Technology of coating with gold leaf. Gilding. Immersion gilding technique

By learning how to do gilding at home, which is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, you can return a second life to your favorite copper and silver jewelry. Products made of gold have been very popular with both women and men for many years. In order to possess such products without serious expenses for their acquisition, it is enough to master the technology of gilding.

What metals can be gilded?

The most common process is silver plating, but gold plating can also be applied to the surface of other metals. So, gilding can be applied to and zinc, as well as iron and steel, etc.

There is no single answer to the question of how to gild metal at home. It all depends on what kind of metal products need to be subjected to such processing. The choice of gilding technology carried out at home is also influenced by the result to be achieved.

Various methods can be used to gild metal, the most common of which are:

rubbing the surface of the product with a solution of gold chloride;
gilding, performed by immersing the product in a solution with a zinc contact;
electroplating gilding.

Each of these home gilding methods requires the use of certain chemicals, tools and equipment.

Preparation and use of chlorine gold

To cover a metal with a layer of gilding, a solution called gold chloride is often used. To prepare such a solution, gold is dissolved in aqua regia, which is a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids. Hydrochloric and nitric acids are taken in a ratio of 3: 1. Gold is placed in this composition, and then the liquid is evaporated. The procedure for evaporating liquid from such a solution should be done very carefully so as not to get burns of the skin and respiratory tract. The dry matter remaining after evaporation is precisely gold chloride.

Before using chlorine gold for gilding, it must be mixed with a solution of potassium cyanide and elutriated chalk, resulting in a mushy mass. Such gruel, using a brush, cover the product, after which it is kept for some time, and then thoroughly washed and polished.

For gilding steel, chloride gold is mixed with ether. The product covered with such a composition is left for a while until the ether completely evaporates, and then the treated surface is simply rubbed with a cloth to give it a golden sheen.

Using chloride gold, previously mixed with ether, various inscriptions and patterns can be applied to a metal object. In order to carry out such a procedure, a quill pen is dipped into the resulting solution and the required inscriptions and patterns are made, which, after evaporation of the ether and polishing, will sparkle with a golden sheen.

As mentioned above, gold plating is often applied to silver, for which chlorine gold can also be used. To perform chemical gilding of products from this metal, it is necessary to prepare a mixture that includes the following components:

chloride gold - 10 grams;
potassium cyanide - 30 grams;
table salt - 20 grams;
soda - 20 grams;
water - 1.5 liters.

Chemical gilding to which silver is to be subjected can also be carried out using a mixture of:

chloride gold - 7 grams;
ferrous-cyanide potassium - 30 grams;
potassium carbonate - 30 grams;
food salt - 30 grams;
water - 1 l.

The very procedure of deposition of a layer of gold on the metal surface using chemical solutions is performed in the following sequence.

The workpiece is pre-calcined.
The surface of the object is etched first with a solution of sulfuric acid, and then with nitric acid.
The pickled product is momentarily immersed in a mixture of sulfuric, nitric and hydrochloric acids.
After treatment in a mixture of acids, the product is rinsed with water, then immersed in mercury and finally in water, where it is kept for 30 seconds.
After a container with water, the product is placed in a solution for gilding, kept for the required time, then washed with water and dried in sawdust.

Application of zinc contact

To get a thicker gold layer, a zinc contact is used. This method can, for example, cover silver with a layer of gold. For gilding, a composition is prepared from such components as:

chloride gold - 15 grams;
carbonic salt - 65 grams;
yellow blood salt - 65 grams;
edible salt - 65 grams;
water - 2 l.

Products made of copper and brass are covered with gold in a solution of the following composition:

chloride gold - 2 grams;
caustic potassium - 6 grams;
potassium cyanide - 32 grams;
phosphate-sodium salt - 10 grams;
water - 2 l.

Objects, on the surface of which it is necessary to apply a layer of gilding, are thoroughly cleaned of dirt and grease, then they are placed in a pre-heated composition for gilding. Products already there are connected to a zinc rod, which acts as a contact.

In order for the gilding applied to the surface of products made of steel, zinc and tin to be of high quality and to have good adhesion, they must be subjected to a copper plating procedure before gilding.

Galvanic gilding method

The most durable and high-quality gilding layer makes it possible to obtain electroplated gold plating, performed in special electrolytic solutions. This technology of gilding is very similar to zinc plating, since it uses electroplating and similar electrochemical processes.

Depending on the chemical composition of the solution in which the galvanization is performed, the resulting gilding may have a reddish or light yellow tint. Basically, gilding of metal products using this technology is carried out in solutions of two types.

Electrolytes for gilding of the first type are prepared in the following sequence.

60 grams of sodium phosphate are dissolved in 700 milliliters of water.
In 150 milliliters of water, 2.5 grams of gold chloride is diluted.
In another 150 milliliters of water, 1 gram of potassium cyanide and 10 grams of sodium disulphide are dissolved.
First, the first two solutions are carefully mixed, and then the third is added to the resulting mixture.

To gild silver or any other metal by this method, the prepared composition is brought to a temperature of 50–62 ° and a platinum anode is used to carry out the process. After the depletion of such an electrolyte for gilding, chloride gold is added to it.

The second type of electrolyte for gilding is called Zelmi's gold bath. In such a solution, silver, steel, items made of tin, copper, brass, and Christophelium are gilded. The preparation of this electrolyte for gilding takes place in several stages.

In a porcelain container, bring to a boil 30 milliliters of water mixed with crystalline sodium carbonate and potassium ferricyanide (taken 1 gram each).
The fulminating gold precipitated with ammonia is added to the resulting solution and boiled for twelve minutes.
After the formation of a red fluffy precipitate, the resulting liquid, which should have a rich golden color, is filtered.

Materials and tools:

Gold leaf in sheets or gold leaf

Gilder's knife

Gilder's pillow

Lampemsel (foot) - flat squirrel brush

Mordan brush

Cotton swab for polishing and smoothing gold

Top coat (if needed)

GOLDING TECHNOLOGY

Before applying gold, it is necessary to prepare the surface well. Good preparation is the key to high-quality gilding.

PREPARATION:

BUT. Absorbent surfaces (wood, plaster, papier-mâché):

1. Levkas. On absorbent surfaces, it is recommended to use gesso to prepare the surface. It is good to use automotive primers when gilding with gold leaf (imitation of gold leaf), since gilding with gold leaf is not a very expensive job, and it is most often not profitable to use labor-intensive preparatory work because of the duration of their implementation.

2. Dye. A layer of paint is applied to a carefully prepared gesso - for example, acrylic. After drying, the paint is polished.

3. Shellac. Several layers of an alcohol solution of shellac (“polish”) are applied to the paint, approximately in a ratio of ten parts of alcohol to three parts of shellac. Alcohol must be at least 96%, otherwise the solution will be cloudy and, when applied to the surface, will strongly matte the surface. Each layer is also sanded with micron sandpaper.

4. Mordan. After drying the last layer of varnish, the surface is covered with muzzle. With a normally dried varnish, a fragment of a leaf of gold is firmly and tightly glued, has a good shine, and does not come off with strong rubbing with a swab. With insufficiently dried "greasy" glue, gold is washed out - "sinks", or its surface becomes matte, but not evenly matte, but in spots. If the gold is "bathing" (i.e. "floating"), it is necessary to wait with the overlay of gold, because. The adhesive has not yet reached working tack. If the glue is dry, then the gold does not stick, it comes off. In this case, the gilding should be suspended, and after the final drying of the mordan, cover the gilded surface again with glue.

B. On non-absorbent surfaces (metal) the adhesive liquid can be applied immediately.

GOLD APPLICATION:

1. Gently transfer the sheet of gold from the book to a special pillow. To do this, carefully turn the open book over onto the pillow and wait until the sheet of gold under its own weight "falls over" onto the pillow. IMPORTANT: in no case do not take gold with your hands, it will immediately break. Gilding work should be carried out indoors without drafts, the gold will fly away from the slightest breath.

2. Prepare a paw (lampemzel): rub a small drop of cream on the back of your hand (you can use petroleum jelly), then go over the place smeared with oil with the entire plane of the paw, as if wiping off the oil, while making sure that there is not a lot of cream.

3. Gently place the foot on the sheet of gold, the gold should stick to the foot.

4. Take the foot with the sheet of gold and calmly lower it onto the golden surface. When the gold has moved to the adhesive surface, remove the foot and rub the gold with a cotton swab. IMPORTANT: the cotton swab should not go on the glued surface, otherwise pieces of cotton wool may remain on the glued surface, and it will be impossible to remove them without breaking the adhesive layer. Gold is overlapped on the adhesive surface by about 1-2 mm. It is necessary to grind gold in opposition to the imposition of sheets of gold. After you have gilded the entire surface, the resulting cracks, gaps, under-gilded places "flicker", i.e. gild again, for which the intended areas are smeared with a well-wrung out (semi-dry) cotton swab moistened with muzzle, and when a tack appears, they are gilded.

5. After drying, the gilded surface is treated with a topcoat (potal is a must, gold is only if the gilding is often touched by hands (for example, on furniture, a frame, etc.), in other cases it is not recommended, because shine fades). As a top coat, you can use a regular top coat.

GILDING ON METAL ON OIL VARNISH MA-594

BUT. Preparatory work

1.1. During the production of work in atmospheric conditions (gilding of domes, roofs and other details) it is necessary to arrange special shelters - booths or tents to protect the golden surface from dust, dirt, rain and wind.

Shelter is constructed from plywood, nailed to wooden frame bars, which are reinforced on scaffolding racks.

If the woods are metal, then the bars are attached with special clamps. With small areas of gilding, a plywood tent can be replaced with a shelter made of tarpaulin or other material.

For lighting, windows are cut through the plywood sheathing of the tent.

All cracks in the tent must be sealed to prevent drafts.

The design of the shelter is developed in relation to a specific object.

1.2. Before proceeding with the preparation of the surface for gilding, it is necessary to clean it from corrosion, check the condition of the structures, and carry out all plumbing and roofing repairs.

1.3. When removing old gilding, made hot ("through fire") or galvanized, attention should be paid (especially at the joints of sheathing sheets) to the quality of cleaning so that there are no gaps.

1.4. The gilding is removed by hand. The surface is treated with a waterproof sandpaper, periodically wetting it with water. In places where it is not possible to remove the canvas with sandpaper, steel scrapers are used.

1.5. The cleaned surface is cleaned with a waterproof sandpaper (medium grain), washed with a clean

water, wipe with a clean cloth and degrease with white spirit.

B. Priming and puttying

1.6. A primer of red lead and YAN-54 varnish is applied to the cleaned surface in a ratio of 1:1. Red lead is mixed with varnish and filtered through a No. 3600 sieve before use.

The primer is applied 2-3 times with a thin layer with a soft bristle brush with intermediate drying of each layer. Dry each layer of soil for at least 24 hours at an air temperature of at least plus 14-16°C.

1.7. Before applying the next layer of primer, the dried surface is polished with a water-resistant sandpaper of medium grain. The polished surface is washed with warm water and wiped with a rag.

1.8. Putty is prepared from YAN-54 varnish and red lead.

1.9. After drying the first layer of soil, the surface is puttied as necessary from one to three times. Putty is applied with a layer no thicker than 0.5 mm.

Putty only seams, cracks, potholes. If the seams are deep, then they should first be sealed with tow impregnated with minium lead on YAN-54 varnish.

1.10. Dry each layer of putty for at least a day. After drying the last layer, the putty is cleaned with pumice stone and sandpaper to an absolutely smooth surface. At the end of puttying, a second layer of soil is applied.

B. Paint application and varnishing

1.11. The primed and dried surface is sanded with a waterproof sandpaper, washed with water, dried and covered with finely grated lead crown diluted on YAN-54 face or YAN-153 (YAK-1) amber varnish. The crown is filtered through a No. 3600 sieve.

Due to the fact that crown has a greenish-yellow tint, it should be mixed with red lead. This combination gives a pleasant warm tone. The paint layer of the crown diluted on YAN-54 varnish is dried for at least two days, and on YAN-153 varnish for at least five days.

1.12. Before applying the first layer of varnish, the surface is ground with pumice powder and felt and wiped with white spirit in order to improve adhesion, followed by a varnish coating.

1.13. Oil varnish YAN-54, YAN-153 or GF-166 is applied twice in thin even layers without streaks.

Lacquer YAN-153 is diluted with white spirit or purified turpentine by 20-25% before use, so as not to get a thick film.

After drying the first layer of varnish, the surface is polished with pumice or tripolite powder, sifted through a No. 3600 sieve. Polished on felt or felt with water.

The polished surface is washed with clean water, wiped with a rag and covered with a second layer of oil varnish.

1.14. Each layer of YAN-153 varnish is dried for at least 5 days; the first layer of varnish GF-166 - not less than 10 days, the first layer of varnish YAN-54 - not less than a day, the second - from three to five days.

If YAN-153 varnish is thick, it should be diluted with white spirit or purified turpentine by 15-20% before use so that the varnish film does not turn out to be thick.

1.15. A well-dried lacquer film is polished with pumice stone and soapy water. With this type of grinding, the surface is perfectly leveled, but acquires texture, which subsequently enhances the matte effect of gilding.

To obtain glossy (“poler”) gilding, the matte glossy surface is again varnished and not polished with pumice, but polished to a shine with tripoli.

1.16. Before applying MA-594 varnish, remove dust from the surface (wipe with a rag). The varnish is applied with a brush in an even layer and rubbed with a cotton swab to a thin layer (dry). Cotton wool for each rubbing is taken clean. Waste cotton wool is poured with water in a bucket or a metal can and removed from the place of work to avoid a fire.

G. Gilding

1.17. Gilding is started 10-12 hours after coating with MA-594 varnish. This interval is determined for each individual case, depending on the air temperature and humidity in the room. Samples are placed immediately before gilding (see paragraph 4.38). Only the area that is intended for gilding during the working day is varnished MA-594.

Gold has been applied to the varnish MA-594 that has reached the working touch.

1.18. For the procedure for checking varnish and laying gold, see paragraphs. 4.35 - 4.39.

1.19. After the overlay, the gold is pressed, then polished with a cotton swab; in deep places of the relief, they are trimmed with a soft brush ("butt").

Gold is always applied overlay, the places of breaks and cracks "flicker".

1.20. Upon completion of gilding, the MA-594 lacquer must harden within 20-25 days before the gilded object (object) is put into operation. Otherwise, gold, which does not adhere well to fresh varnish, can be damaged or erased.

You can order this product in our online store.

Before applying the gold plating, the entire surface intended for gilding is leveled and polished. Then a canvas is glued onto it (mezdro glue of animal origin levkas and polyment are used), and pieces of gold leaf are used on it using a magnetized brush from a squirrel's tail. Next, you will need cotton wool and special equipment and tools that smooth the golden surface to complete uniformity. An experienced gilder does not see any seams and joints between the gold sheets. The gilded surface can be matte or shiny - it depends on the type of gesso. It can also be further decorated with enamel. Are these products durable? Durable enough - with careful handling, gilded things delight with their beauty for decades.

Despite the fact that gold leaf is rolled into very thin sheets, its price is still much more expensive than that of copper or silver leaf. Therefore, imitations of gold leaf are sometimes used - potali. Usually it is an alloy of copper with zinc or aluminum with silver. Potal requires a different approach. So, after application, a protective varnish layer must be applied to the potal, otherwise it will soon darken. Potal is not suitable for exterior decoration, as it has low resistance to climatic conditions. But pure gold is not afraid of any harmful environmental factors.

There is another way to save on gold leaf - this is gilded foil. It consists of copper foil plated with nickel and gold-cobalt alloy, or aluminum sheet with gold-nickel plated. Such "gold" sheets are at least three times cheaper than pure gold leaf.

The use of gold leaf

With gold leaf, you can decorate not only small things like caskets and ashtrays, but also large-scale structures, such as domes, facade decoration, sculptures, statues, etc. Stucco molding using gold leaf has long been in vogue - mirrors, vases, picture frames ...

And of course, icons are perhaps the most popular area for using gold leaf. For this, gold foil is taken with a low percentage of ligature - as a rule, pure 999 gold. But for exterior decoration, you can take low-grade gold.

Gold leaf is used even in cooking, because it is biologically inert and does not create sharp edges. They decorate cakes, exclusive cakes, gold leaf flakes can be seen even in elite champagne.

Gold leaf is also used in textile production, because now technologies have been developed that allow applying gold not only to metal, but to any surface. Designers have already appreciated the advantage of this material and add golden details to their work. Stylists are also not far behind - gold leaf is applied to the skin, nails, hair, making them shine and shimmer with a noble brilliance.

Domes of churches playing in the sun, majestic icon frames, luxurious handles and overlays on furniture - all these details are most often made using the surface gilding technique. Gold leaf, which is the thinnest sheets of metal, allows you to give any surface a look of exquisite and rich antiquity. How masterpieces are created from this unique material, what techniques exist for this, will be discussed in this article.

Gold leaf: what is it?

The name of thin gold plates of gold, which are used to decorate the domes and interior decoration of churches, individual decorative elements (figurines, vases) and furniture, comes from the word "tinsel", which literally translates as "face" or "front side".

Indeed, the outer surfaces of products are covered with gold leaf to give them a luxurious look. The first mention of gold leaf is found in the manuscripts of Northern China, which are more than 1,700 years old.

If earlier gold leaf sheets were produced by hand, now this process is carried out as part of factory production. It consists of the following steps:

A bar of gold (or its alloy with other metals) measuring 20 * 5 * 1 cm is rolled into a thin strip 30 meters long by means of a special machine;
The resulting layer is cut into separate squares, which are placed between sheets of paper (the so-called books) of 100-300 pieces;
The book is placed under a heavy hammer, which further flattens the already thin plates.

It should be noted that gold is a soft and elastic metal. This allows you to create the thinnest sheets without gaps and cracks. In finished form, gold leaf plates can look like:

Free gold (separate sheets of the thinnest linen);
Transfer gold (pasted on silk paper or tracing paper).

In the manufacture of leaf leaves from one problem arises: the material reacts too actively to environmental influences. For this reason, gold leaf is most often made from gold alloys (especially when it comes to church domes). In some cases, potal is also used - a metallic imitation of gold.

Gold leaf application techniques

Until the middle of the last century, gilding surfaces was an art accessible only to a narrow group of experienced craftsmen. However, now the creation of special compositions for surface treatment, technologies and tools has made it possible to significantly facilitate this process, although it is still considered extremely laborious.

In general, there are two main techniques for creating gold leaf, namely:

Oil or matte gilding - is considered the simplest way of applying gilding, in which it is able to easily withstand the effects of the external environment;
Glue or polyurethane gilding involves the use of a more complex and multi-stage technology, which is excellent for wood and polyurethane.

It is advisable to consider in more detail each of the above techniques for applying gold leaf.

In the first case, the process of creating a gilded surface involves the following activities:

Acrylic primer is applied to the prepared dry surface in three layers (each of them is pre-dried before applying the next one);
A thoroughly dried plane is sanded with abrasive paper, after which a layer of shellac is applied to it;
A layer of oil emulsion is applied to the dried surface, on which a gold leaf is applied and leveled with a brush.

A day after the work described above, the sheets of gold leaf are polished with a cotton cloth. It is worth noting that oil gilding produces a matte gold surface, not a shiny one.

In the second case, the gilding procedure takes more time and requires a significant amount of effort. It is noteworthy that this complex technology was developed as early as the 16th century. It includes the following steps:

On the prepared canvas (clean and polished), fish glue is applied, heated to 50 degrees;
On top of the dried glue, gesso is applied in 4-7 layers (each of them must dry before applying the next one);
To glue the dust, shellac is applied to the dried surface, and then polymer in 3-4 layers;
After all layers have dried thoroughly, they will need to be sanded with an abrasive and wiped with a linen cloth;
Moisten the gold leaf with the following composition - 1/3 alcohol and 2/3 water, then apply to the surface and press with a cotton cloth.

8-12 hours after gilding, you can rub the surface of the product with a cloth and polish it with an agate tooth. After such processing, the gilded surface becomes shiny and glossy.

It is worth noting that polyment is a special mixture that includes clay, soap, beeswax and whale oil.

Thus, it is not difficult to create an exquisite gilded surface from gold leaf. At the same time, for protection from external influences, after polishing, a layer of resistant transparent varnish is applied to it. Further operation of the gilded product comes down to cleaning it (without the use of aggressive compounds) and rubbing it with a soft cloth.

Restoration of cultural heritage sites is a rather complicated process that requires highly qualified craftsmen who carry out the work. Coming into contact with history, and recreating its lost fragments, it is important to make it the way it was in the original. Do not spoil anything and do not make your own adjustments to bygone eras. Along with all the complexity, restoration, among other things, is a very interesting process that combines many directions. Today we will talk about gilding, in particular about leaf gilding.

What is gold leaf and the benefits of using it.

Gold leaf is the thinnest sheets of gold of the highest standard applied to the surface of restored or decorated items. This type of gilding is very popular in the restoration and restoration of interiors and exteriors. The classic and noble technique of gilding with tinsel was invented a long time ago. To be precise - 1700 years ago. In our time, this technology has been somewhat modified, but has not lost its popularity and is widely used in interior decoration and restoration of antique items. This method of restoration and decoration is quite expensive, because real precious metal is used for gilding.

What is gold leaf made from?

Thin sheets of tinsel are made from gold of the highest standard. Depending on the application and to give the necessary properties and shade, various metals can be added to gold leaf: silver, aluminum, copper and others. The shade of gold leaf is chosen depending on the ideas of the restorers and the wishes of the customer. For example, an alloy with copper is used to give a red tint. To get a greenish tint, an alloy with silver is used.

The main advantages of using leaf gilding:

real gold is used;
gives the product or interior an expensive and unusual appearance;
does not oxidize;
does not fade;
does not lose its properties over the years.

Original and "gold substitute"

Depending on the cost and the quality achieved, 2 main types of gilding are used:

Expensive and high quality:

Gold leaf - gold of the 96th test is made by forging and fits into books of 10 and 60 sheets. The sheets are very thin and measured in microns, so gold leaf is distinguished by the weight of the book. It requires careful and correct surface treatment and extensive experience of the gilder-restorer.

2. Cheap and cheerful:

Potal (hype) - metal foil or a substitute for gold leaf. It is made from inexpensive metals, so it is cheap. One sheet of hype is several times thicker than the original gold leaf. This simplifies the work of the gilder and does not require his high qualification. Books of 25-30 sheets.

Technologies for applying gold leaf in restoration.

Depending on the material of the treated surface and its location (interior / exterior), three main methods of gilding are used:

oil,
adhesive,
Polyment.

Oil gilding. It is used for the restoration and restoration of objects subject to atmospheric influence. These are church domes, lattices, fences, roofing. Material requirements: metal, plaster, papier-mâché, wood, glass, porcelain.

Oil gilding technology:

First of all, the drawing is cleaned and the surface is prepared, puttying defects in the form of depressions, cracks, cracks and scratches. After thorough drying, clean the putty. Further, depending on the granularity and porosity of the surface, several layers of soil are applied, at least three layers. The ground can be tinted with different colors to give the desired shade of gilding. When the soil is dry, it is treated with sandpaper and the drawing is cleaned. The next step is 6 to 10 coats of polish, with sanding after every 2 or 3 coats. This is followed by polishing the surface to a shine and coating with oil varnish. The last stage is the coating with gold leaf or gold leaf of the restored surface.

The use of oil gilding technology makes it possible to obtain different types of gilding - matte, matte velvety, grainy and glossy gilding.

Adhesive gilding. It is used in the restoration of interiors and interior items, mainly for gilding wooden products. Glue gilding is also used for the restoration of gypsum, papier-mâché.

Adhesive gilding technology:

By analogy with oil gilding, the surface is first prepared and the pattern of the ornament is cleaned, filling large depressions, crevices, cracks, and scratches with putty. Further, on the dried surface, the putty is cleaned and the skin glue is applied to it. After - cover with gesso - a mixture consisting of glue and chalk. Approximately 9 layers are applied with intermediate grinding and ornament clearing. The last layer is treated with fine sandpaper and polished. Places of gilding are moistened with vodka or alcohol, diluted to about 25 degrees, and sheets of gold leaf are carefully applied. The dried surface is carefully swept over with a soft brush, removing excess. When using the glue gilding technology, gold becomes matte. However, using other adhesives, gloss can also be obtained.

Polymer gilding. Used for the restoration of interior items. This method is several times more expensive than the previous ones, as it requires additional surface treatment and gold polishing. However, the resulting gilding effect is superior to all others as the gold is polished. Polyment is a specially prepared composition, the main component of which is a fine-grained fatty clay of dark red color (bolus).

Technology of polymer gilding:

It repeats the technology of glue gilding up to the stage of applying gesso from the grinding of layers, then there are changes. The last layer is treated with fine sandpaper and the prepared polymer mixed with egg white is applied (5-b layers). After complete drying, the polymer is polished with a bristle brush or cloth. Further, as in glue gilding, the places where gold is applied are moistened with vodka or alcohol diluted to about 25 degrees and leaves of gold are carefully applied. After the surface has dried out a little, gold is polished with an agate tooth or a stone of similar properties, after which the gold begins to shine.

The task of the restorers.

As we can see, there are several technologies for gilding restoration, and their choice is determined by many factors. However, the achieved effect depends not so much on the master's knowledge of technologies, but on the experience of performing such work and qualifications. Our restorers have restored a large number of products and premises that required the restoration of gilding, including ancient objects from various historical eras.

There are many gilding effects that can be obtained: matte, with the effect of aging, glossy, gilding in various shades. Our restorers will accurately reproduce the gilding effect used to create the item. Therefore, the gilding will look the same as in the original.

The task of our restorers is not only to recreate the lost gilding, but also to make the traces of restoration invisible. The task is not easy. An inaccurately applied coating worsens the appearance of the product, and it is sometimes almost impossible to correct something that has been done incorrectly. Therefore, it is important to entrust the restoration of gilding of interiors/exteriors only to experienced and qualified craftsmen.