How to apply Silver and Gold Leaf. It's a tutorial don't you know.

I thought it was about time I shared a few tips with you chaps.  Last week when I was finishing off the silver leaf on my dining table I decided to make a little video for you.  This may or may not have been a good idea.

Close up of silver leaf once applied

In my head I was going to take you through the process of applying leaf, in this case silver, (Aluminium), to furniture that has been painted.  What was in my head and what is on the screen may not bear much resemblance to one another - but you might crack a smile.  You might even learn something.

Regular followers of this blog will know that my paint of choice is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  I can't fault it.  It achieves a wonderful velvety surface and is fantastic to work with.  

Video reviews are important.  Here are the friends & family reviews of mine.  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

'Made me laugh out loud.  You paint furniture like Nigella cooks food'.  OK.  He likes Nigella, I'll take that as a complement.

'That the video amounted to furniture porn'.  Thanks a lot.  All I can say is, I was alone in the house and this was the most fun I have had in months!  Enjoy.

To apply silver leaf to a recently painted item of furniture you will need:

Gold Size Application

1.  'Gold Size' a waterbased adhesive developed specifically for use with leaf.  I use Annie Sloan's which is available from her stockists.

2.  Leaf of your choice, (I used aluminium loose leaf).  Again I use Annie Sloan products.

3.  Flat head artists brush & a pencil. I don't use a good quality brush but I do make sure it has no hair loss.

4.  Soft, but strong bristled decorators brush.  I use a standard on from my local decorators suppliers.

5.  Cloth on the floor for collecting the 'shavings'.

6.  Clear Soft Wax & Dark Wax, again I use Annie Sloan.

7.  Wax Brush or cloth for applying and removing wax.

8.  Soft cloth for buffing.

OK.  Lets do this.

I started with recently painted, unwaxed, chalk paint, but you could apply directly to clean wood or pre-waxed painted surface.

The first thing you must do is, using your pencil, mark out the outline of the area you want to cover.  It may be an edge, as I have done on this table, or you may want to do a little more, like I did on the front of this sideboard: See how I marked around the edges and under the handles?

Once you have marked out your leafing area, take the jar of size and shake well.

Open the jar and use your artists brush to fill in the area you wish to gild.  You only need a thin film, not a goopy splodge.  The Size has a purpleish haze to it and you must leave it until it is transparent.

Once the size is transparent, carefully take a sheet of leaf and gently place it onto the size.  Press it gently using the larger brush.  Lift away the unstuck leaf ready for the next area.  No need to rush it stays sticky for ages.

Don't worry about a perfect 'stick'.  The beauty is in the missing bits.  

The next stage is the 'Push Off'.  Now you get to watch the video!

Finally I like to give the leaf a nice clear wax and buff, to stop it discolouring, or if I'm going for a old style antiqued effect, I add dark wax on top.

And that, my dear friends, is how I guild.  Here are a few pics, just because I have them uploaded...

Removing the loose leaf

Top of the sideboard demo of Sliver Leaf

Close up of leaf application

Leaf on table

Hope you found it useful - please feel free to comment / share / laugh at me.

M x