Aluminium foil to cover over damp on walls

[guernseyman]

I've just taken off some thin plywood effect panelling which was fixed with panel pins onto studwork in a bathroom. In between some of the studwork it is damp. I'm looking to fit plasterboard on this studwork and wondered if placing a layer of aluminium foil between the damp and the plasterboard would prevent the plasterboard absorbing any damp. I know the correct procedure would be to find where the damp is coming from, and then sort it out, but I need an easier fix as this room is on the first floor.

[weeal]

so youre just gonna let the damp spread then?

[terambulan]

Have the alli on chimney breast for damp but damp patch has moved around the alli. So 'tis not a permanent answer and will only last a few months or the next rain.

[buildersmate]

Let's face it - damp comes from only two sources - water dripping in or condensation from water vapour desperately trying to get out and hitting a cold surface. Which is it?

If the former, you are going to have to bite the bullet and find the source of the leak some day soon.

If the latter, what's on the other side of the studwork that makes it cold - the outside wall? You may be able to stop it by putting a layer of insulation in the studwork, then a plastic vapour check barrier, then the plasterboard. That's how timberframe houses are constructed. The damp can't get throught walls into the timberframce - it all migrates upstairs and through the ceiling board into the loftspace.

[guernseyman]

Thanks for those, I think I'll go for the insulation option and look for the leak later. I know it is the wrong way to do it, but the previous board had been up for about 25 years and the damp isn't too bad anyway.