Re-Covering Your Air Dome
If your dome is more than ten years old, letting in noticeably less light than it used to, or showing seam wear, fading or fabric fatigue, it is worth a survey. A re-cover restores the structure to as-new condition for a fraction of the cost of a new installation.
What Re-Covering Means
An air dome is made of two things that age very differently. The membrane – the fabric skin – is the wear item: it carries the UV, the weather and the daily pressure cycle. Everything underneath it – the concrete ring beam or ground anchors, the revolving door or airlock, the inflation fans and pressure controls, the lighting and heating – is built to last far longer.
Re-covering (sometimes called re-skinning) means replacing the membrane at the end of its service life while keeping the foundation and equipment you already own. You get a brand-new dome surface without rebuilding the dome.
When Your Dome Is Due
Membrane life depends on the material:
- Polyethylene (PE): 10-15 years with proper maintenance. Light, translucent and cost-effective, with 40-60% natural light transmission.
- PVC: 20-30 years with proper maintenance. Heavier and longer-lasting, available in colours with logo and pattern options, and fire-rated to B-s2, d0.
Both materials are UV-stabilised and rated to operate from -25°C to +50°C, but no fabric lasts forever. The signs a re-cover is approaching are clear: noticeably less natural light coming through, visible fading or discolouration, wear around the seams and cable lines, and fabric that has lost its tension. Regular servicing extends membrane life and tells you well in advance when a re-cover is due – see our guide to air dome maintenance.
Re-Cover or Replace?
When the structure and groundworks are sound, re-covering is almost always the sensible choice. A full new installation means new foundations, new doors, new fans and new lighting – and the groundworks alone can take weeks. A re-cover reuses all of it. You keep the ring beam, the anchoring, the doors and the mechanical systems you have already paid for, and replace only the part that has worn out.
The result is the same year-round facility at a fraction of the cost and disruption of starting again. For the full picture on new-build pricing, see our guide to how much an air dome costs.
The Re-Covering Process
- Survey and measure. We inspect the structure, doors, fans and anchoring, and take exact measurements so the new membrane is made to fit.
- Manufacture. The new skin is made to your dome’s specification – PE or PVC, in your choice of finish.
- Changeover. The old membrane is deflated and removed, the new one fitted and inflated, and the structure recommissioned. This typically takes a matter of days, not the months a new build needs.
- Handover. Pressure, fans, lighting and safety systems are checked and signed off, and you are back in play.
Choosing Your New Membrane
A re-cover is also a chance to upgrade. If your original dome was PE and you want a longer life or a particular colour, you can move to PVC. If you want maximum natural light at the lowest cost, PE remains the value choice. Either way you can add logos, opaque bands or club colours that were not on the original skin. We will talk you through the trade-offs of light transmission, lifespan and budget so the new membrane fits how you actually use the dome.
The single biggest factor in membrane life is maintenance. Cleaning, seasonal checks and keeping the pressure and fan systems healthy can add years before a re-cover is needed. Our DomeCare servicing is built around exactly this.
Re-Covering With Covair
Covair has manufactured air domes in the UK since 1982. That matters at re-cover time for three reasons.
- British-made membrane. Made to a UK-weather specification, with local support and rapid spare parts.
- British service teams. Our own UK crews carry out the work and stand behind it – when a storm hits in February, our team is here.
- Any dome, not just ours. We can re-cover air domes whether or not we originally supplied them, reusing your existing anchoring and doors.
If you own an ageing dome from any manufacturer, we can give it a new British-made skin and a new lease of life. Protect the asset. Extend the life. Keep the game on.
Keeping the Game On
A re-cover is not just a repair – it is the moment your facility goes from end-of-life back to as-new, often with an upgrade, for far less than a replacement. Pair it with regular servicing through DomeCare and a single dome can deliver decades of covered sport. To arrange a survey or talk through your options, get in touch.
About Covair Structures. Covair Structures Ltd has over 40 years’ experience in sports facility coverings, manufacturing air domes in the UK since 1982. We are the UK’s only manufacturer of polyethylene air domes and the exclusive UK distributor of DUOL premium domes, with our own British service teams behind every structure. Talk to us about re-covering your dome.
