Having used coconut fibers, I say dry is the way to go, and not wet or moist.
Yes, it is a pain in the neck to dry it off!! I used one of my wife's (shhhhh) baking pan and dried a little at a time. You will get it all nice and dry. Like I said, it takes time and it is a pain.
Then you have to cover by parts. Apply the silicone on the surface, say about one foot square, and sprinkle the fibers on top, in excess, that way you assure you have not missed a spot and it goes on not too thin.
Now, when you are doing parts of the surface, leave about 1 to 2 inches of silicone without fibers so now, when you move on to the next part, you will make sure to apply silicone starting from where you ended the previous one. (Is it making sense? Let me know...).
Keep going untill you get tired, then the last part you do that day, make sure to cover complete (don't leave that 1 or 2 inches like you were doing while at work).
You might have to stop even if you are not tired, but because you have to let what you have done dry out, so you can take the coconut excess out so you can move forward again.
Hope this gets you moving again!!! One more time, it is a painful process but it looks great at the end!!!
Take care,
Roberto.
