How to make V-Flats - Felix's step-by-step guide

The question I get asked the most is 'How do you make V-Flats'.
V-Flats are giant foam core boards taped together in a very specific fashion to enable photographers to control light and section of areas of their studios.

[@Foamboards]

For people who can't get black/white combination boards what we do in Australia is glue a 5mm paper faced white panel to a 5mm black panel to get a very stable unform finish. These we hinge together with velcro strips and in the last few months we've also started to add an aluminium U shaped extrusion around the edges which adds to the durability and increases stability.

[@cptbrncls7050]

I buy white insulation foam boards and paint one side matt black. Sucks up a bit of paint though. About two panels per litre of paint

[@Avat6]

@@cptbrncls7050 did it warp though?

[@cptbrncls7050]

@@Avat6 no

[@Avat6]

@@cptbrncls7050 ok I did try the same on foam board and applied 2 coats of black Matt paint. It did warp which is a bit annoying .

[@cptbrncls7050]

@@Avat6 stuff I used was about 50mm thick. Insulation panel

[@christinebilby2335]

Thank you Felix. I taped mine together and with heat and time it all peeled off. Going to revisit and re Gaffa this weekend.Yes please keep the tutorials like this coming. It helps so much

[@joansutton1637]

Thanks so much for doing this Felix, just built my fourth and final V flats today. You are a great help.

[@dkzlslx7690]

¿do you mean today?

[@katecowan5045]

Thank you Felix! Very timely for me since I am just about to go shopping to make some V-Flats... Thank you for sharing your time and talent :)

[@lisasegal1683]

Yipee - I've been fooling around with trying to get this right and FINALLY, I found Felix! Follow his instructions and you won't be sorry. V-flats ready to go :)

[@debbyford1623]

@LisaSegal - Where did you find the foam core? Did you have to do any painting? I just watched Felix's video, going searching online for the foam core now. Thank you!! (I think these questions might help many of us.)

[@jsridout]

Manufacturers make foam core products with white on one side and black on the other. You'll want at least 1/2", 3/4" or 1" thick sheets, not 1/4". I couldn't find the size from retailers for a reasonable amount... look for wholesalers to the framing or sign industry. You should be able to find a local source--shipping something that size is ridiculously expensive for a few sheets. To do it on the cheap, go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy 4x8 sheets of rigid insulation and paint them yourself with flat white and a flat black.

[@michaelch7529]

Were the foams already painted or did you paint them?

[@aimeevangelder7993]

Thanks for the video! Very helpful. I am in the process of making my own v-flats now and couldn't figure out the folding back and forth to the black and white sides. Also taping the ends such a good idea to make them last longer.

[@overridefitnesschannel8756]

Very thoughtful and professional make.I am not sure if we didn't meet in Brighton in 2019 by i360. There was a guy looking like you taking some shots lol and I had a chat with him. Anyway, just the memory jog. Thanks for this video Felix.

[@felixkunze]

Ha thanks. Not sure that was me in 2019.

[@overridefitnesschannel8756]

@@felixkunze I thought so, that guy had Cannon MK4 and you work on Nikon. They say : once you are Nikon artist , you work with this forever.

[@overridefitnesschannel8756]

@@felixkunze I have a question, can you give me advise how to shoot cool home made video in terms of light control. More like strong , cross fit darker look but with extra neon colour lights behind . I am preparing for new set of dvd set oh HIIT workout but with the weights . Maybe you could kindly point me in the right direction how you would do it? I am so much appreciating your comment to this.

[@felixkunze]

Honestly I’m probably not the right guy for you on this.

[@jeremylewisx]

Thank you felix! Very very helpful! I look forward to more tutorial videos :D

[@debbyford1623]

Thank you so much Felix!! As always, excellent! Thank you for the explanation of the great reason for the use of the Photomount Spray Adhesive, it's a great "extra" to add in. Approximately how long would you say that your self-made v-flats last? Assuming you don't transport them much given their size and that they aren't the smaller more portable style and that you said your apartment/studio.

[@felixkunze]

Debby Ford they’re still going strong!

[@photo-andvideographybyange240]

Awesome! Just did mine with this tutorial.

[@markmelnick4614]

How thick is the core board you use in this video?

[@moealyasini2784]

Mark Melnick still cant find that board ! Not sure how he got it black and white or where he got it from

[@nathanmoore7120]

@@moealyasini2784 he probably painted it. Or did he say that he purchased it black on one side and whit on the other? Just buy cheap black Matt paint and paint one side. Works a treat and looks great.

[@jjaylad]

Thanks for this tutorial. I just have a couple of questions. Since the tape is already sticky, why does it need to be sprayed with photo mount glue? Since the tape will be permanent, can normal duck tape (eg. Gorrilla Tape") which is 1/4 the price of Gaffers Tape ...be used instead?

[@felixkunze]

jjaylad The spray is just for extra durability. Maybe it’s not needed. I just put it on to be extra safe. Don’t use duct tape. Apart from it being reflective, it dries out and will start peeling sooner than gaff.

[@moealyasini2784]

Felix Kunze cold you tell us where you got the foam from core board from? Is there a link for it ? And how is it black and white or did you paint?

[@felixkunze]

Moe Alyasini check framing stores :)

[@moealyasini2784]

Felix Kunze i am in NJ as well maybe you can give me a specific store name or location ? Thanks a lot in advance

[@felixkunze]

Moe Alyasini check with Set Shop in the city. They sell kits

[@Renawage]

this questions may have been asked but I cannot find it: what are the dimensions of the boards? in particular the thickness

[@felixkunze]

I believe these are 3/4 inch thickness

[@janirose]

wait but....you left out all the information about the actual boards... which is the most difficult/important part? Like what are they called/where did you get them/how much did they cost/did you paint them?

[@felixkunze]

I didn’t include that because I’m not a retailer of boards and it really depends on where you live and what you can get locally

[@hom296]

Felix...may I ask what size each flat is?

[@felixkunze]

hom296 they are 4’x8’

[@hom296]

Thanks Felix!

[@JenniferDuffy]

I was wondering where you got the foam?

[@felixkunze]

Jennifer Duffy I got it from a wholesaler in New Jersey but lots of arts supply stores and framers have these.

[@JenniferDuffy]

Felix Kunze thank you. I will check around Nashville. I know Michael’s have 40x60 foam core in the framing department but it is the single thickness.

[@moealyasini2784]

Felix Kunze i am in NJ too ! Could you tell me which place is that and was it already painted black?

[@ketoduo6117]

@@JenniferDuffy Did you ever find any 4'x8' sheets around Nashville?

[@JenniferDuffy]

@@ketoduo6117 I didn’t. But I live about 45 mins outside the city.

[@JanLaBo]

I don't understand, why you use Photomount on THAT tape? It's already strong enough, I guess..

[@felixkunze]

JanLaBo the adhesive in the tape starts to degrade after a season and the temperature changes between day and night don't help either. It's not duct tape. Gaffer tape is made to be less sticky than regular tape, so we add photo mount and it gets more sticky and lasts longer.

[@JanLaBo]

Thank you for your answer, that makes sense! :)

[@DiviPhotos]

Great video nice

[@janetaustin4161]

Nice work

[@muriloyamanaka]

what are the dimensions you have on foamboards and how many mm is it's thickness?

[@amsivertson]

By just how much can you overcomplicate the process of putting two pieces of foam core together? 2 panels of foam core, 1 strip of tape, 6 minutes (if you have a beer part way through), done.

[@jeffreyrifkin7420]

How much space between the boards so that they can still swivel?

[@matthewcheung5136]

What board do you buy?

[@felixkunze]

depends on where you live. They are usually called something like 'foamcore' or 'gator board'.

[@Chrisdgallego]

Hi. Have These panels another name? Something like spiros or something like that?

[@felixkunze]

never heard them called Spiros but they may well be. I've usually called them foam core or gator board

[@a.b.5757]

@@felixkunze Hallo Felix, wo kann man das Gator Board kaufen? Danke

[@felixkunze]

@@a.b.5757 it depends on your country. But the first place to check is with framing stores.

[@a.b.5757]

Hornbach hat 100x200cm Platten, wie stark sind Ihre Platten und wie kriege ich die schwarz?

[@ryandonkerman5089]

@@a.b.5757 Wie viel kostet es bei Hornbach?

[@leftboot13]

Why do you use the photo mount? What does this product do?

[@felixkunze]

It's to make the tape stickier and last longer. Without it, the cycles of temperature change and moisture will weaken the chemical bond of the sticky layer on the tape

[@charlieschmidt9668]

Where do you get the idea that the fotomount will make the tape stickier...chemically these are NOT compatible....can you document the stickier part of your statement

[@geniusofnati]

is the foam core boards black on one side and white on the other?

[@felixkunze]

thePHOTOphilic P yep

[@amsivertson]

You can buy it at any decent art supply store, and also companies like one we have in Canada called U-Line (check it out and you'll see what kind of company it is - basically just about any kind of remotely industrial supply need you can possibly imagine - you'll certainly have companies like it where you are!). Easy to find. But not cheap and unfortunately only sold in bulk, (here it's 25 sheets per carton) so split a carton with a few photographers. Or find it at an art supply store, although much more $$ per sheet. OR- just paint one side of a normal white panel!! :)

[@amsivertson]

Here's an example of what we can get here : www.uline.ca/Product/Detail/S-19382/Foam-Board/Foamboard-48-x-96-Black-White

[@marchonore]

What are foam core boards?

[@felixkunze]

the boards we are using in the video. Some call them gatorboards.

[@Greenhunter360]

Hi, did you paint the black side?

[@felixkunze]

Nope, I bought them like that. You can get them from a place called setshop in New York.

[@mjakuza]

+Felix Kunze Dear Felix, have you got any idea, where to buy this boards in Europe (Holland)? I broke my head already :( Thank you in advance.

[@felixkunze]

+mjakuza sorry I don't know about Holland for these.

[@mjakuza]

+Felix Kunze OK. Thank you! I was searching a lot, but it seems that it is not exists here 😞

[@acarde]

@@felixkunze I'm having trouble finding this at set shop. I wonder if they still sell it.

[@DanelleJon]

Where did you get your foam core boards and how thick are the individual boards?

[@TampaPhotographer]

+Danelle Jones Looked into finding these previously, but couldn't find them at my local Lowe's/Home Depot

[@felixkunze]

Find them at art supply stores or wholesellers. Someone should really make a 'where to get foamcore boards' list for each country. There's a place in NYC called setshop that has them.

[@TampaPhotographer]

+Felix Kunze Brad Moore said that's where he got his, but Every time I lol, you've gotta buy in bulk

[@gerrykingsley]

I tried to source some 4x6 boards and it costs about a 1000.00 where I live!

[@stilesportrait]

Portable ones from Vflat world are amazing! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGWwZ4uNqK1qncU

[@spondoolie6450]

Any good channel that discusses a products or gives instructions on how to build something will have links in the description to the items in the video.

[@charlieschmidt9668]

the v flat just needs to be functional...you don't need to put anything on the edges...why spend more money and time making this...the edge will NOT help it do it's job...

[@danieljones8706]

Depends on how messy the edges of your foam boards are. If you use polystyrene boards like Sue Bryce, the edges can be pretty rough.

[@charlieschmidt9668]

so the edge is rough...how is that preventing the v-flat from working?

[@danieljones8706]

It'll work fine without tapping the edges, but its a quality of life thing. Tapping the edges keeps them a little more protected from moisture and dings. It also makes the flats more comfortable to handle. With insulation V-Flats, its necessary to keep the edges from crumbling, especially if you hade to cut the boards to size. If you want to keep the boards for a good while, its worth the $12 in Gaffers Tape.

[@darinyoungphotography7435]

Def works way better with taped edges i've tried it and if you can't afford a couple of dollars in tape you probably can't afford to be a photographer ;)