By the Bouwsector België team, 97 in-house tradespeople · reviewed by Geert Jan Hendrik, director · updated
Hanging wallpaper over wallpaper only works if the old layer is firmly attached everywhere, and even then we usually advise against it. The moisture in the new adhesive can soften the old adhesive again, after which both layers come away together. With vinyl, painted wallpaper and glass fabric it almost never works; with a firmly attached layer of non-woven wallpaper or renovation fleece it sometimes does.
Old wallpaper off and new wallpaper on, in a single job? Request your quote
Rating 4.9 out of 5. ★★★★★4.9 from 215+ Google reviews · 97 permanent in-house tradespeople · 10 years of experience · 1 year guarantee on wallpapering
The answer depends on what is on your wall now. Each type reacts differently to new adhesive.
Old layer
New wallpaper over it?
Why
Removal with us
Paper wallpaper
Not advised
Paper absorbs the moisture of the new adhesive, the old adhesive softens and the layer starts to bubble or come loose
€ 6.99 per m², 1 layer
Vinyl wallpaper
No
The closed plastic top layer does not absorb adhesive, so the new wallpaper adheres poorly
€ 9.74 per m², 1 layer
Painted wallpaper
No
There are already two coats on top of the old adhesive; another wet layer increases the chance that everything comes loose
€ 9.75 per m²
Non-woven wallpaper
Sometimes
Only if it is firmly attached everywhere and the seams are closed; unpainted non-woven can often be peeled off dry, so removing it is usually the safest route
Rate according to what is on the wall
Renovation fleece
Sometimes
Only if it is firmly attached everywhere; if you just want a different colour, repainting is the better choice
€ 10.99 per m²
Fibreglass or glass fabric
Not advised
The woven structure shows through new wallpaper; it is made to be painted over
€ 10.99 per m²
Prices exclude VAT. The VAT rate (usually 6% for homes more than 10 years old) is stated in the quote.
If there is more than one layer, removal costs an extra €1.00 per m² for each additional layer. What it costs to have wallpaper removed builds up in this way, by type and by layer.
Why does wallpapering over wallpaper so often go wrong?
Wallpaper adhesive dries, but it does not disappear. If water gets to it again, it softens again. And new wallpaper adhesive puts a lot of moisture on the wall.
If you hang new wallpaper over old, that moisture soaks through the old layer to the old adhesive. It lets go in weak spots. The old layer then takes the new wallpaper with it, and you see bubbles, blisters or seams that open up.
The treacherous thing is that this often does not happen straight away. If the old layer is just not properly attached somewhere, you sometimes only see it once everything is dry, or weeks later.
On top of that, the seams and edges of the old layer show through the new wallpaper. With a thin or smooth wallpaper, and certainly with light falling across the wall at an angle, you then see a grid of lines. The same applies if you want to wallpaper over textured plaster: a rough surface like that shows through too.
When can you wallpaper over wallpaper, and can renovation fleece go over existing wallpaper?
A layer of wallpaper can only be left in place if it meets all of the following conditions:
it is firmly attached over the whole wall, including at the seams, the corners and along the ceiling and skirting board;
there are no bubbles, blisters or loose edges;
it is not vinyl and has not been painted over;
the layer is smooth enough that seams and texture do not show through;
the wall is dry and free of mould or damp patches.
Even then it remains a risk, because you cannot see into the wall. That is why we assess it wall by wall during the site survey.
For renovation fleece over existing wallpaper our answer is simpler: we first remove the old wallpaper completely, including the adhesive residue.
Renovation fleece is painted after hanging, and the paint also puts moisture on the wall. Moreover, renovation fleece has to be attached firmly to the wall itself to keep hairline cracks out of sight. On a loose old layer that does not work. It is precisely this firm adhesion that determines which cracks renovation fleece bridges.
Is there already renovation fleece on the wall and do you just want a different colour? Then no new layer of wallpaper is needed over it. You can simply paint over the renovation fleece in the new colour.
Isn’t removing old wallpaper first a waste of money?
No. It sounds logical: why take something off if you are going to put something over it anyway? But do the sums.
Removing 33 m² of unpainted paper wallpaper in a bedroom costs 33 × €6.99 = €230.67 with us. If the new wallpaper later comes loose because the old layer came with it, both layers have to come off and you pay again for the new wallpaper and the work.
It is also quicker than many people think. With us, wallpaper removal averages 100 m² per day. A bedroom is therefore a small part of a working day.
And afterwards you know what is underneath. Small holes, cracks or a weak plaster layer only come into view once the wallpaper is off, and you can then repair them first. So expect that there may be all sorts of things under old wallpaper.
Who removes the old wallpaper and hangs the new?
With us, one crew does both steps. One of our 40 wallpaper hangers removes the old wallpaper and the adhesive residue and then hangs the new. They belong to a team of 97 permanent tradespeople, so we plan any wall repairs ourselves as part of the job.
If you choose renovation fleece, hanging, filling and one coat of paint costs €18.99 per m² between 30 and 100 m², €15.99 between 100 and 150 m² and €14.99 above 150 m². For a whole home we allow 3 days for this. Our wallpapering work carries a 1 year guarantee.
If you know what wallpaper is on the wall now, state it in your request, together with the number of layers and whether it was ever painted over. The right line from the table above will then already be in the free quote you receive within 24 hours. At the site survey we establish what wallpaper is on your wall and whether it is firmly attached.
Which adhesive do you use when hanging wallpaper over wallpaper?
No adhesive can re-attach a loose old layer. The adhesive has to suit the new wallpaper, such as non-woven adhesive for non-woven wallpaper, but the risk lies in the old layer underneath. If that is not attached everywhere, a stronger adhesive does not help.
Can you hang non-woven wallpaper over other wallpaper?
Only if the old wallpaper is attached everywhere, is not vinyl and has not been painted over. Even with non-woven wallpaper, where the adhesive goes on the wall, the adhesive puts moisture on the old layer. Removing it therefore remains the safest route.
Can you plaster over wallpaper?
No. A plaster layer adheres only as well as the layer beneath it, and that would be old wallpaper on old adhesive. The wet plaster can also soak the wallpaper loose. The wallpaper has to come off first.
Can you hang photo wallpaper over existing wallpaper?
We advise against it. The seams and edges of the old layer show through the image, and the moisture of the new adhesive can make the old layer let go. For a crisp result, remove the old wallpaper first.
How do you know what wallpaper is on your wall?
Carefully pry a corner loose at a seam or skirting board. If a thin, smooth sheet comes away and paper or fleece stays behind, it is vinyl. Non-woven feels slightly textile-like and is hard to tear, while paper tears easily and absorbs water.
By the Bouwsector België team, 97 in-house tradespeople · reviewed by 
