Why Is My Wallpaper Peeling Off the Wall?

Peeling wallpaper is one of the first signs people notice, and it’s useful because where it peels tells you a lot.

Read the pattern

• Peeling at the top edges and seams, mould spots on the paper, worse on outside walls and in bedrooms or bathrooms: usually condensation. The paper gets damp from the surface, the paste softens and the edges lift.
• Peeling from skirting level up, with staining, a tide mark or white salts behind: low-level damp. That could be rising damp, a bridged DPC, high ground outside or a leaking pipe.
• A patch peeling in one area, maybe below a window, by a downpipe or on a chimney breast: penetrating damp or chimney damp.
• Bubbling in the middle of drops on a newly papered wall: often trapped air or paste problems, but on a newly plastered wall it can be moisture still coming out.
• Peeling all over a room that isn’t damp: poor preparation. Paper hung on dusty or unsized plaster or on old flaking paint won’t stick for long.

Check for damp

Peel a bit back and look at the plaster and paper behind. Is the paste wet or mouldy? Is the plaster dark, soft or crumbly? Are there white salts? A damp meter can give a rough guide, but remember they read high on salts and foil-backed papers and aren’t conclusive on their own.

Fix the cause first

Re-pasting or re-papering won’t last if the wall is damp. Work out which type of problem you have:

• Condensation: improve ventilation and heating, and keep furniture off cold walls.
• Low-level damp: check ground levels, bridging and plumbing first.
• Penetrating damp: look outside for the defect.
• Salts: contaminated plaster usually needs replacing.

Before you redecorate

Make sure the wall is dry and sound, prepare it properly, and think about the finish. On older solid walls, a breathable paint is often a better choice than heavy vinyl wallpaper, which can trap moisture. After damp work, ask how long you should leave the plaster before papering, because wallpaper usually needs a longer wait than paint.