Beloved by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, the illustrious properties of gold have been appreciated for millennia.

Gilding, the process of applying fine metal leaf -with a thickness of around one micron - to glass, metal or gesso, gives an economical illusion of solid gold, silver or copper.

This technique falls into two categories:

Water Gilding involves preparing a surface with gesso and bole to provide a cushion for the leaf which can be burnished to a bright, mirror finish.

It is suitable for interior work and is predominantly used over wooden substrates for icons, mirrors, picture frames, furniture and sculptures.

Oil Gilding cannot be burnished but is a simpler process which, instead of relying on the reactivation of the rabbit-skin glue -present in the gesso - to adhere the metal leaf, it typically employs gold size. This can be applied to practically any sound, solid surface.

It is used both internally and externally. Being weather and corrosion resistant, it is ideal for architectural applications, on weathervanes, railing motifs and signage.

Whilst gilding is rightly considered to be a luxury, its longevity makes it a valuable consideration; it

will far outlive cheaper metal-effect paints when correctly applied and there is no substitute for the sumptuous and reflective qualities of a properly gilded surface.

Allangrange Furniture Restoration