HOW TO : Flock Dashboard give it the suede look

[opticnerv]

I bought my car for 500 bucks no engine but a full interior, the only problem was the person kinda took the interior apart and painted everything with black spray paint. The most annoying part is that he spray painted the dashboard black as if that alone would fix the cracks. I decided to flock the dashboard. I got all the supplies from donjer flocking DonJer Flocking Fibers Supplies Suede-Tex Soft Flock Rayon Nylon Spray Applicators Kits Adhesive Cars Decoys Rods (http://www.donjer.com/) .

I ordered:

1 pound of nylon suede-tex ( you may be able to get away with less I ordered alot because I'm going to flock other parts too)

8oz of black undercoat adhesive

1 Mini flocker


Before you can begin flocking you need to seal up any cracks.
To seal the cracks I sanded the cracks down to make them flush with the surface. It is absolutely neccesary to seal cracks because they will show.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t71/opticnerv/Picture083.jpg
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t71/opticnerv/Picture168.jpg
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t71/opticnerv/Picture121-1.jpg
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t71/opticnerv/Picture091.jpg

To Seal the cracks I used bondo. I bought a small small project pack for 7 bucks at pep boys. Mix the bondo like the instructions Then go ahead and fill the cracks. the bondo gets stiff really fast so work quick. Let the bondo dry for 20 minutes. Then Sand the surfaces smooth.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t71/opticnerv/Picture120.jpg

Now for the flocking process I had more pictures but the god dammed iphones pictures keep dissapearing when I plug it into the computer. The instructions are simple though. Clean the surface. apply the adhesive with a paintroller you have to work quick though and DONT miss any spots with the adhessive. fill the mini flocker half way and start pumping it !! its better if you have two people going at it because trust me it's harder than rubbing one out. after that don't touch it for 24hours just to be safe. It takes 72 hours to fully cure but within 24hours you can handle it.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t71/opticnerv/Picture050.jpg

Hope you enjoy. I searched google for any write ups on how to flock a dashboard but found nothing I hope this helps someone.

I will post an in car picture after I figure out my electrical problem and get the car running. Thanks for reading !!

[rsibley22]

:w00t:oh what! new dash celebrate!

[Koopa Troopa]

Awesome man, thanks for the write up.

[Jakob]

great! i love it if you can do things like that yourself

[southerncross]

holy crap, ive never even heard of that stuff. thats pretty neat man. i have 3 spare dashes that are cracked to hell, i may have to try this after seeing your post.

[DALAZ_68]

ohhsnap...good job...

[allntrlundrgrnd]

hell yeah i was seriously waiting on someone to do this to their dash and explain it.

props to you brotha i'll prob be attempting this in the summer

[OBEEWON]

Hmm. I might be one muthr flockin dude since I got me a nice crack in my dash. Good info.

[DreamN]

damn... now I'm getting the itch to do my dashboard. though I think I rather use actual suede material. looks good though.

take some higher quality shots of the dash. would like to see how it truly looks.

[lazysk8er2]

yea they did this on z31performance and also my friend has it on his subie

http://z31performance.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13601&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=flock

[zugoi]

I was thinking of either doing what your doing or just to the cheap super glue and baking soda repair.

[Mister.E]

that's pretty badass man

[opticnerv]

This is in my opinion a lot easier than any other repair method for dashboards I don't really have to take a higher res picture because honestly its so fuzzy you cant really appreciate the texture in a picture.

Some advantages :
Anti-Glare
Cheap
Looks A+
Feels like pussy

[TravisSW]

What kind of pussy have you handled opticnerv? That's almost disturbing. haha

I wonder how it fairs against the heat, would it make the car hotter or would it have no affect?

I want to do this to my green s14 dash.

[opticnerv]

You have to feel this and you will agree !! haha They sell the green flock and green adhesive. I actually asked my self the same question, I also wondered if it would change the interiors acoustics. When I get my electrical problem figured out I will install the dash and let you all know how it looks.

If anyone could help I posted me Electrical problem here :
http://zilvia.net/f/engine-tech/254693-i-screwed-up-all-my-electrical-i-think.html

[mehsilvia]

Holy Hell thats shit looks great. And its CHEAP!

I just might have to get some and screw around with it.

It claims to be fade/weather/outdoor resistant, so im sure a dash would hold up just fine.

I can see it now, doing doorpanels, center consoles, radio trim, etc . . .


Thanks for the link & info on it.

[DreamN]

Chris, I'm feeling the same way after reading the Z31 thread. Let's have a flocking party! :rofl:

[landins13]

thats pretty awesome not gonna lie, if my dash was cracked id totally do this, i kinda want to either way.

[Banegraphix]

Haha I did this to door panel inserts on my old Hachi except it was alot easier due to working as a screen printer we have the electrically charged flock wands what size fibers did you use I used a 1 mil red fiber which was pretty cool fealing on the old elbows when driving haha. Good job that turned out pretty well

[opticnerv]

Those wands are a lot of money I'm not really sure what size fibers they are, they didn't specify, but it does feel really nice. I screen print too !

[Banegraphix]

Yea there not cheap we also have the M&R in head flocker which is pretty cool for multi color flock designs. I love teaching the junior press operators how to use the wand cause of course I have to be a dick and tell them to hold the pallet while flocking haha. You can hear that zap from across the shop

[mehsilvia]

Chris, I'm feeling the same way after reading the Z31 thread. Let's have a flocking party! :rofl:

That might be a good idea! We will chat about it.

[ryguy]

Haha I did this to door panel inserts on my old Hachi except it was alot easier due to working as a screen printer we have the electrically charged flock wands what size fibers did you use I used a 1 mil red fiber which was pretty cool fealing on the old elbows when driving haha. Good job that turned out pretty well

How does this stand up to elbows? Does it rub off after a long time? My door panels need attention, since my attempt at upholstery is beginning to fail.

[ixfxi]

looks like a home made batman costume

[lazysk8er2]

my e30 seats are taking a toll i wonder if they are good for sidebolsters on seats lol 24 year od leather vs me = rippage

[iRONDONkey]

good job though. looks hella clean.

[reccakun08]

nicely done u going to do the door panels as well?

[ericcastro]

I thought about this.
Or use duvatine on the dash.

then i saw the amount of dirt on the dash after the last event.

[opticnerv]

yeah the center console thingy is getting flocked and the door cards

[s13dan]

do they make that nylon suede in dark BLUE?
If they do hell im ganna do it, but ima use plastic fillers instead of body filler.

[DreamN]

^ Willing to bet you didn't click on the link OP provided.

[mehsilvia]

^ Willing to bet you didn't click on the link OP provided.

LOL, was just about to post that. WTF.

[Banegraphix]

How does this stand up to elbows? Does it rub off after a long time? My door panels need attention, since my attempt at upholstery is beginning to fail.


I didnt keep the car for more than 6 months after I did it but it held up fine for then. It kinda feels like suede so yea it feels fine on your elbows

[opticnerv]

Yeahh I'm pretty sure they do they make all diffrent colors just make sure to get the blue adhesive too. I used body filler because it's readily available and because it's pretty much fiberglass.

[s14unimog]

I would love to hear a good testament to its durability. The dash looks great in the picture so you definitely get props for that. Can you comment on cleaning? Dirt attraction? Any concerns that the finish will be damaged during install/removal? I've never even heard of this stuff.

Good info:bow:

[IStop4NoMan]

just a warning, bondo will not keep the cracks from showing. eventually the bondo will split too.

[ericcastro]

my question is can it be done with the dash in the car still?

[iRONDONkey]

my question is can it be done with the dash in the car still?

maybe if you worked fast enough, and had a paint brush small enough to paint the adhesive onto the top part of the dash...

but i'd rather take it out

[JVD]

my question is can it be done with the dash in the car still?

You'd have fibers everywhere.

Just doesn't make sense to do it like that. Takes like 15 min max to take out a dash.

[mehsilvia]

Im wondering how cool it would be to guy the adhesive in one color, and flock in another.

Example: Blue adhesive, Black Flock

Wonder if anyone has tried it yet.

[opticnerv]

I would love to hear a good testament to its durability. The dash looks great in the picture so you definitely get props for that. Can you comment on cleaning? Dirt attraction? Any concerns that the finish will be damaged during install/removal? I've never even heard of this stuff.

Good info:bow:
I would really love to answer your questions, but I haven't even installed the dash I'm still trying to figure out an electrical problem. But the WRC guys use the same process I believe so I'm assuming it's pretty durable.

my question is can it be done with the dash in the car still?
No you will more than likely get adhesive all over the window, and if you take your time putting it on nice and neat the flock won't stick.

Im wondering how cool it would be to guy the adhesive in one color, and flock in another.

Example: Blue adhesive, Black Flock

Wonder if anyone has tried it yet.

I was thinking that too I wonder if it would be like a chameleon color !

[opticnerv]

just a warning, bondo will not keep the cracks from showing. eventually the bondo will split too.
how do you know ? Have you ever bondo'd your dashboard amd seen it crack.

[s13skank]

Thats smart dude

[PoorMans180SX]

This should be the new process for saving dashes! Someone is going to start snapping all of them up and start selling flocked dashes.

[opticnerv]

This should be the new process for saving dashes! Someone is going to start snapping all of them up and start selling flocked dashes.

I already started haha if you're too scared to do it on your own or don't feel like doing it your self $100 bucks will get er done for you + shipping :) haha

[s0fa king]

what grit sand paper did you use to sand down the bondo/dash?

[S14_Kouki]

this is what iv been looking for the search does not like me ahahahahah

[kenji815]

http://hphotos-sjc1.fbcdn.net/hs045.snc3/13321_116182191737700_105680349454551_170940_55270 7_n.jpg
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs045.snc3/13321_116182208404365_105680349454551_170942_39016 03_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs045.snc3/13321_116182215071031_105680349454551_170943_65456 1_n.jpg

[jparker7]

so is there an actually kit to bu or do you have to piece all the things you need from the website. Id really like to do this to my car.

[ridesnowx4]

I've been preaching about flock for years, cheap and works great. People have been flocking dashes in race cars for god knows how long, it gets rid of the glare you can get from sun light hitting a factory vinyl dash.

good write up!

-Marc

[Backintoans13]

Just wanted to know if the bondo held up?? I wanna do this but still searching for whats best to use to fix the cracks.

[jscherf92]

sorry to bring this back up but im really interested and im trying to figure everything out before I buy everything. I know you used the mini flocker from your post and I get how that works, but how did you do the adhesive? it says not to do it in sections so did you spread glue over the entire dash and then blow the fibers on as fast as you could? or did you have success doing like a square foot at a time? if you could get back to me id appreciate it. thanks!

[blueshark123]

First off i have never done this process but i do know that op should have not used bondo since it doesnt flex at all which will cause cracks in the future.

I would recommend the same thing i use to repair a plastic bumper which is lord fusor 602 or even 3m panel bond which works great for a variety of repairs.

He also mentioned he used a paint roller to apply glue before doing the flocking.


As far as sanding goes i think i will stop at 220 grit just so the glue can grab onto the dash well but like i said i never done this but i have done many other similar things.

[Croustibat]

I would love to hear a good testament to its durability.

Same here. Everytime i have heard about this flocking method or seen a dash flocked, it turned out to last from 1 to 12 months. Then it falls appart. Not all at the same time of course, but you get holes.


my question is can it be done with the dash in the car still?

Simply put, no. No room to clean and apply the glue, nor spray the flocks.

But the WRC guys use the same process I believe so I'm assuming it's pretty durable.


The WRC guys dont care if the flocking sticks for more than a couple of days. Even then, although they DO use flocked dash, they do it the only way that resist time : they put a device to generate a huge static positive field behind the dash, then put glue on it, negatively charge the flock and then spray it with a real sprayer. That costs a ton of money and a half.


TBH i would have already gone the cheap way with my S13 if it really was a matter of 10mins to remove the dash and put it back. Even if it was a 1hour matter. I dont care if i have to redo it every 6 months, or if it starts to fall appart, as long as there is no glare.

Problem is, it is not at all. Maybe on an already stripped out car...