Applying gold leaf to your DIY projects can have a truly profound effect on the finished product. Gold leaf transforms everyday objects and gives them a stunning, upscale look.
Learning how to apply gold leaf is something pretty much anyone can do. However, there are a few steps that you’ll want to follow to ensure the project turns out as you are envisioning.
Read on to learn some tips for applying gold leaf.
What You’ll Need
- Gold leaf sheets — genuine (22kt–24kt) for a permanent, non-tarnishing finish, or imitation (composition) leaf for a budget-friendly practice run. Shop genuine gold leaf or imitation gold leaf.
- Gilding adhesive (size) — water-based for most surfaces, oil-based for oil paintings or outdoor projects. Gilding Adhesive
- A soft, flat brush — for applying adhesive evenly without ridges or drips.
- Tissue paper or a gilder’s tip — for lifting and placing loose gold leaf without tearing it.
- A soft cotton cloth — for smoothing the leaf down after placement.
- Wax paper — for burnishing the leaf once it’s applied.
- A small, stiff brush — for removing excess leaf (“skewings”) from overlaps and edges.
- Sealer or varnish — essential for imitation leaf, optional but recommended for genuine leaf. Gold Leaf Sealer
- A mask — optional but recommended, since loose leaf can float and be inhaled while you work.
- A shop vacuum — for cleanup once you’re done.
Estimated time: 30–60 minutes of active work, plus 15–30 minutes of adhesive tack time and 3+ days of full cure time before handling the finished piece.
What Surfaces Can You Apply Gold Leaf To?
Before we get into how to apply gold leaf, let’s learn a little bit more about what gold leaf is and the types of surfaces you can apply it to.
Gold leaf has a texture that resembles very thin foil. It is made by beating real gold into thin sheets (just 0.12 microns thick). Gold leaf is popular for decorative purposes. The process of applying gold leaf, often called gilding, has been used for centuries and is still performed today by experts and DIYers alike.
One of the benefits of gold leaf is that you can apply it to a wide variety of surfaces. Some examples include wood, ceramics, metal, glass, canvas, and fabric.
Start your unique project with our high-quality genuine gold leaf
As you’re reading through the steps for applying gold leaf outlined below, keep in mind that these steps will be the same if you want to apply other metal leaf variations. Some examples of other types of metal leaf include silver leaf, copper leaf, imitation gold leaf, and imitation silver leaf.
Pointers for Working with Gold Leaf
Knowing how to use gold leaf is important before you get started with any project.
Below are a few pointers and tips to keep in mind, especially if this is the first time you’re learning how to apply gold leaf to paper or other surfaces.
- Gold leaf is very thin and very light. It will blow around if there is too much airflow in the space where you are working. Turn off all fans and keep the windows closed when you’re working with it.
- Set up your workspace in a location where you can work without disruptions. This will help prevent any issues or unexpected visitors (such as children or pets) that could damage the leaf or accidentally blow it around.
- Consider wearing a mask when working with gold leaf. As you’re brushing pieces off, the gold can float in the air because of how lightweight it is, which could lead to you inhaling it.
- Have a shop vacuum handy to clean up the scraps once your project is complete.
- When working with gold leaf, apply it in small sections at a time.
- Take your time and enjoy the process of gold leafing. You’ll be more appreciative of the final project if you make it a labor of love.
Preparing a Surface for Gold Leaf Application
You will also want to prepare the surfaces for the gold leaf application before getting into how to apply gold leaf to metal or other surfaces. To do this, you should thoroughly clean the surface and paint it (if desired).
Use genuine gold leaf for interior or exterior gilding
How to Apply Gold Leaf
In the next few sections, we’ll outline the steps you need to take to apply gold leaf. Before you begin, you may also want to tape off the area where you’ll be applying gold leaf to minimize the mess and allow for more precision.
How to Apply Gold Leaf
In the next few sections, we’ll outline the steps you need to take to apply gold leaf. Before you begin, you may also want to tape off the area where you’ll be applying gold leaf to minimize the mess and allow for more precision.
- Apply Adhesive to the Surface
The first step is to apply the adhesive to the entire surface where you’ll be applying the gold leaf. You want to apply the adhesive evenly and should only have a very thin layer.
In most cases, a water-based adhesive, also called size, will be the best choice. However, if you’re looking for how to apply gold leaf to canvas, you should use an oil-based solvent if it is an oil painting.
After you apply the adhesive, it is essential to wait until it turns clear and tacky. Generally, this should take between 15 and 30 minutes. However, the time could be shorter or longer depending on the humidity and temperature of the space where you’re working.
- Lay Gold Leaf Sheets Across Adhesive
The next step for how to apply gold leaf to a painting or any other surface is to lay the gold sheets across the adhesive. Because of how thin and lightweight the leafing is, you may find that using tissue paper to lift it and place it over the adhesive will keep it from getting torn accidentally.
Once you place the gold leaf over the adhesive, leave the tissue paper on top to gently tap it down and help the leaf stick. It is OK if there are some wrinkles in the gold. Then, remove the tissue paper and use a a soft cotton cloth to gently smooth out the gold by rubbing across it.
Continue these steps with the other foil pieces. Just take care to avoid overlapping the pieces because they won’t stick over the other sheets. - Apply Additional Adhesive and Gold Leaf Sheets As Needed
Sometimes, you may need two coats of adhesive if there are some areas that haven’t been fully covered with adhesive. In these cases, use a little more adhesive over the bare spots, let it get tacky, and then apply a new gold leaf sheet.
- Burnish and Remove Excess Gold Leaf
When you’re searching for how to apply gold leaf flakes, the next step is to burnish the gold. Use a sheet of wax paper and a soft cloth (with the wax paper directly over the gold). Rub the two to burnish the gold, then allow everything to fully cure (three or more days is best).
Once fully cured, use a small, stiff brush to remove any excess gold from overlapping regions or the edges of the area you wanted to cover. - Seal the Gold Leaf
The final step for how to apply gold leaf to wood, glass, metal, or other surfaces is to seal the gold. Genuine gold leaf will not tarnish, but imitation leaf will, so sealing is the best choice. A clear varnish or sealer should be sufficient for this step. Once you apply a thin coat of the sealer, let it dry fully.
Gold Leaf from Barnabas Gold is easy to apply to any surface
Troubleshooting Common Gold Leaf Problems
Even experienced gilders run into these issues. Here’s how to fix the most common ones.
The gold leaf won’t stick
This almost always means the adhesive wasn’t tacky enough — or was too tacky. If the adhesive still looks milky or wet, wait longer; it needs to turn fully clear and slightly tacky (like the back of a stamp) before you lay the leaf. If you waited too long and the adhesive has gone fully dry and hard, you’ll need to apply a fresh thin coat.
The leaf is wrinkling or bubbling
This usually comes from applying the adhesive too thickly. A thin, even coat is what you want — if you can see ridges, brush marks, or pooling, wipe back and reapply thinner. Wrinkles that happen during placement can often be smoothed out with a soft cotton cloth before the adhesive fully sets; once it’s cured, they’re permanent.
There are gaps or patchy coverage
This happens when sections of adhesive were missed, or leaf sheets were placed with slight gaps between them instead of a light overlap. Let the piece fully cure, brush away the excess, then apply a small amount of fresh adhesive to the bare spots and patch in a new piece of leaf (“faulting in”).
The gold looks dull or spotty after sealing
If you’re using imitation leaf, this is often tarnishing that happened before sealing — imitation leaf should be sealed promptly, ideally within a day or two of application, since it reacts with air and moisture. Genuine gold leaf doesn’t tarnish, so dullness there is more likely leftover residue from the burnishing cloth or an uneven sealer coat — a second thin coat of sealer, applied evenly, usually resolves it.
The leaf keeps tearing or flying away while I work
This is a handling issue, not an adhesive issue. Work in a closed room with fans and windows off, use tissue paper or a gilder’s tip to transfer the leaf instead of your fingers, and work in small sections so you’re not carrying a full sheet across the room.
Give Gold Leafing a Try
Now that you’ve had a chance to learn more about applying gold leaf, hopefully you realize that you can give the technique a try even if you’re not experienced. With some practice and patience, you’ll be able to transform the look of a picture frame, vase, canvas, or another object with gold leaf.
We have a dedicated log post on how to apply imitation gold leaf, so go check it out.
Are you excited to try your first gold leafing project?
FAQs
The right gold leaf adhesive may vary depending on the specific project you are completing. When you’re looking for how to apply gold leaf to glass, wood, metal, canvas, or another material, there are two main adhesive types (also called sizes) you can choose from: water-based adhesive or oil-based adhesive. Before you choose a leaf adhesive, consider the material type. For example, if you are applying a gold sheet over oil paint, you will need to use an oil-based adhesive. In most other cases, water-based adhesive will be OK.
Yes, when you’re looking for how to gold leaf, you will need adhesive. You’ll want to use an adhesive, or sizing, specifically designed for leafing. In most cases, a water-based adhesive is best. However, if you are applying gold leaf over oil paint or some other surfaces, you should use an oil-based adhesive.
Gold leaf can be applied outside, but its durability and longevity can be affected by the environmental conditions and the specific application.
For most projects, a single layer of leaf gives full, solid coverage since the leaf is opaque despite being extremely thin. If you see the surface showing through after your first layer, that’s a sign of a gap rather than a need for multiple coats — patch the gap with a small new piece rather than layering leaf on top of leaf.
Genuine gold leaf doesn’t need sealing to prevent tarnishing, since real gold doesn’t oxidize – but sealing still adds protection against scratching and handling, especially for pieces that will be touched often. Imitation leaf should always be sealed, since it will tarnish and darken over time without it.
Properly applied and sealed gold leaf can last for decades, even centuries, indoors — genuine gold leaf on historic gilded artifacts has survived for hundreds of years. Longevity depends more on surface preparation and sealing than on the leaf itself, especially for outdoor or high-touch projects.
It’s best avoided. Heat can cause the adhesive to dry unevenly or too quickly, which increases the risk of the leaf not adhering properly. Let the adhesive reach tack time naturally, and let the finished piece cure at room temperature.
Transfer leaf (leaf pre-attached to a backing sheet) is easier for beginners to handle since you’re not managing loose, floating gold directly — you press the backing sheet onto the adhesive and peel it away, leaving the leaf behind. Loose leaf gives a slightly better, more seamless finish once you’re comfortable handling it, but it’s more prone to tearing and blowing around.
