ᐅ Plastic-effect interior wall, walls must be breathable, acrylic, polycarbonate

Hello!

I am considering covering the walls of one of my rooms entirely with plastic plexiglass (acrylic or polycarbonate) panels. The panels would be mounted directly onto the walls and have a thickness of about 8mm (5 inches). They would then be illuminated from below with LEDs.

Now the question is whether this can be done on exterior walls of the house without causing problems such as mold growth inside the wall. I’ve heard that exterior walls need to be able to “breathe.”

Would something like this be possible?
Thanks in advance.
xaver220

What do you mean by "breathable" walls? Walls definitely can’t breathe. You’re probably referring to "diffusion." However, diffusion through a wall is very minimal (I once read that about 2–3% of humidity escapes through walls, with the rest leaving through openings like windows).

I’m not an expert, but I could imagine that condensation might be an issue. For that, you would need to know how the exterior walls are constructed (materials, insulation present).
The plexiglass panels probably won’t provide any thermal insulation, but they will block moisture from both sides. While moisture cannot penetrate from the inside into the masonry, it also cannot escape from the masonry anymore. With internal insulation, at least the surface temperature of the wall increases, which is unlikely with the plexiglass panels.

Apart from the fact that I think this is not a good idea anyway, I would advise against it.
But as mentioned, I am not a professional.

Regards