Stipple/pock effect on ceiling plasterboard - damp?

[wrightie]

Hi,
Just wondered whether anyone could assist me with a problem at my house - have searched the forums, but to no avail.
I recently moved into a 1960's house and found that on the ceiling of one of the downstairs bedrooms it had a lot of white stipple marks. I can only describe it as a big area of the ceiling that has been painted, but the paint had a load of sand in it - hence the pock marks. A lot of the marks track along the edges of the plasterboard, and also all on the wall around a (newish -5yrs) UPVC window.
I was just wondering whether anyone has encountered such a thing, and whether it may be damp related, although most damp is of a darker colour.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated before I start ripping up the flooboards upstairs !!
Regards,
Paul.

[thedoctor]

Sounds like someone has been experimentally decorating with a tin of pollyripple or similar artex substitute. Could even have been a few brush strokes with the exterior masonry paint called Sandtex. We have never heard of damp producing this kind of effect in a ceiling

[wrightie]

Thanks very much for your reply doctor,
I'd hoped it wasn't damp and you're right that it certainly didn't exhibit the standard grey/yellow colours that damp usually does. It's just nice to have an educated second opinion.
Now, I've just got to persuade my wife that it's going to be far easier to wallpaper the walls/ceiling than sand them all down and re-paint!!!
Thanks again,
Paul.