By the Bouwsector België team, 97 in-house tradespeople · reviewed by Geert Jan Hendrik, director · updated
Renovation fleece has no fixed lifespan in years: Intervos and Sigma give none in their product information. The fleece stays in good condition as long as it is firmly attached and not damaged. What wears out sooner is the paint layer, and you renew that without replacing the fleece: repainting costs €12.99 per m² excluding VAT with us.
Refresh or replace your renovation fleece? Request your quote
Our own craftspeople first assess the condition of your renovation fleece, so you only pay for what is really needed.
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Why does renovation fleece have no fixed lifespan?
Renovation fleece is not a product that runs out after a fixed number of years. There is no shelf life on it, and the product information from Intervos and Sigma gives no lifespan either. It is not the calendar that decides whether renovation fleece can stay up, but its condition.
As long as the fleece is firmly attached everywhere, has no bubbles and is not torn, it does what it should. It keeps small imperfections and hairline cracks out of sight, even in a new-build home that is still settling and shrinking in its first years. That settling and shrinking causes the familiar shrinkage cracks in a new build. But not all cracks are shrinkage cracks, and renovation fleece does not bridge every crack.
If you want a different colour after a few years, or the wall has become a bit faded, the fleece does not have to come off. Renovation fleece is made to be repainted. You can simply paint over renovation fleece in a new colour, without anything having to come off first.
What determines how long renovation fleece stays looking good?
A few things decide whether your renovation fleece lasts a long time or needs attention sooner. Most of them are fixed at the moment it is applied.
Factor
What it does
What helps
Substrate at the time of application
On a dusty or unevenly absorbent wall, edges may lift later
A wall that is clean, firm, flat and only slightly absorbent, as the adhesive data sheet requires
Damp in the wall
The adhesive lets go and mould can form behind the fleece
Resolve the cause of the damp first
Use of the room
In a hallway or child’s bedroom the paint layer gets knocks and stains
A wall paint you can wipe clean, such as a paint with scrub class 1
Damage
Holes or cracks from building work or a leak
Repair locally or replace a strip
Many coats of paint
Each coat fills in the light texture of the fleece a little
Not a defect; with real damage, choose replacement
As for the substrate: for its fleece adhesive, Intervos states that the wall must be clean, firm, flat and only slightly absorbent. If the wall does not meet that, the fleece bonds less well. It therefore comes down to the question of when a wall is ready for wallpaper, and we check that during the site visit.
For the paint layer, Sigma states what each paint can withstand. Sigmatex Superlatex Matt and Sigma Pearl Clean Matt both have scrub class 1, and for Sigmatex Superlatex Matt, Sigma states that the paint does not yellow.
Does renovation fleece need replacing after a number of years?
No. Old renovation fleece that is firmly attached does not need to come off. A new coat of paint is then quicker and cheaper than replacing it.
Replacement is the better choice if the fleece itself is no longer in order:
seams are lifting over a larger area, or there are bubbles in the fleece;
there is mould on or behind the renovation fleece;
the fleece is damaged by building work, holes or a leak;
you want a different finish, such as a plastered wall.
If you mainly see seams, that is a different story: visible seams in renovation fleece have their own cause and approach. In the case of mould, we remove the wallpaper and sand and treat the wall, at an extra charge. We always assess that first during the site visit.
Do not confuse lifespan with the guarantee either. Our wallpapering work carries a 1-year guarantee, but that is not a shelf life for the renovation fleece. That guarantee on wallpapering work covers our work, not how long the material lasts.
What does it cost to refresh or replace renovation fleece?
Refreshing is almost always cheaper than replacing. These are the rates from our price list that apply:
Work
Price
Repainting walls, RAL 9010 or 9016, 1 coat
€12.99 per m²
Second coat in white
+ €7.99 per m²
RAL colour of your choice
+ €1.50 per m²
Removing renovation fleece
€10.99 per m²
New renovation fleece, hanging, filling and 1 coat of paint
€14.99 to €18.99 per m², depending on the surface area
Prices exclude VAT. For a home over 10 years old, VAT is usually 6%, otherwise 21%.
An example: repainting a living room with 40 m² of wall in RAL 9010 costs 40 × €12.99 = €519.60. If it does have to come off, with removing renovation fleece we also look at what is underneath. We list all our other rates on the prices page.
Renovation fleece calculator: your m² and price
Enter the floor area of your home and see a price indication straight away, without first leaving your details.
Who assesses your renovation fleece and refreshes it?
Our own people do the assessing and refreshing: of the 97 permanently employed craftspeople, 40 are wallpaper hangers and 25 are painters. That means we plan repainting, repairs or replacement ourselves, in a single process.
In your request, mention whether seams are lifting, whether there are bubbles or stains, and whether you want a different colour. You will then receive a free quote within 24 hours for repainting, replacement or a mix of both.
During the site visit we assess wall by wall whether repainting is enough or whether the renovation fleece needs replacing.
Not sure whether your renovation fleece can be repainted?
Does non-woven wallpaper last as long as renovation fleece?
No fixed number of years applies to non-woven wallpaper either. It stays in good condition as long as it is firmly attached and undamaged. Painted non-woven wallpaper is refreshed with a new coat of paint rather than replaced.
How often can you repaint renovation fleece?
The manufacturers give no maximum. Each coat of paint does fill in the light texture of the fleece a little, so the wall looks fuller after many coats. As long as the fleece is firmly attached and intact, a new coat can go on.
Will shrinkage cracks still show through renovation fleece after a few years?
Small shrinkage cracks in a new-build home stay out of sight under the fleece, even while the home is still settling. A crack that keeps running or getting wider is a different story. We have those assessed before we repair anything.
How can you tell renovation fleece needs replacing?
Look out for seams lifting over a larger area, bubbles in the fleece, mould, and damage from building work or a leak. If you only see stains or a faded colour, repainting is usually enough. Removing renovation fleece costs €10.99 per m² with us, excluding VAT.
How long does the paint layer on renovation fleece stay looking good?
That depends mainly on how the room is used. In a hallway or child’s bedroom the paint takes more punishment than in a bedroom. A wall paint with scrub class 1, such as Sigma Pearl Clean Matt, can be wiped with a damp cloth.
By the Bouwsector België team, 97 in-house tradespeople · reviewed by 
