CDA

Historic Preservation

Humidity and Wallpaper

Why Lowcountry humidity is the single biggest technical factor in any Charleston-area wallcovering project.

Charleston's subtropical humidity is unforgiving to wallcovering installations that aren't specified correctly. Moisture trapped behind non-breathable vinyl coverings on historic plaster is one of the most common causes of mold, bubbling, and adhesive failure we're called in to correct.

A proper moisture analysis — checking both ambient humidity and moisture content within the wall assembly itself — should precede every installation, historic or new construction. This determines adhesive selection, whether lining paper is required, and whether a given wallcovering is even appropriate for the space.

Natural fiber and paper-backed materials generally outperform vinyl in humid Lowcountry environments precisely because they allow some vapor transmission rather than sealing moisture in.