon brush, and seal with primer.
Prime the wall surface with an oil-based or quick-dry primer-sealer and let it dry.
Apply a jointing compound or patching plaster to fill and level the wall, depending on the area of damage.
Apply the first coat of jointing compound using a jointing knife and skim off excess.
Apply the second coat in the perpendicular direction and scrape off the excess mixture. Wipe off dust and materials on the surface.
Prime the wall and redecorate as desired.
Content Summary
- How to Fix Bubbling in Interior Plaster Wall Bubbling in interior plaster walls can occur due to various reasons, ranging from moisture infiltration to poor installation techniques.
- Let’s explore effective methods to fix this problem and restore the beauty of your walls.
- Are you tired of dealing with unsightly bubbling in your interior plaster walls?
- In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the causes of bubbling in interior plaster walls and provide you with practical solutions to fix this issue once and for all.
- The bubbling of plaster walls is caused due to the rise of dampness through the wall.
- Instead, you should treat damp walls internally before tackling the plaster situation.
- There are a few different ways dampness can enter your walls, but until the reason for the dampness has been found and addressed, you will keep suffering from bubbling plaster.
- Rising dampness can only be stopped by a damp-proofing technician, who (following a survey to ensure that the issue is rising damp) will install a fresh DPC in your property to stop the capillary action from taking place.
- Any type of failure in a property that leads to an onset of dampness constitutes penetrating dampness.
- As far as the particular remedy needed to put a stop to the penetrating dampness in your property, you can rely on the services of a damp surveyor to correctly identify not only the cause of penetrating dampness in your property but also to deliver to you a proposed remedy to the damp itself, which a qualified damp proofing technician can carry out.
- Once the work has been completed on your damp proofing, you can look to start repairing your property interior.
- Taking steps to reduce condensation should be your first priority if it is condensation causing your plaster to bubble.
- Once you are confident that your property has had its condensation issues rectified, you will be safe to begin repair work on any affected plaster your property might have.
- It’s very important to find and solve the cause behind the bubbling in walls before you start repairing the plaster.
- Once you have sorted out the basic cause of dampness, you can focus on repairing the bubbled plaster wall.
- With the help of the knife, you can scrap the cracking paint along with the bubbling plaster on the bubbled wall.
- Remove the damaged material from the surface using a putty knife.
- Lift off the flaking paint and the bubbling plaster by utilising a putty knife.
- Dig out all the soft and loose material from the wall surface.
- Cleaning the Wall, You can use a nylon brush to clean the wall.
- Let the wall dry off completely.
- Seal the Wall When the wall is dry and ready for further processing, you can apply a coat of primer on it.
- Apply the primer properly on the damaged surface along with the adjacent wall paint.
- Once the wall surface is cleaned and prepared, apply a coat of primer.
- Coat the affected surfaces and overlap them with the surrounding wall paint also.
- Allow the primer to dry.
- Repair Use plaster to fill the wall and level it.
- Fill the missing plaster and level the wall using a jointing compound or patching plaster.
- First Coat Application of Jointing Compound Apply the first coat of the jointing compound mixture using a jointing knife.
- Second Coat Application of Jointing Compound During the second coat, apply the compound on the deepest parts of the damage.
- Skim off the excess mixture by taking parallel strokes.
- Leave the second coat to dry.
FAQ
What Causes Interior Plaster to Bubble?
The plaster bubbles because the moisture within the wall has risen to the masonry’s surface and has come into contact with the plaster covering the brickwork.
As the moisture comes into contact with the plaster, the plaster bubbles up and rises off of the wall that it has been adhered to.
How Do You Fix Bulging Plaster?
To repair it, you’ve got two choices. You can break out all the loose stuff and replaster the area—not a do-it-yourself project.
Or, you can stabilise the sagging plaster by using plaster washers to pull it back up against the lath.
Plaster washers don’t always work, but they’re cheap, so it’s worth a shot
Should You Pop Wall Bubbles?
Pop it! Sometimes it can take weeks from estimate to fixing the issue.
The longer the water sits behind the paint, the more damage it will do to the drywall, and especially with ceilings, which will fall into the house if the drywall gets too wet and heavy.
The best preventative measure is to pop the bubble.
What Does It Mean When Your Walls Are Bubbling?
Paint blisters or bubbles occur when the paint film lifts from the underlying surface.
The loss of adhesion between the paint film and the surface is usually caused by heat, moisture or a combination of both.
What Does Water Damage Look Like on Plaster?
Paint and water are insoluble, and an easy way to identify if the plaster is water damaged is by looking for flaking paint or air bubbles that burst and flake.
Unlike flaking plaster, the paint will flake with minimal exposure to water, while plaster often needs to get wet and re-dry before flaking occurs.
