How to Gild With Gold Leaf

Gilding has been used for millenia to gild exterior and interior surfaces and is a technique that is easy to learn.

Gilding has been used for millennia to add unparalleled elegance and richness to both exterior surfaces and interior objects. It is used on everything from architectural domes and outdoor sculpture and ornamentation to intricate picture frames. High karat weight gold is naturally resistant to tarnishing and other elemental damage. With proper preparation, even an exterior gilding project can last 30 or more years without attention.

Things You'll Need

• Drop cloths
• Masking materials
• Brushes
• Primer
• Gilders' tips
• Gold leaf
• Gilders' squirrel mop or goat hair brush
• Clear coat sealer
• Sprayer

Instructions

Prepare the Project and Select the Gold Leaf

1. Prepare the surface to be gilded by removing any corrosion and repairing any surface defects. Sand the surface with 220 grit paper to make it as smooth and even as possible. Remove all dust with a tack cloth.

2. Lay down drop cloths and mask off any areas that will not be primed and gilded with painter's tape or similar material. Liquid frisket may come in handy for intricate interior objects like small picture frames.

3. Prime the surface to be gilded with one or two coats of quality primer suited for the type of material being gilded. A gilding supplier will have appropriate primers for gold leaf and typically in red, gray and ochre. Each can offer a different look to the finished gilding.

4. Apply a "bole" or base coat color if necessary, but note that this step can usually be skipped when using modern primers tinted to the color of choice.

5. Select the gold leaf to use. Gold leaf is sold in "books" of 25 sheets or in rolls. Books can be either loose or patented sheets. Rolls are always patented. Patented means the leaf is attached loosely to a backing and this can make it easier to handle and should always be considered when working in outdoor and breezy conditions. Gold leaf is also sold in karat weights and as alloy mixes. 24k is the most pure form but the most expensive.

Size the Suface, Apply the Leaf and Seal the Surface

1. Size the surface with adhesive sizing. Sizing provides a "tacky" surface the leaf can stick to and comes in a variety of both water and oil based formulas. Choose from a gilding supplier depending on the look you are trying to achieve and apply as thin and evenly as possible with a high quality brush.

2. Test for tack. Some sizing will remain tacky when completely dry but most will have a period between being wet and completely dry that is the best time to apply the gold leaf.

3. Pass a gilder's tip lightly through your hair to charge it with static electricity. Gilder's tips are special short brushes in cardboard handles used for handling loose gold leaf. Hold a book of leaf in one hand and gently touch the gilder's tip to the top sheet of leaf. Transfer to the sized object to be gilded. Burnish in place with a gilder's squirrel mop or goat hair brush.

4. When using patented leaf, place the leaf face down with the backing attached. Burnish through the backing with a gilder's squirrel mop or goat hair brush. Gently remove the backing. Burnish the leaf itself again as needed.

5. Apply one or two coats of an acrylic clear coat if desired or necessary using a soft, high quality brush or sprayer.

Tips & Warnings

• High karat weight gold is naturally resistant to tarnishing but alloys, lower karat weight gold and imitation gold should always have clear coat protection with added UV protection if used outdoors. Clear coating will also protect surfaces in traffic areas against wear and abrasion.

• Gold, especially high karat weight, is expensive so consider collecting scrap leaf and sending your brushes out for recovery when your project is finished if it is extensive.

References

• Gilded Planet.com: Gilding Basics 101
• Art Sparx.com: Artsparx Essential Guide to Gilding Techniques

Resources

• Bozzle: Gilding