# Flocking Faqs: the myths and truths behind flocking



## JTItweak (Aug 15, 2009)

As some might know, flocking is nothing new. In fact it has been done for years in the automotive Field. But most people don't even understand what flocking is. So I thought I should do a write up on what it is, how it can be used, and the actual facts behind the process.



Flocking is the process of taking smal suede cut fibers and adhering them to a panel, box, or pretty much depending how creative you can be. you can flock anything that isn't a soft or flexible surface. The fibers themselves are either made out of Nylon, Raylon, or poly fibers.

*Nylon Fibers are the only Fibers that are suitable for automotive applications since the Fibers are colorfast, UV resistant, and also Weather resistant. *



The process for flocking is simple and very comparable to Powder coating. There is no way to overcoat the panel that you will be working on. 



As you can see with the picture above you can get hard to reach and even cross angles where wrapping the panel would be impossible. here is just a few more samples from my shop of what flocking looks like. 





Hope it informs you guys alittle bit of something different you can do with your interiors then just beating your head trying to wrap panels yourself.


----------



## VWstung (Dec 19, 2010)

These pics look familiar 

:thumbup: For an awesome product/shop


----------



## zink_88 (Oct 1, 2010)

So your "spraying" these fibers on to make it look wrapped..??

Pretty confused:screwy:, never heard of this before but looks pretty awesome from the pictures:thumbup:


----------



## JTItweak (Aug 15, 2009)

zink_88 said:


> So your "spraying" these fibers on to make it look wrapped..??
> 
> Pretty confused:screwy:, never heard of this before but looks pretty awesome from the pictures:thumbup:


it's just like powder coating. a negative charge (a ground) is put onto the peice your working on. from there the gun is positively charged so the fibers fall at the strait angle down onto the material. the effect is for a wrapped dash without the seems that you would put into wrapping a dash or a console bc of the multitude of turns and angles. it leaves you with also a surface that does not have any form of glare and an even coat.


----------



## zink_88 (Oct 1, 2010)

Ok I understand what you mean now, sounds like it can be pretty expensive. Does it give you the same look and feel for whatever material you want like if you want suede or leather? Or are you limited to certain material?


----------



## orangea2vr6 (Jan 25, 2001)

How well does this material wear? What kind of life span can you expect on something like the door panel?


----------



## JTItweak (Aug 15, 2009)

zink_88 said:


> Ok I understand what you mean now, sounds like it can be pretty expensive. Does it give you the same look and feel for whatever material you want like if you want suede or leather? Or are you limited to certain material?


it has a suede/velor feel to it. Not a leather feel at all. it's actually nylon fibers that are used to make suede material but instead put on a backing it is the individual fibers that you spray on.


----------



## JTItweak (Aug 15, 2009)

orangea2vr6 said:


> How well does this material wear? What kind of life span can you expect on something like the door panel?


if you go with a Nylon fiber and also let it fully cure before even handling the product the life span can last many years with no fading. once it is fully cured you can not wear the fibers off very easily. scratching the panel with mark it though like rubbing your keys against it. think of it as the exterior pant job. you can lean on it and clean it fine but if someone take a key on it for revenge you will damage the substrate.


----------



## zink_88 (Oct 1, 2010)

Ok I missunderstood I thought there was multiple finishes that could be done. Really like this for headliners, no hanging material again. 

What is pricing like for this? How much dos your shop charge?


----------



## JTItweak (Aug 15, 2009)

zink_88 said:


> Ok I missunderstood I thought there was multiple finishes that could be done. Really like this for headliners, no hanging material again.
> 
> What is pricing like for this? How much dos your shop charge?


honestly don't wanna talk pricing really due to this is more of an informative thread than me selling shop work. but the cost of getting flocking done is actually cheaper when rewrapping a dash in leather or suede. even though there is a detail amount of prep work the time for the work is alot less versus making the patterns, sowing, and glue/stretching the material over the original dash. also you have to worry about clearances with how thick the suede and leather is so you can have proper fitment of the panels once they are mated up by each other. but with flocking the adding of material is so think you have no issues with material buildup issues


----------

