Gilded Sign for Old Stein Inn – Carved with 23 Karat Gold Leaf

A Gilded Sign for Old Stein Inn

Here is a gilded sign for Old Stein Inn, carved and finished with 23 karat gold leaf trim by Designs & Signs. We design and carve many sandblasted signs, and we finish most of our carved signs with gold leaf. Browse the site to see our photos of gilded signs, glass gilding and other gold leaf projects.

Priming and Preparing the Surface for Gilding

After lightly sanding and priming, the surface is ready to gild. For the gold or metal leaf to hold, the surface must be properly sealed, because the “size” used in gilding will soak into a porous substrate. When we clean metal surfaces, we make sure they are free of grease and dirt.

Gold or silver leaf takes on an undertone from the paint or clay used to prime the surface, and that undertone sets the look of the finished piece. For example, a red or blue tone under gold gives it a warmer, quieter look. A grey or blue tone beneath silver tones it down in the same way.

Measure and Apply the Adhesive

To glue the leaf to the surface, we use a “size” adhesive. Oil-based and water-based sizes are both available, but we do not recommend water-based size outdoors. Oil-based sizes come with a range of drying times and “open” times, so we choose the one that suits the job.

Put the Leaf to Use

First, use a sheet from the booklet to transfer the gold. Place the sheet face down on the sized area and rub gently over the backing paper, so the gold melts onto the surface. Then continue gilding, overlapping the edges of the leaves.

You can also use loose leaf. In that case, lift the leaf gently from the booklet with a gilder’s tip or another soft brush, and pat it into the delicate areas of the molding with a gilder’s mop.

We Also Gild Signs on Glass

We can install a gilded sign on glass too. See our glass gilding project in Barcelona.

Contact Designs & Signs

Interested in gold leaf or carved signs for your business? Visit our sign shop in Edgewater at 1131 Central Ave. East, Edgewater, MD 21037, call (410) 798-5115, or send us a note through our contact form.