Learn how to flock a Christmas tree super easily with snow flock! A budget friendly way to turn your Christmas decor into a winter wonderland!
Hi Friends!! We are starting to decorate for Christmas over here and since I changed all our decor to farmhouse last year I knew I needed some new Christmas decorations.
I have been busy making all sorts of new DIY Christmas decor along with perusing my local thrift stores for some cheap Christmas finds.
The one downside of thrift store finds is that the stuff isn’t always in the best of shape or is very outdated. But there are some great ways to remedy that! One of them is flocking…
Do you know how to flock a tree?? This was my first time, and let me tell you DIY snow flocking was so much easier than I thought and quick to do.
So read on to learn how to flock an artificial Christmas tree to get that beautiful snowy look!
What Does Flocked Christmas Tree Mean?
A flocked Christmas tree looks like it has snow on it. Flocking powder is a synthetic powder that when applied to an artificial tree (or any greenery!) in the correct way will resemble a beautiful snow-covered tree indoors.
If you want to learn more about what the term flocking means, check out wikipedia.
It really does create a beautiful winter snowy feeling!
Goodwill Finds for Christmas Tree Flocking
Since we live in Northern California, we do not get a white Christmas so I really wanted to create a winter wonderland theme this year. I got quite a few artificial tree items from the thrift store and I knew I wanted to try to flock them.
Here is a picture of my thrift store finds. Thrift stores like goodwill and snowline hospice have a ton of artificial greenery to choose from. And with snow flocking, you can change the look of them easily!
Pretty good, right?? I was so excited to start transforming these items! Have you seen those pictures of all those gorgeous flocked Christmas trees?
I kept wanting one but they are pretty expensive (like these ones from King of Christmas) so I knew I could turn what I had into that beautiful snow-filled look.
Guess what?? I did and it is kind of addicting! And the best part is that no spray paint was needed!
I wanted to flock all my outside real trees just to make it look like it really snowed! My hubby had to reign me in… I had to be satisfied with just my indoor decor but I am going to flock whatever I can!
Materials Needed for DIY Flocked Christmas Tree
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links from Amazon and/or Cricut.com. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my links (purple text)
- SnoFlock – this has been the best purchase I’ve made in a long time!!
- spray bottle of water or hose
- artificial greenery or tree
- sifter
Flocking a tree and taking pictures at the same time is not so easy so I made a video tutorial for you on how to flock a tree!! Make sure to watch it at the top or side of the post.
How to Flock a Christmas Tree
The first thing you want to do is get your tree damp. Spritz a section with a water bottle or a hose.
So, how do you apply snow flock? First, scoop some of the SnoFlock into the sifter.
Then sift it over your tree. While the flocking powder is falling, spritz it with water. You’ll be spraying the falling flock on to the tree.
I worked in sections. If your artificial tree is big, do the bottom first, then put on the next section. Make sure the branches are spread out how you want them before you start!
After you’ve flocked the whole tree, spritz or spray the whole tree to lock the flock on. Let it dry for 24-48 hours and it will be stuck and hard and ready to decorate!
Pictures of Christmas Tree Flocking
So I mentioned I went a little crazy flocking all the greenery right? Here are some pictures of the shorter tree I added SnoFlock too.
I love how some of the branches have more snow on them than others. It looks more realistic!
And with the lights on.
Here is the little tree all dressed up. I even flocked my staircase garland! Check out all my inside Christmas decorations on a budget here!
After the tree flocking, I went on to flock a bunch of other decor!!
I even flocked a large thrift store 7.5 ft artificial tree for my family room! Make sure to check it out along with my Christmas home tour here!
Watch the quick video tutorial at the bottom of the post to really see how easy it is!! This video is sped up but it only took 8 minutes to flock the 4-foot tree!
So easy and I have a ton of Snoflock left even after so much flocking!! I used it to flock some mason jars to use as centerpieces and they came out so cool.
Is the SnoFlock Permanent?
Update: One of the questions I get asked a lot is how the flocking has held up on artificial Christmas trees over the years. It’s been four years now since I went on my flocking spree.
Every year when we pull out our Christmas decorations I am still pleasantly surprised of how well the flocking has held up the next year.
I’m not going to lie, it still creates a bit of a mess when I have to spread all the branches out again. We do have to sweep up when we are done decorating and also after we take everything down because there is snow flock on the floor.
Or when my kids or dogs go under the trees for some reason, they do have some flocking stuck to their backs or hair when they come out!
How to Flock a Christmas Tree!
Learn how to easily flock an entire tree. It's such a great way to add a beautiful snowy feel to your winter decor!
Materials
- SnoFlock
- Artificial Christmas Tree - I got mine at thrift stores
Tools
- Sifter
- Spray bottle or hose
Instructions
- Depending on the size of your faux tree, you will want to work in small sections. If there are multiple sections to your fake Christmas trees, start with the bottom of the tree on the base. Make sure all of the tree branches are spread out and how you like your own tree before you start.
- Also, the artificial snow gets everywhere so it's a good idea to do this outside or with a drop cloth underneath for easy clean-up.
- First, get a section of the tree damp by spraying it with a spray bottle with water or the mister on your house.
- To start the flocking process, scoop a little bit of the Snoflock into a sifter.
- Then start sifting the snoFlock over the tree and while it is falling, spray it with the water so it sticks to the tree branches.
- Keep working around the tree by sifting and squirting with water until your desired level of snow-covered look is reached. If you want heavy flocking, go around the tree again adding more artificial snow.
- Add on the next section of the tree and keep moving around the tree until the top of the tree is flocked!
- Once the entire tree is flocked, spray it all with water to seal the fake snow on.
- Let the flocking material dry for 24-48 hours before you decorate the tree!
Notes
Since I was using thrift store finds, I was flocking a pre-lit tree but the lights didn't work so I left them on and added a strand of lights after the flock was dry.
So now that you know how to flock a Christmas tree, what will you flock??
Want to save this tutorial on how to flock a Christmas tree for later? Pin it now!!
Have a great holiday season!
Girdy
Saturday 17th of November 2018
What do I do if the flocking keeps falling off the next year, does that mean I did it wrong? What can I do to fix it from falling off?
Leap of Faith Crafting
Tuesday 20th of November 2018
HI Girdy, does a lot fall off or just a little?? I have a little bit that falls off while I'm touching stuff from last year. But if a lot is coming off, you might need to get it wetter after you put in on so that it gets really hard. Then let it dry for a few days before touching it. Hopefully, that will help it secure on better!