Replies

1. 
   Evan_Sayre | Oct 08, 1999 06:03am | #1

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   I have heard of steel studs creating a thermal bridge and then causing a small amount of condensation on the interior. That then attracts dirt.

   Maybe a form of that is what is going on here.

2. 
   Guest_ | Oct 08, 1999 06:11am | #2

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   Evan,

   I'd say that is exactly what's going on. . .

   Joseph Fusco

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1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 08, 1999 06:18am | #3

   *tim, have recently seen the exact same problem . 80 yr old house,real light colored paper, shiny and flat mixed (not really flocked). darkness appeared a couple of yrs. after it was hung. the stud location is the dark line. can't remember if it went all around the room, definitely on the ext. wall. different paper in a different room, no dark lines. did your friend have the walls primed with oil b/4 paper. several paperhangers that have been around seem to insist on the oil. don't know if that was any help but keep us informed. best of luck to ya.

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 08, 1999 10:44pm | #4

   *Very common problem in cold climates. Exacerbated if homeowners are smokers or if there is an attached garage or shop. You all are right on track; it is caused by the thermal conductivity of the studs and the dirt in the house. Solution? Since the house is already built no practical help by reworking the walls or air exchange system. But the owner can install good furnace filters(Forced Air), air cleaners, and seal infiltration areas between the house and any attached dirty areas. Stopping smoking helps too. If heating with oil can also ensure the stack exhaust doesn't get sucked back into the house.The post doesn't say if this is in a cold climate so I may have jumped to conclusions.

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 09, 1999 02:08am | #5

   *My first thought was also thermal bridging and possibly steel studs, but that shouldnt happen on the interior walls should it? Chuck

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 09, 1999 08:53am | #6

   *OOPS! Thanks Chuck, I missed the interior wall reference. Guess I need to take more time reading.My answer covers the exterior walls. That it is also on interior walls is puzzling: Unless those interior walls happen to be the walls between the garage and the house or some similiar kind of door. Tim, is the stain on all walls or only on those that have some connection to the exterior? Where is this house?

3. 
   Ben_Carnes | Oct 09, 1999 10:05am | #7

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   I happen to be an expert on how not to have to ever do wallpaper.... never do it, so you can honestly say "no, I've never done wallpaper"... My first thought was moisture coming out of the (green) lumber through the drywall. But, the fact that it is an 8-year old house Scotch's that theory. Without knowing whether you are in a high humidity climate, my next theory would be along the lines of mold/stain leaching out of the studs into the plaster/drywall, through the paper, and there you have it.... or not... like I say, I don't know anything about wallpaper....

   -Ben
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4. 
   Guest_ | Oct 09, 1999 03:34pm | #8

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   Is this stain a streak, or is it spots. Doesnt sound like a very good contractor if he doesnt want to help find the problem. Just point the finger and run.

   Rick Tuk

5. 
   Tim_Cook | Oct 12, 1999 07:00pm | #9

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   I have not seen this problem firsthand, but a friend of mine has a problem with the finished walls in their home. They high-end custom home (about 8 years old), where they have wallpapered several walls with some expensive paper. They are starting to see yellow staining bleeding through the paper itself at every stud in the room. The builder has been back out, and claims
   that it's a defect in the wallpaper, and refuses to help out. I'm not
   intimately familiar with the steps of wall finishing (I would guess that their
   walls are plaster as opposed to drywall). It's seems odd, though, if the stains are floor-to-ceiling at each stud, and it's on the interior walls. Can you give me any clue as to what might be causing this? A response is very much appreciated.
   Thanks,
   Tim