Applying Genuine Gold leaf or Imitation Gold leaf to metal surfaces.

[@artsparx]

Yes you can use both gold and silver leaf for this application. Genuine gold with a karat level of 23kt or greater does not tarnish and does not require a sealer. However, the genuine gold leaf is 0.5 microns thick, so if the object gets handled regularly, then the gold can wear through. In this instance you may choice to apply a sealer. Genuine Silver leaf will tarnish and therefore does require a clear coat sealer.

[@meiming1]

This was a very good tutorial, so where is the tutorial on burnishing?

[@artsparx]

Yes, silver leaf will tarnish and therefore requires a final clear coat sealer. The type of sealer depends on the project. Silver is not a good option for exterior applications. Other 'white' metals that are close to silver are 'white gold' (also tarnishing, but at a slower rate), Palladium Leaf- a non-tarnishing white metal that is ideal for exterior applications or projects that do not require a clear coat sealer - and Aluminum leaf, which is non-tarnishing and often is substituted for silver.

[@artsparx]

Aluminum leaf, also known as 'Imitation Silver' is the appropriate genuine silver repalcement. It is a non tarnishing white metal leaf.

[@artsparx]

It's optional. For exterior surfaces like statues, iron gates or domes, you generally do not apply a sealer. Using 23kt or higher gold leaf will not tarnish. Sealers can break down in 3-5 years, starting to flake or chip. Airborne particles can accumulate in these areas and corroding the leaf. Domes on churches or gov. buildings or the flame on the statute of liberty do not have a sealer. For high traffic areas, especially indoors, you may want to put a sealer to protect against wear and tear.

[@ashadowawhisper]

Incredible video, thank you for sharing this with us... I look forward to trying this technique on some of my woodturning

[@trumpwon2240]

35 years ago my uncle called a painting goof or bad job a "holiday". Besides myself, I've not heard anyone else say it since.

[@artsparx]

'Holiday' is a common term used in gilding. It means that an area was missed during sizing so when the leaf is applied it won;t stick there, leaving a blank spot, or Holiday. We try to avoid these ;-)

[@pbpyro5546]

How to get a mirror shine with applying to a metal surface with genuine gold leaf

[@artsparx]

Hi. To get a mirror shine you would use a different adhesive system. This is called the Instacoll system and is a 2 part application. Apply the Instacoll Base to the area being gilt. When ready to gild apply the Instacoll Activator, wait 20 mins, then apply the leaf. When done you can use a cotton pad or chamois cloth and go over the leaf. The instacoll Base is a bit thicker than most adhesives. This thicker base allows the gold leaf to compress slightly when burnishing with cotton or chamois cloth. The leaf quickly comes to a mirror shine. This is the only way to get a mirror shine outside of the Traditional Water Gilding method, which is generally only completed on wood substrates, not metal. For more info on the Instacoll system visit www.gildedplanet.com/instacoll.html

[@polarbearsrus6980]

Bummer, you should always show the finished product... but thanks🤭 for sharing.

[@cherylstroude4587]

What kind of sealer would I use on imitation gold, applied to a metal surface? Thanks for the video. Most informative. Going to try it at home!

[@artsparx]

+Cheryl Stroude - Imitation Gold Leaf will tarnish and therefore requires a clear coat sealer after application. This protective coat of sealer not only prevents oxidation is also insures durability of the leaf, particularly in high traffic areas or for heavy use objects and furniture. Specially formulated for use over genuine or metal leaf surfaces, the 'Acrylic Topcoat' is a non-reactive, premium water clear sealer for genuine and metal leaf. Made from acrylic copolymers, Acrylic Topcoat provides protection from abrasion, water and ultra violet light. This solvent based sealer resists chemicals and may be applied by brush or spray. Available in Gloss and Satin finishes. More information.

[@artsparx]

+artsparx - www.gildedplanet.com/sealers.html

[@cathyquilts2609]

How does one get the look of textured “squares” in gold leaf? I really liked your video, thank you! Also, would you advise against leafing kitchen knobs and pulls?

[@artsparx]

Hi Cathy! 'textured' squares can be achieved in a few different ways, depending on the final look you want. Gold is so thin (0.5 microns) that any texture on the base surface will translate through to the final finish of the gilded surface. So, you can start by texturizing the base surface and see if that achieves the look you want. Another method would be to use fine steel wool or sandpaper and drag over the leaf in one, single motion.This would create a 'dulling' of the leaf in a linear or striee pattern. Other methods can be created too. Visit www.gildedplanet.com and send an email with a photo of the look you are trying to achieve and we can make more recommendations. You can use gold on kitchen pulls and knobs, but will need to apply a strong protective coating, like epoxy or Spar varnish. Epoxy should not change the tone of the leaf but may effect the shine a little. Spar varnish (used most often in marine environments) will darken the leaf slightly, as it comes amber out of the can, but may add an old world appearance too.

[@ruthbarrett1977]

Hi, thanks for sharing this video. Could you help me with a query please? A friend has asked me if I can replace the gold leaf on her steelwork as the gold leaf that's on there is tarnished. Do you know if I can just sand it back smooth then apply new size and leaf or do I need to strip it all off and paint new primer etc? Sorry for the long message! Thanks :)

[@2020abcd]

Hi! Thanks for the video! Do you apply any varnish/protective coating to genuine gold leaf?

[@jamiebond7753]

Hi, Nice informative video...I notice you didn't use a brush to apply the gold leaf... would you say a brush is better in some cases?

[@artsparx]

Hi. Yes, a brush is a very useful tool. In this video we used 'Patent' (or 'Transfer') gold leaf, where each leaf is mounted on a sheet of wax paper so you can easily handle and apply the leaf, in most cases never touching the actual gold. If we were to use 'Loose' (or 'Surface') leaf, where the leaf is not mounted on a separate sheet of wax paper, the a brush (a Gilder's Tip) would be required to pick up the loose bits of gold and apply to the adhesive surface. In addition, if you have ornamental surface, deep carvings, frame edges, or otherwise difficult areas to get too, then a brush is very helpful in getting the gold or other leaf into these hard to get areas. Typically squirrel or goat hair brushes do the best job, super soft and available in a variety of sizes. We use 'flat' mop brushes for smooth and large areas surfaces. The 'round' mops are great for details, carvings and hard to get to places. Hope this is helpful.

[@jamiebond7753]

@@artsparx Really helpful thanks. I'm gold leafing some wrought iron finials so will need to purchase some brushes and will follow your advice.

[@artsparx]

@@jamiebond7753 Great. Our flat squirrel mop brush will work well for that. 3/4" or 1". You can use it to move bits of gold around and to remove the excess bits (skewings) after the leaf is applied.

[@LorriCarnevale]

Can you use gold or silver leaf on PMC silver metal clay jewerly? Will you need to seal it?

[@otimo144]

Can you do this to the metal chrome looking parts to a phone?

[@artsparx]

Yes you can. You can use an oil size adhesive directly to the chrome parts, probably skip the primer (to reduce too much build up). Genuine gold is very thin, at 0.3 microns, so may wear very quickly. You can seal the gold using spray lacquer (if appropriate without coating surrounding areas). You can also coat it with a brush on varnish for protection.

[@Chafalota]

Does silver leaf tarnish? If so, what kind of silver color leaf will not tarnish. Thank You.

[@smilegagadk]

If using silver imitation leaf will a agate burnisher get it to the same shine as real silver leaf?

[@artsparx]

Agate burnishers are only used in the 'Traditional Water Gilding' method, building layers of true gesso whiting, and layers of clay bole. They do not work when using oil size or water-based sizes like Aquasize and Wunda size. You can use the 'Instocall Mirror shine' adhesive size to get a high shine with both Genuine and Imitation silver (aluminum leaf). www.gildedplanet.com/instacoll.html. Also, Imitation silver is thicker than genuine silver leaf and is therefore a bit brighter than genuine silver. Imitation silver does not need to be clear coated (though we generally do seal it for protection), while Genuine Silver will oxidize and requires a clear coat sealer. Sealers tend to diminish the brightness of the leaf slightly.

[@smilegagadk]

Thank you! I asked because I’ve seen silver leaf ceilings and some you can see the squares and others have been blended with a burnisher so it all looks the same. Thank you so much!

[@brittanygogel9028]

what do you use to burnish? also, if I want to try this on metal such a refrigerator door handle could I use shellac to seal?

[@artsparx]

True burnishing is only for Traditional Water Gilding, using an agate stone burnisher over a ground of clay and gesso. The stone is rubbed over the gild surface, causing the layers of clay and gesso to compress slightly, bring the gold to a mirror shine. The tutorial here show how to gild over metal using oil based adhesive. Once gilded you can use a soft brush or cotton to 'burnish' the gold - in this instance, burnishing just means cleaning off the loose bits, etc. Shellac is a good sealer over gold leaf, though it is not for all applications. Probably not the best for this particular use. Try our Hydrocoat Polyshield water based varnish, or you can use an oil based clear acrylic sealer called 'Golden MSA Varnish' available at good art supply stores.

[@jphsolutions6869]

Iconic

[@josevilla943]

How well does this hold up compared to electroplating?

[@artsparx]

Gold leaf sheets are approx. 0.5 microns thick. Likewise, gold thickness when electroplating is also approx. 0.5 microns thick. So the durability of the coating will be similar. The durability of the finished product may vary considerably, depending on the gilding process, substrate and environment the object finally rests in. Electroplating is the process of adhering an alloy (in this case gold) to a metal substrate through a chemical/electric interchange. The bond of the alloy to the metal substrate will be stronger than the bond of leaf, gilding adhesive, primer to the metal substrate. Having said that, the flame on the statue of liberty is 23.75kt gold leaf applied with oil size adhesive to a copper substrate. It was re-gild in 1976 and still looks good today, almost 50 years later.

[@josevilla943]

@@artsparx Thanks for the tip :)

[@awreeve]

Would this work to change interior door handles color to gold? Because of daily wear would it be better to change the handles?