How to Gold Leaf Bike Frame

Interested in a gold leaf bike frame? If so, you’re in luck. Here at Barnabas, we love all things gold leaf and love adding it to furniture, hardware, and even cake! But did you know that you can apply gold leaf to a bike frame for a stunning look and appeal? It’s true. And while professionals have done this with their own bike frames sold to patrons, you may be interested to know that it’s actually something you could do yourself in your own backyard.

Ready to learn how? In this post, we’ll detail how to coat your bike frame in pure gold to impress your friends and family. Let’s go!

Table of Contents

• Can You Apply Gold to a Bike Frame?
• What Kind of Gold to Use for a Bike Frame
• How To Apply Gold to a Bike Frame
  • Tools
  • Instructions
• Applying Gold to a Bike Frame
• FAQs

Can You Apply Gold to a Bike Frame?

Yes, you can! Applying gold leaf to bikes is easier than you might think.

You just need adhesive, gold leaf, soft brushes, and that’s about it. If you intend to do a smaller project, you can customize your details on the bike using intricate designs with stencils of pre-made patterns. If you want to redo the entire frame, that will be a longer and more time-consuming process.

Because of this, this task isn’t recommended for those who might be novices when it comes to the application of gold leaf.

What Kind of Gold to Use for a Bike Frame

The best kind of gold leaf to use on a bike frame is anything between 23-24 karat, and not for the reasons you think. While this kind of gold will certainly have you riding and cycling in style, the truth is that using a lesser karat, though the price is cheaper, may leave you with tarnishing and a look that doesn’t quite stack up as you’d hope.

Not to mention, pure gold in the 23-24 karat realm doesn’t require sealant and it can stand up to weather without tarnishing. In fact, if you were to add varnish or top coat to this pure metal type, you would actually end up ruining the look of the gold over time.

How To Apply Gold to a Bike Frame

Tools

To apply gold to a bike frame you’ll need the following equipment:

• Sand paper
• Isopropyl alcohol and microfiber cloth
• Pure gold leaf (23-24 karat; if the price isn’t feasible, try opting for pure gold design on the frame rather than having the entire frame covered)
• Oil based adhesive (you’ll want to use an oil-based adhesive to ensure that your gold leaf is resistant to weather and various weather types)
• Soft brushes (for adhesive application and application of gold leaf)
• Stencils (if using)

Instructions

1. Begin by sanding your bike frame with sandpaper. This helps give you a nice smooth surface to work with. Follow up with isopropyl alcohol applied with an old washcloth. This will remove dirt and debris that might interfere with proper adhesion of the gold leaf to the bike frame.
2. Begin the adhesive process by applying your oil based adhesive to your bike frame using a soft brush. Be sure to get the entire area of the bike frame covered. Otherwise, your gold leaf will not adhere in all the proper places.
3. Once applied, allow your oil based size to come to tack. Refer to your package label instructions for information on how long this might take.
4. Begin applying your gold leaf using cotton gloved hands or a knife/tweezers. Use a clean soft brush to tamp down the gold leaf and brush away any excess.
5. Patch up any gaps or flaws in the gold leaf with more adhesive and additional gold leaf.

Applying Gold to a Bike Frame

The process for making your bike frame road-worthy with hints of gold is relatively straightforward. Ride with style by using 23-24 karat gold leaf sheets, and be sure to use oil based size to ensure that your pure gold leaf stays put after application.

The effectiveness of the oil based adhesive paired with the purity of the gold should lend itself to stellar results and a finished project you’ll love.

FAQs