DIY Flocked Tree (easier than it seems, all the details!)

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosures here.

Don’t you guys just love beautiful, snow-covered trees, branches, and such? It evokes a feeling of magic….beauty….and serenity to me. Today I’m sharing how I made this “snowy” DIY Flocked Tree (so simple!).

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - Easy DIY Flocked Tree - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree #flockedtree #diyflocked

I’ve always loved a flocked Christmas tree, but gosh, they can be expensive.
I did find a few that weren’t too pricey this year but they weren’t very big, full, or really as nice as I’d hoped.
I wanted to get one to put in the study as a second tree but I had given up hope for this year.

But then I wondered about flocking my own. Because, you know, that’s what I do.
DIY girl all the way, ever since as long as I can remember. (even as a child, my poor parents, I was always into something ;) )

So…this holiday season I looked on Amazon (Prime, my first “go-to” for just about everything!) for the flocking material.
Sadly they didn’t offer tons of options in the way of flocking BUT they did have a few.
The one I chose was not part of Prime but still came quickly and had free shipping, yay!

But I didn’t have an artificial Christmas tree to flock since we always buy real.
No worries, I went right on up to the thrift store and found this big beautiful tree…..

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - Thrift Store TREE - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

Well, it’s looking a little traumatized from the ride home in the bed of the truck AND the removal of about 1000 colored lights!
UGH…I had no idea they wrapped those things so intricately on pre-lit trees. (I’ve never had one)
It took  (I would say “ME” but I had to hand the job over to my sweet husband) forever and was one of those…” oh my, we should have just left those lights on but we are too far in now to turn back” … moments. Oy.
I had to have white lights….sigh.

This tree was $75 at the thrift store. (which is a great deal for the size, quality, and pre-lit…well, anyway)
The flocking is listed for $21 – link below. (and I’ve flocked just about everything and still have at least half of the bag leftover)
(and I now have about 1000 colored lights too! haha)

DIY Flocked Tree

I’ve included affiliate links below for your convenience. Full disclosure info is here.

MATERIALS LIST: (click the links below to purchase the items)

Sno-Flock (premium artificial decorative self-adhesive snow flock powder with ice flakes)
Elmer’s Glue-All
Sifter

Spray Bottle

 

This is a photo of the flocking I used (listed above).

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - with SNO FLOCK - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

And here’s my DIY y’all….follow those instructions above that come in the box!!
No, really, do.
I’ll share photos (and tips) here but everything you need to know, they send with the snow.
Even though the snow is already adhesive I did decide to use some ELMERS Glue-All in the spray water to help the snow stay more permanent.
(it’s in the directions they send)

So here’s how to make your “snowy” DIY flocked tree

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - EASIER than you think!! - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

I took the top section off the tree and did it separately. I stood on a chair to get the rest of this top part.
Be sure to wear a mask and protective eyewear of some sort.
As you can see above and below, I am spraying as I am sifting.
The directions say to sift and then spray the snow as it’s falling. (to make it more realistic)
I can chew gum and walk at the same time but I’m telling ya, haha, it’s not as easy as it sounds.
I did my best and it all worked out just fine. You do get in sort of rhythm as you go.

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - apply flock to tree - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

I bought the sifter to use with the snow (and only the snow).
First, lightly spray the tree where you are working then start sifting the “snow” over it while spritzing.
Once you have it as you like it (the amount of “snow” you want) then just go back over it with a light spray to seal it on.

Here’s a tip….take the tree apart.
I didn’t think I’d need to because the snow just falls and it will work out just fine, right?
NO, don’t do it. It would have been so much easier had I taken the time to remove each branch.
Then I could have laid them all out and sprayed them all evenly.
This tree was so thick with branches I had to keep going back and over and under, in and around to get it all.
I wanted it really flocky.

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - JUST BEAUTIFUL - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

Here’s another tip…. just do it in the grass. (oh and wear old clothes and shoe as it can make a mess)
I used a drop cloth but it’s pretty much worthless now. In the trash, it’s going.
The product is safe to use on real trees, etc, so once the grass is cut the “snow” is gone.
Instead, I’m throwing my drop cloth away.

Also, there are little “shimmery pieces” in the “snow”.
They were bigger than my sifter (and probably most other sifters too).
So after I sifted all of the fine particles out, I just scooped those out and sprinkled them throughout the tree by hand.
You can see some of them in the close-ups of the pine cones below.

It was all worth it. I do LOVE my “new” tree.
And I saved a bunch by doing it myself.

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - SO pretty - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

Want to see some of these projects in “live” time? Hop on over and follow along with me on INSTAGRAM. I’m always sharing in my stories as I’m doing projects, finding new furniture, fun finds….just all the day-to-day behind the scenes. 

Lights off with Christmas decorations on…

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - Wihtout Lights On - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

Lights on… I used all white, silver, and aqua bulbs on this tree.

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - Magical with Twinkle Lights - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

My son (who insists on having a real tree every year) LOVES this tree. I think he’s told me ten times since this weekend how much he likes it.
I said, “oh good, no more live trees then”.
He said, “oh no, we still have to have a real one too”. Okay…yes, we do.

Some up close shots of the branches (and pine cones I got out of my backyard and flocked too!)

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - Up Close of Branch - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - Pine cones Flocked - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

It looks just like freshly fallen snow to me.

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - Pretty Aqua Ornament - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

DIY Flocked Tree, Wreaths - Thrifty Holiday Decor! - Snowy Pine Cones - #artsychicksrule #flockedtree

Oh…and I should mention that it seems to be stuck really well to the tree branches.
I’ve had very minimal flake when moving it back inside, putting lights on and adding ornaments, etc.

Lights, by the way…..twinkle lights from Michael’s…..I am in love!

What a difference this flocking makes. It’s like that magical white Christmas come to life.
So what do you think?
Do you think you’d like to flock a tree…or maybe just start with a wreath or two or even some garland.
You can buy smaller portions of the Sno Flock but I bought the big ole box knowing I’d “need” it.

DIY Flocked Tree- Simple Technique! - artsychicksrule.com #snowflockedtree #howtoflocktree #snowflocking #diyflockedtree

Let me know if you decide to create a DIY flocked tree too!

PIN THIS for later so you can make a DIY Flocked Tree yourself!!

DIY Flocked Tree- Simple Technique! - artsychicksrule.com #snowflockedtree #howtoflocktree #snowflocking #diyflockedtree
I’d love to see it if you do.

Want to see even more snow-flocked goodies? (or how about how this stuff looks on real, live branches, too??)
Click here to see what I did to this wreath and more. 

DIY Flocked Tree- Simple Technique! - artsychicksrule.com #snowflockedtree #howtoflocktree #snowflocking #diyflockedtree

UPDATE! Click here to see how our tree looks (and how it held up) 2 years later!

I hope you have a great weekend!

xo


80 Comments

  1. Do you know they did this to real live Christmas trees? I was thinking of getting it but they sold out of them before we could get one. Nice to know, I’m sure this flock is coming back next year for sure. I love your Christmas decor.

    1. Hey Vanessa!
      Thank you and yes, I sure do! It says you can on the packaging so I did do most of my branches (not the tree, just the extras) to decorate around the house with! :)
      xo
      Nancy

  2. I will try it this weekend, as I received my order of 5 pounds of Sno-Flocks yesterday! Thanks for the tips! :)

      1. Hi Reba, sorry for the confusion! I have edited the post to be more clear but you can purchase the items at the links below where it says “Materials List”. :) Have fun snow flocking everything! It makes everything so magical looking!! xoxo

  3. I love, love, LOVE it! I already have decorated my trees or else I’d be ordering the snow right now! You did a fabulous job and it is truly a stunning tree! Keep those great ideas coming!

  4. This is a really gorgeous effect, but would it be okay with animals? I’ve got cats and they love to climb/fall through the tree

    1. Hi Paul,

      I’m not sure but I’d think so! It’s safe to use on real trees and then dispose of them, so I’d think it’d be okay!

  5. That’s flocking impressive, Nancy! I thought for sure it was going to messy with a capital “M” bringing that tree back into the house and decorating it. While reading that you painstakingly removed each multi-colored light strand, I thought to myself, “why didn’t she just replace the bulbs with white ones”? Then I saw the twinkling lights! That ain’t no thrift store looking tree my friend – just gorgeous!

    1. Thank you Marie! I am just so in love with it! :) And you and I thought the same. It wasn’t messy at all coming back in.
      Not even through the tight doorway. I was shocked! We’ll see how it holds up though!
      xo
      Nancy

      1. That a beautiful tree! My family has flocked our trees for years. The important thing to do is make sure the tree if very wet before flocking. You used to be able to purchase a small machine and use a cannister vaccum cleaner to administer the flocking. Not sure if you still can. But, again, wet the tree down with a water hose before flocking. The flocking will dry very hard.

  6. Very well done Nancy¡¡ and you styled it really beautiful in your very personal style
    The video is a great contribution , thank you for share…I have to learn from you starting with MAKING PICS¡¡ your photos a are so clear, bright …. I always goes very fast … …, anyway BRAVA YOU¡¡

  7. Wow! Your flocked tree looks so pretty!! I had no idea how to flock anything and pictured you spraying the branches with that stuff in a can that people used to spray on their windows to make them look covered with snow. Your flocking is way beyond that and looks so realistic. Your hubby deserves an extra Christmas present for patiently taking all of the lights off of your pre-lit tree. That must have taken forever!

    1. Thank you Paula! :) Yes, this stuff looks so very realistic. Love it!
      And, yes, forever …and not very smart!! ;)
      xo
      Nancy

      1. I too have went through cutting off all the lights from a prelit tree! After many scrapes, cuts and hours later, I’ll never buy a prelit one again lol! I’m gonna try the flocking this year! Very excited! Marilyn KY

        1. Hi Marilyn! Yes, it’s not fun, for sure! I don’t think I’ll ever do it again either, lol! Good luck and have fun with the flocking! It’s one of the best things I’ve done with my tree, I still love it to this day! :) xo

  8. The tree is gorgeous! I just love it. We have an artificial tree – I should do this! So, I could leave the “pre-lit lights that are already on it” there and then add others to plug in? How would that work? Can you flock the tree and the lights already on there would work??? Maybe not with all that spraying!

    1. Thank you Barbara! Yep, I think it would be fine to leave the lights on. I wish I’d have had white on this prelit. I’d have gone right over with them there.:)
      Nancy

  9. Nancy!! I LOVE it!! Truly, it is a beautiful tree now!! Oh my, if I had just a touch of your vision!

    I adore the colors you used on the tree. Of course, I always love a tree with traditional Christmas colors, or with “family” ornaments, which is how our tree was every year as our kids grew up. But you know how I love neutral and that is one gorgeous neutral tree! With just enough color from the aqua ornaments. But the flocking! So pretty! And the twinkling lights…. probably never would have even thought I would love them without seeing how beautiful they are first!

    Now I want a tree just exactly like that! You’re killing me, girl! And my husband is not gonna be happy with you! :) xo

    1. Thanks Karen!! It is truly magical! I just love it. :)
      And you are so sweet!! Our other tree is our more “family” tree, colored lights, real tree, etc.
      It’s nice to have a tree just how I like it!! Great compromise. :)
      And haha, my sister in law said the same thing, my brother in law will not be happy with me because she wants to do one too!!
      xo
      Nancy

    1. Thanks Christy!! I am in LOVE!! I want everything flocked and to live in a snowy wonderland!! (at least inside my house ;) )
      xo
      Nancy

  10. Look so very sweet…You did a Lovely Job.. Thanks so much for sharing.. I would love to find out how well it stays on the tree… or on the floor..

    1. Thank you Janis! :)
      So far so good on the staying power of the product. I’ll keep the post updated with how well it holds up!
      xo
      Nancy

  11. I used this same product on an old tree we had a few weeks ago. I LOVE it. It was so sad looking before, and now it’s gorgeous. And like you…I have the urge to flock everything in the house!! It was much easier than I thought it would be.

    Just a heads up though – I did notice that as it has more time to dry it gets harder and flakes off more. :( It will be interesting to see what will happen when I go to store this thing for next year. I may just put a cheap plastic drop cloth over it put together and store it in the extra space in our basement.

    1. Hi Shelby!
      Oh, yes, I’m wondering how well it will hold up. It will be interesting to see! I wish I could leave it together but I’ll have to take mine apart and store it. I’m sure that won’t be a good thing but we’ll see!
      Thanks for the update!
      Nancy

  12. HE ELMER’S GLUE ALL CAN BE SPRAYED FROM A BOTTLE? OR IS IT THE ELMERS CRAFT SPRAY BOTTLE? HARD TO BELIEVE THE ELMER’S PRODUCT WOULD WORK FROM A SPRAY BOTTLE JUST BOUGHT THE FLOCKING POWDER SO ANXIOUS TO BEGIN

    1. Hi Cathy,
      Yep, mixed with water, it sure can! It’s in the directions they send. You have to mix it with water.
      Good luck! :)

    1. Hi Katie,

      I’d say you’d probably be safe with the 2 lbs. I bought the 5 lbs and have a bunch leftover. You can always save leftovers for next year! :)

  13. How lovely! You did such a beautiful job!
    I’ve never heard of flocking before, but will definitely
    attempt a small tree for the front porch thanks to your tips!
    Thanks for sharing.

  14. Gorgeous Nancy, and looks so easy ! Wish i would have seen this last week, i just ordered “another” tree only flocked (just had to have one this year ! We have 2, but green, of course. The least expensive and nicest one i could find was $149.00 at Walmart for a 7 1/2′ flocked. I would gladly do my own had i known it would turn out so beautifully. Thank you for sharing your beautiful “new” tree, Happy Holidays to you <3 I also love r pale blue ornaments, could you share where you got those ??

    1. Thanks Diena! :)
      Oh, that’s a great price! Yep, I got most of the ornaments on the tree from Michael’s and the At Home store. (last year)
      Happy Holidays to you too! xo
      Nancy

  15. I never knew flocking was a product to buy for DIY. I love your tree and your wreaths and the lights and the great savings. Oh yea, I am flocking next Christmas. Thanks so much for sharing.

    1. Hi Sandy!
      Yep and it’s not as hard as it seems. :) Plus, I have tons of flocking leftover so if I purchase a real tree next year, I can flock it too! xo

  16. That looks so fab Nancy! I love it! I hear ya regarding pulling off all those lights….I did that last year when I was given a beautiful tree full of lights that didn’t work. Oh. my. goodness. We had the same thought as you – thankfully I don’t have to worry about those dern lights anymore!!! lol :) Hugs

  17. This is such a great idea! Can I ask how the flock feels after applying? Does it go crumbly if touched or is it rather firm and won’t fall off?

    1. Hi Ella!
      It feels somewhat hard but not quite as hard as the flocking I have felt on commercially made trees. When I pulled it out and put it up this year, it did lose some of the flocking. Not enough that I had to redo though. I can imagine I may want to touch up here or there in a few years but so far, so good! :)
      Hope that helps!

  18. I am trying to make centerpieces for my daughter’s wedding Dec9 2017. Do you think the flocking snow would stay on regular tree branches? Not pine tree branches?

    1. Yes, I think it should have similar adhesion to the branches as well. I sprayed it on pine cones and have packed them away and reused them for several years now. :)

  19. I love this idea. I totally get it once you start you can’t stop. I love e details on the ornaments and berries. Soooo cool. Thanks for the info.

  20. Is this material used for flocking flame retardant? We do an annual Christmas display for our local Metroparks system. Fire marshal’s regulation is that everything be made flame retardant.

    Your tree with the the twinkling lights looks very beautiful!

    1. Thanks Ed! :) Here’s what I found (as a response by the seller of the snow I have linked) ” Sno-Flock does not contain Talc; It contains the industry standard fire retardant mineral called Boron.”
      I hope that helps! :)

  21. Hi, your tree is gorgeous! My 12 year old 9 foot tree was just too big to fit in my small living room. Sooooo, I used the top and cut the middle section in half….. now I have a 4 1/2 foot tree! I, too, love a flocked tree and found the same stuff you’ve used at Amazon. Worked beautifully! And I found the same twinkle lights at Target last year. I’m so happy with how it turned out!
    Happy happy holidays!

  22. It turned out beautiful, To have the patience to take off the old lights was just alot of work. I tried just trying to replace the bulbs on my 4 foot trees and decided it would be easier to put a new strand of on. I didn’t even attempt to take the old ones off

    1. Thank you so much Lou Ann! :) And oh my yes, truer words never spoken! It was so much work and why I handed it over to my husband! ;) Won’t ever do that again. lol

  23. WOW!!! What a transformation. It is BEAUTIFUL!!!! ….as always ;)
    May I ask? Where did you get that rug from under the tree? It also is a beauty. It looks to be softer than some other sisal types.

  24. What a transformation! I love the idea of flocking a tree. I purchased a flocked one two years ago for my mom’s house and love it. I have another faux tree that we have had for over 8 years. I love white lights as well. While I have that tree up, next year, I think I will try flocking it to bring some new life to it! Thanks so much for sharing. Have a great week.

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