A metallic finish is sought after because it exudes elegance and a sense of modernity. However, it may be costly for most people to adorn their walls and ceilings with gold and silver. Many paints have now been manufactured to give off this illustrious look, indicating how popular this finish is becoming. However, paint is a poor substitute for actual metal.

One way of producing this look is through metal leafing. A metal leaf is a very thin and delicate sheet that is made out of pure metal. Its thickness usually varies from 1/8000 mm to 1/10,000 mm. It is applied to a print through a process known as gilding. Metal leaf comes in different forms such as gold, silver, copper and aluminum. They usually come in sets of two sheets that are separated by tissue.

Real gold can be applied to many surfaces and there are different shades to choose from. Gold, because it is a malleable and ductile metal, is considered the ideal metal for making a leaf. It’s malleability is especially favored by jewelers. These admittedly are more expensive depending on the amount of gold contained in it. Red or Rose gold is the purest gold. A popular shade is 23 carat Yellow gold. Because of its hardiness and value, it is usually used in wedding rings. The least of the gold shades is White Gold which has been known to turn yellow after some time.

Gold leaf has a wide array of uses. It can be used in restoring and helping to conserve fine art, buildings and furniture, It is also used in the lettering and striping of some trucks and boats. It is popular for use in frames, signs on glass, stone and even in plastic and wood. They are also used in religious icons and headstones applications.

A surface which is non-absorbent is best for metal leafing. Making a surface non-absorbent consists of covering it with an undercoat of gesso or paint. When this has dried, an even coat of size should be applied to areas where you intend to leaf because metallic leaves will not stick to uncoated areas. The size is the adhesive coating that will enable the leaf to stick to the surface.  This should be carefully watched to know when it dries because metal leafing will not apply if the surface is too dry.

For some types of leaves such as real gold, a gilding brush is required because of its extreme thinness. Genuine gold is the hardest to apply if there is no backing sheet of patent gold. Patent gold is easiest to apply. Even though its thin, it will stay on the tissue until rubbed onto the size.

In your home, gold leaf can convert an ordinary table into a magnificent furniture piece with a regal bearing and the materials can easily be purchased at any art supply or craft store. One technique of doing this is by first preparing the surface of the table top. Then you should apply the size. Once the size is ready, you can then lay the sheets of leaf metal size down and carefully peel the backing off. It is best to start at one end of the table and work your way to the other. One should keep in mind however that actually laying down the leaf is a very tricky stage because even the slightest wind can make your job difficult. The sheets should slightly overlap and the loose edges can be later brushed off for a more uniform look. Let it rest for about 24 hours and then seal the top with polyurethane.

In general acrylic size dries faster and is easier to clean up than regular oil-based size. Other types of metal leaf can be applied in a similar fashion. Just like other materials that will be exposed to the environment, they have to be protected. One should remember to seal silver, composition and copper leaves with an oil-based varnish because these tend to tarnish quickly. For fake gold, you can apply a thin coat of transparent yellow oxide before sealing, to enrich the leaves’ color.

While it may seem like an expensive effect to manipulate, experienced designers and craftsmen can use impersonator leaves to produce the modern look you have in mind and still stay within your budget. They can be used on areas such as walls, ceilings, entrances, domes, coffers, doors and cornices. Area gilding, which is applied to walls and ceilings, consists of thin sheets of metal that are laid leaf by leaf over flat areas to produce a very modern look.

There are different kinds of imitation leaf. These include imitation gold leaf which is also known as brass leaf, composition leaf or Dutch metal. It is used mainly for interior decorating. Aluminum leaf is also known as imitation silver leaf. A variegated leaf is decorative with different shades of color, usually in the form of a paisley pattern on different backgrounds. This kind of leaf is usually used on glass works and for accents and flashy letter styles.

Gilding is an old technique. Traditional techniques result in either raised and polished gold or flat, gilded gold. Aside from home decoration and jewelry, metal leaf can also be gilded onto papers, cards, and wood making, thus making it a popular medium of artists. process of applying a thin layer of real or imitation gold to a surface. The process is employed on wood, metal, ivory, leather, paper, glass, porcelain, and fabrics and is used to embellish the decorative elements, domes, and vaults of buildings.