Gold foil v gold leaf

[joanna]

Hi. I want to have a go at guilding. Is there a difference between gold leaf and gold foil?

[Dennis]

Hi Joanna,

Put briefly, gold leaf is the thinner of the two and is used with size and applied with a brush, for instance to picture frames. But it can also be applied to areas of low wear in costume jewellery.

Gold foil is more robust and can be applied to fine silver in decorative shapes , or to sterling that has been depletion gilded, on a hot- plate using a burnisher, when it forms a permanent union. This is called Kum-Boo. For depletion gilding you simply heat and pickle sterling several times, which dissolves away the copper, leaving a surface of fine silver.
Gold foil can also be used under enamel and in resins.

Regards, Dennis.