# strange pattern on ceiling drywall



## kelley4180 (Oct 2, 2009)

There are some strange looking marks on the ceiling drywall in a room we rarely use. Please see attached picture. At first glance, I thought, "oh no, water damage". (It's been raining a lot lately). 

However, I went to the attic and directly above the marks, there seems to be no sign of water anywhere up there above these marks.

Any thoughts?


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Where are you located ?
Do you know the humidity in the house ?


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

Kind of looks like termite damage. I couldn't find much in the line of pictures on the net but that was my first thought.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Dust/dirt settling on condensation due to insufficient air circulation in that room. Blow-in insulation may not be level, that area is lacking or batt has a fold there, causing a temperature difference. 
Be safe, Gary


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## sluggermike (Sep 2, 2007)

Maybe it's time to call the Ghost Busters?


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## stuart45 (Jun 20, 2009)

My first thought was pattern staining, which is the problem described by GBR. It used to be quite common here before lofts were insulated. The dust used to collect in between the joists as the timber added some thermal qualities. You could see the lines of the joists where there was no dust.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

Witch on a broom with a vapor trail?
Ron


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## kelley4180 (Oct 2, 2009)

Ron, in answer to your location question - I'm in Atlanta. So, moisture/humidity is not out of the question. Have you seen something that looks like that?


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## Michael Thomas (Jan 27, 2008)

Looks like it may be:




























- Termite tubes


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

You and me are the only ones that think that Michael. I hope Kelly does come back and enlighten us. I am curious.


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## Michael Thomas (Jan 27, 2008)

I hope not - if termites are in that ceiling, the colony is likely *very* well established.


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## sluggermike (Sep 2, 2007)

I live in Southern California and have termites. Anyone who tells you they don't have termites in this area is lying. I've never seen them go after drywall. If they liked drywall as much as wood I wouldn't have any ceilings.


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

It sure looks like termite damage to me. If you take a putty knife or something similar, scrape the area, and the drywall falls apart I'd say call the exterminator. I'm in Atlanta too and I've done repairs, on occasion, where they've gotten into the ceiling (usually they stick to the walls). They eat the paper on the face and back of the drywall and leave "the tunnels/tracks you're seeing. Hard to say positively, sight-unseen.......


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## zpm (Jan 6, 2009)

sluggermike said:


> I've never seen them go after drywall.


They go after the paper layer in the drywall.


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

zpm said:


> They go after the paper layer in the drywall.


As I said. The paper is the closest thing to "wood" in the composition of drywall.....


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## kelley4180 (Oct 2, 2009)

Had somebody come over and look at it - they felt it was condensation from thermal changes thru that area. I'll getting a 2nd opinion and will give an update.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

That IS the second opinion, lol.

Be safe, Gary


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

I'm in agreement with termites, based on seeing these type "tracks" in homes I was called to about this type problem here in S. Ga. bjatlanta is correct in that taking a putty knife, laying it fairly flat to the surface and scraping off the remaining paper of the drywall should/probably will reveal termite tracks. As others have stated, termites will eat the paper backing of the drywall. I have seen results of them eating the paper, leaving the actual drywall and the paint. I also agree that if you are seeing these in your ceiling you probably have a larger infestation than you want, or you have drywall in your ceiling that those litlle critters like better than the walls. I do highly recommend calling in a reputable extermination company. Ask neighbors, friends, co-workers for recommendations. Good Luck, David


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## sluggermike (Sep 2, 2007)

If it is termites, eventually there will be some termite dust, similar to fine sand, falling out the tracks. If that hasn't happened yet, you might take a knife and cut open one of the tracks. If nothing falls out, you probably have don't have termites.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

I believe this is one of the situations where a little research is called for. If it is termites and it is ignored believing it is a simple water stain, the termites could cause a lot of damage before realizing they are there.

On the other hand, should it turn out to be a water stain, you have a couple of touches of mud and some paint, which you already had to do anyway.

better safe than sorry.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Did any of you hold the "control" key while tapping the "+=" sign, 8 or 9 times on the picture? Knock-down texture, some finishers put black tint in the primer coat to get just that effect. "Control" and "-" key to remove.
Be safe, Gary


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## Michael Thomas (Jan 27, 2008)

Not like any splash or knock downs I've seen:

http://www.drywallschool.com/textures.htm


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