Thursday, June 19, 2014

How To Gold Leaf The Simple Way

By Stan Alderson


If you're looking for a project that will allow you to be creative, it's often a good idea to start with something in your home. For example, you can give an old picture frame new life in a variety of ways. One of these is to give it a golden finish, adding some luxury and antique character. It's easier than it might seem and in no time you too may know how to gold leaf like a pro.

Gilding has been done for centuries and adds instant luxury to everyday objects. The traditional material used for this is sheets of real gold so thin that they resemble foil. Naturally this is quite costly, so you may want to try faux gold leaf instead. It normally consists of copper with some zinc added to it and looks just like the true product.

Before you start the gilding process, you need to get together everything that you'll need. Aside from the object you want to gild and the foil-like sheets of metal, you'll also need sandpaper, sealer, painter's tape, soft paintbrushes, a smooth and flat surface, clean cheesecloth, cotton balls and petroleum jelly. You'll also need special base coat, adhesive, top coat and glaze.

First smooth the surface you're planning on gilding and wipe away all dust. Then apply tape to the parts you don't want to cover. Apply a coat of sealer to porous surfaces such as wood.

The next step is to add the base coat. When it has dried, paint on a layer of adhesive. This is called the sizer.

To make applying the gold leaf easier, cut it so that you have smaller pieces to work with. Peel off the backing and place the pieces of foil on your smooth work surface. To pick up a piece, dab the cotton ball onto the petroleum jelly and then onto the foil so that the foil sticks. Carefully apply the piece of foil to the surface that you're gilding. Let the different pieces overlap so that you cover the surface completely.

Use a brush and the cheesecloth to smoothen the metal over the surface. Work carefully, since the foil can crease or tear very easily. Check that the seams where pieces are overlapping don't show. Once you're done, apply a top coat to seal everything in and finish it off with a layer of glaze if you prefer. Let it dry, remove the painter's tape and you'll have a shimmering golden object.




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