# Bulging Interior Wall Paint



## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

I am having problems with interior paint starting to come away from the wall.

The interior wall was painted a few years back and recently I noticed some slight bubbling happening and not thinking too much about it...only that I would need to be doing some painting in the future.
The area has gotten bigger and basically travelled horizontally along the wall. You can take your hand and press against the section of the wall and the paint moves back and forth.
Now I know that the paint is coming away from the plaster wall but WHY would be my question?

This wall is not exterior but does face the west.
The area was painted some years ago without any signs of problems. No other wall in the same room is showing this problem.
Could humidity cause this? I live in Michigan and do run my air when needed.
The wall in question has the cold air return vent and the problem is in that area but not directly next to the cold air return vent.
Thank you for any advice, opinions, and or suggestions relating to my question in advance.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Likely drywall tape that didn't get properly set in a seam. Cut out the bad, redo the seam with drywall tape and mud. Let dry, sand, prime, and repaint.


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

Gymschu said:


> Likely drywall tape that didn't get properly set in a seam. Cut out the bad, redo the seam with drywall tape and mud. Let dry, sand, prime, and repaint.


Thanks for the reply.. I have been in this house about 16 years, and the home is probably 35+ years or older...do you still think this would be causing this?


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Yes since it's running horizontally, it's gotta be a drywall joint gone bad. Now, could it be caused by some sort of moisture issue? Sure, but you will have to investigate. Is it near a window that may be leaking into the home? Maybe some siding not attached properly outside.......could be dozens of potential causes.


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

Thanks again Gymschu for the quick reply!

This wall is about 12 feet from my main exterior widow wall.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Dlberry, once you get enough posts on here, post a picture. You need 5 posts before you can attach photos of your problem.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Gymschu said:


> Likely drywall tape that didn't get properly set in a seam. Cut out the bad, redo the seam with drywall tape and mud. Let dry, sand, prime, and repaint.


the op posted this
Now I know that the paint is coming away from the [COLOR=blue !important]plaster wall[/COLOR] but WHY would be my question?

I don't know if the wall in question is plaster or not:huh:


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

chrisn said:


> the op posted this
> Now I know that the paint is coming away from the [COLOR=blue !important]plaster wall[/COLOR] but WHY would be my question?
> 
> I don't know if the wall in question is plaster or not:huh:


Plaster...and thanks for asking.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

The plaster is likely pulling away from the lathe (thin wood strips that keep the plaster in place), so in that case, your repair work will be much more involved.


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

Gymschu....well I was mistaken...it's not plaster...but drywall.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Is it the wall moving or the paint? I really suspect moisture since you have lived there 16 years it doesn't seem like a drywall joint would all of a sudden come loose. 

If it is the wall moving and you can locate the studs maybe a couple screws will be all you need. If it's moisture the source will need ti=o be found and repaired.


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

The paint is moving or very big areas where the paint has pulled away from the wall but not split, or cracked, or peeled away. Thanks ToolSeeker for responding!


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

need a pic, I have never heard of such a situation, at least I am not understanding it and I don't think anyone else is either


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

If the paint has come loose it will need to be removed anyway. I think what you need to do is where the paint in loose cut out a piece. Then check to see if there are any sign of moisture. Does the drywall fell wet, damp, soft, is there any sign of discoloration, is the paper on the drywall loose or intact.

Here's what I'm thinking and it could be wrong. Water has gotten into the wall, probably slowly, (small leak) and has been absorbed by the drywall. Again thinking small eventually it got damp enough to break the bond of the paint.

Again small leak it did not get past the drywall seam because the mud absorbs differently than the board thus giving the horizontal line. Interested to see if others agree or disagree.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

I tend to agree with Toolseeker. Is the horizontal bad area 4 feet off the floor ?? Drywall sheets are frequently 4' x 8' and frequently laid horizontally. 
A small roof leak could allow water to drip down inside of the wall. When the water hits the joint, it gets soaked up like a sponge by the joint mud. Whats on your roof above that area ? Perhaps a roof vent, or vent stack? Keep in mind that water could drip straight down from a roof leak, or it could run along the rafter (diagonally down) quite some distance before dripping down.


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

SPS-1 and all who have responded...I will try and get some images this week and post. My roof is fairly new and I have a ridge vent that is probably 20-25 feet away from the area in question. I will post some images when I can. Thanks again for responding!


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

chrisn said:


> need a pic, I have never heard of such a situation, at least I am not understanding it and I don't think anyone else is either


Hello chrisn..I have uploaded 6 images of the "Bulging Interior Wall Paint" and hopefully this may give you guys some more insight to what may be going on.
There is no water damage on my celling, and this area is about three feet off the floor. Look forward to all who want to take an educated guess. Thanks for your help!


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Interesting. Hard to say for sure. It does look like perhaps some moisture got in there. It doesn't take much to pop off some plaster. Plaster can act like a wick and basically stays wet for a long time and can pop off the plaster as seen in the pics.

Also, after many years, plaster gets hard and brittle. That alone could be causing the problem. Even someone pounding on an adjacent wall to hang some pictures, etc. can produce a situation like that.

Dlberry, it will just take some serious investigative work on your part to track down what's going on.


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

Gymschu said:


> Interesting. Hard to say for sure. It does look like perhaps some moisture got in there. It doesn't take much to pop off some plaster. Plaster can act like a wick and basically stays wet for a long time and can pop off the plaster as seen in the pics.
> 
> Also, after many years, plaster gets hard and brittle. That alone could be causing the problem. Even someone pounding on an adjacent wall to hang some pictures, etc. can produce a situation like that.
> 
> Dlberry, it will just take some serious investigative work on your part to track down what's going on.


Thanks Gymschu....what about humidity...could that add to the problem?

OK so lets talk about repairing this...basically scrape the peeling paint away...prime the bare sheetrock...put a coat of drywall compound..re-prime and paint?


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Yes, but let me warn you up front, that when you start removing what looks like a 1 square foot loose spot, it is going to get bigger, sometimes WAY bigger.


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

chrisn said:


> Yes, but let me warn you up front, that when you start removing what looks like a 1 square foot loose spot, it is going to get bigger, sometimes WAY bigger.


Nothing is ever straight forward when it comes to home repair...thanks for your help..do you recommend an oil base primer over the sheetrock before I mud?


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Sure does not look like sheetrock, but yes, either an oil based primer or Gardz if you can find it. If you are in California get Draw Tite


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

chrisn said:


> Sure does not look like sheetrock, but yes, either an oil based primer or Gardz if you can find it. If you are in California get Draw Tite


Chrisn...yes I think you are right...it's more like plaster with no lath behind it. Thanks for your help and suggestions!


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## joecongptx (Sep 23, 2014)

just a thought. If your a/c is in attic check condensation drain pan. It might be stopped up and dripping down wall.


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## dlberry (Sep 29, 2014)

joecongptx said:


> just a thought. If your a/c is in attic check condensation drain pan. It might be stopped up and dripping down wall.


joecongptx thanks for your response....fortunately I do not have my air conditioning unit in my attic area.


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