DIY Flocked Christmas Tree: How To Flock Any Christmas Tree

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Creating a DIY flocked Christmas tree isn’t as hard as you might think. Learn how to flock any real or artificial Christmas tree with this easy tutorial.

Several years ago, I really, really wanted a flocked Christmas tree. I did casually check out a few flocked trees while I was shopping, thinking maybe I would find a killer sale. But I just couldn’t justify buying a new artificial tree, when I already had a perfectly nice one at home.

So, of course, the next logical step was to figure out how to flock the Christmas tree I already had! And it turns out it’s actually pretty easy to do, even if you aren’t particularly crafty.

Since then, I’ve flocked multiple Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands and I’ve really perfected my method. Today I’m sharing everything you need to know to flock your own gorgeous Christmas tree including the best flocking powder to use as well as tips for getting gorgeous results. Plus, I have a full video tutorial at the bottom of this post for anyone who wants to see the process in action.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more. Click here to see my full disclosure policy.

What is a flocked Christmas Tree?

If you aren’t sure what a flocked Christmas tree is, flocked trees are those gorgeous, snowy white ones. Not the ones with white plastic needles, the ones that have a realistic white snowy texture.

Some are a little white with plenty of green still showing through and some are almost all white. They are meant to look like a beautiful evergreen covered with snow.

What kind of flocking should I use?

You should absolutely use real snow flocking powder if you want great results.

When I was first trying to figure out how to flock my Christmas tree, I turned to Pinterest and found a few different DIY methods involving soap flakes, white glue, glitter, even spray paint. But when I looked at the results, they didn’t look like a real flocked tree at all.

Spray snow also gave similarly disappointing results that really didn’t have the look or texture of real flocking.

So I did a bit more research and I learned that you can buy real flocking powder, the same flocking material that florists and other professionals use.

It makes sense – if you want it to look like the real thing, you need to use the real stuff.

I’ve never been able to find any real flocking powder in stores, it’s something you need to buy online.

After doing a bit of searching, I found SnoFlock flocking powder on Amazon. I bought a box of SnoFlock to flock my tree and have since used it to flock many other projects with great results.

This year I decided to do a little test to see if SnoFlock really is the best. You can see all the details of my quest to find the best flock here, but I’ll go ahead and share that I found SnoFlock and Sno-Bond Flock in a Box both work really well and look absolutely beautiful on your tree.

This is especially helpful to know because SnoFlock sells out frequently, so having another awesome option really helps.

How much flocking do you need?

At first I wasn’t sure how much flocking I would need so I bought a five pound box. I figured it was better to have too much than too little.

In the end, I probably used a little less than half of the 5 pounds while flocking my tree. Our tree is 7.5 feet tall and I flocked it with plenty of green still showing.

If you are flocking a typical 7.5 foot tree like mine, a two pound bag of flocking powder should be enough to flock it lightly. If you are flocking a larger tree or want your tree mostly white, I would recommend going for a five pound box.

Update for 2024 – Currently SnoFlock flocking powder is only available in a 2 lb box and SnoBond Flock in a Box is only available in a 5 lb box. Both are very similar and work well, so you may want to choose your flocking powder based on the amount you need.

Can you flock a pre-lit tree?

Yes! You can definitely flock pre-lit trees.

I have flocked both unlit and pre-lit Christmas trees and either way works well.

When flocking a pre-lit tree, it’s inevitable that some flocking will stick to the lights. However, it doesn’t affect how the lights work at all – they still light up the tree beautifully.

If you are flocking an unlit tree, it is probably a bit easier to add the flocking before adding the lights, but either way is fine. Just remember to allow your tree to thoroughly dry after flocking before plugging in the lights.

How to Flock a Christmas Tree

Supplies

• A real or artificial Christmas tree – you can also flock wreaths, mini trees, and garlands. I have flocked all of these and it worked beautifully.
• Real Flocking Powder – this is the flocking I used, but it tends to sell out quickly. In my recent test of flocking powders, I found that this one is very similar. Either one will get you that beautiful snowy texture.
• A spray bottle of water
• A strainer
• A dropcloth to protect your floor

You can flock real trees, fake trees, pre-lit trees, wreaths, garlands, pretty much anything. This same process works for just about anything you want to flock.

Protect your workspace

The actual process is super simple. It is a little messy, so I recommend working in a basement, a garage, or outdoors if possible.

Be sure to cover the floor under the tree with a tarp or dropcloth before you start.

Fluff your tree

It works best to assemble and fluff up your tree before flocking.

Once the branches are all fluffed, you can start at the top of your tree and work down from there.

Mist with water and flocking powder

Lightly mist a section at the top of the tree with your spray bottle of water.

Scoop up some of the flocking powder into your strainer and sift it onto the damp tree from above.

Then spray the flocked section of the tree with water again.

The water activates the adhesive, fluffs up the flocking, and seals it all.

(By the way, you don’t want to accidentally mist your sifter full of flocking with the water – it will fluff up the flocking before it is on the tree and clog up the sifter).

Continue to do this moving from section to section.

Work from the top down

Working from the top down allows the flocking to settle on the branches in a way that mimics fresh fallen snow. Don’t attempt to smear the flocking onto your tree or add more flocking underneath the branches because this gives an unnatural look.

Afterwards, if you would like your flocking fuller, go back and add more water and more flocking until you get the look you want.

Seriously easy.

I love how much it actually looks like a snowy evergreen!

Allow the flocking to dry

Once you are finished, you need to let everything dry. This takes between 6 and 72 hours.

The more thickly you flock it, the longer it will take. I flocked my tree in the evening, let it dry overnight, and the next morning it was ready to move upstairs and decorate.

It has been several years since I first flocked my Christmas tree and it is still going strong! The photo above is of the exact same DIY flocked tree a few years later – still looking beautiful!

This is by far my favorite Christmas project ever!

Check out the before and after – the flocking just made such a difference.

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about this project so I put together an update on how my DIY flocked Christmas tree is holding up after 5 year plus answers to frequently asked questions.

How to Flock a Christmas Tree Video Tutorial

Just hit the play button below to watch the full video tutorial. It shows exactly how to flock a tree along with answers to the most common questions I’ve been asked about flocking.

And for those of you who aren’t sure you want to flock your own tree, I put together a round up of flocked Christmas trees you can buy all ready to go: 15 Gorgeous Flocked Christmas Trees for Any Budget.

I actually just bought a new flocked tree myself. After many years of use, the stand and some of the branches on my DIY flocked tree gave out. I bought this tree from Amazon. It’s pretty affordable and I’m really happy with how it looks.

If you’re looking for more details on all things flocking, I’ve got you covered with the posts below:

• How my Flocked Christmas Tree Looks 5 Years Later – answers all kinds of questions including how much mess is actually involved.
• What is the Best Christmas Tree Flocking Powder – compares the most top snow flocking powders to see which is best
• 15 Gorgeous Flocked Christmas Trees for Any Budget – for when you don’t feel like going the DIY route
• Easy DIY Flocked Wreath – if you want to start with something quick and easy
• 23 Beautiful Flocked Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas – all kinds of gorgeous inspiration for decorating your flocked tree

I’d love for you to pin this post on Pinterest!

Materials

• Any Christmas Tree - real or artificial, big, or small
• SnoFlock flocking powder
• Spray bottle of water

Tools

• Strainer
• Drop cloth to protect floor

Instructions

1. Before beginning, be sure to protect the floor under your tree with a dropcloth or other protective covering.
2. Use a spray bottle to lightly mist a section of the tree with water.
3. Scoop some of the flocking powder into the strainer and sift it onto the damp tree from above.
4. Spray the flocked section of the tree with water again. The water activates the adhesive, fluffs up the flocking, and seals it all.
5. Move around your tree in small sections. Spray each section with water, sift flocking powder over it, and spray with water again. Continue to do this until the entire tree is flocked.
6. If any sections look a bit bare, simply repeat the process until you are satisfied with how it looks.
7. Allow your tree to dry thoroughly before moving or decorating it. This will take 6 - 72 hours, depending on how thickly you apply the flocking.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• SnoFlock The Original Premium Artificial Decorative Self-Adhesive Snow Flock Powder with IceFlakes | PRO. Grade | Artificial Christmas Tree Snow (Pure White, 2 Pounds [0.90Kg])
• Peak Seasons 11105 5 Lbs White Sno-Bond Flock In A Box

Did you make this project?

I'd love for you to leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest!

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