Whatever you want to gild, we have the right gilding adhesive for you. Below is our complete range of gilding systems suitable for gilding on any surface. First, ask yourself the following questions: Are you using genuine gold leaf or imitation (composition) gold?; Is the surface porous or non-porous?; Is the application intended for indoor or outdoor use?
Once you have answered these questions, you can begin exploring our gilding systems listed below.
Instacoll Gilding System
Instacoll gilding size is suitable for both interior and exterior gilding applications. It can be used on various surfaces, including wood, stone, plaster, metal, and glass. This product is compatible with genuine gold leaf, silver leaf, palladium leaf, and white gold, and is available in either a gloss or matte finish.
The Instacoll System consists of two components: the Base and the Activator. Perfect adhesion is achieved through a two-step process. First, the surface is treated with the Base, and then the Activator is applied to promote adherence.
The Activator can be applied at any time, even months after the Base has been applied. Instacoll HA offers slightly better adherence and is specifically designed for thicker metal leaves compared to standard gold leafs. Instacoll HA Grey is formulated for processing silver and palladium leafs. The process for using Instacoll HA is similar to that of the regular Instacoll, with the only difference being an extended drying time.
Instacoll Base HA must dry for a minimum of 48 hours before it can be activated with Instacoll Activator HA. However, Instacoll Base can be used without the need for an Activator. After applying Instacoll, allow the surface to dry for about one hour, providing roughly one hour for the gilding process. Use a soft cloth, such as the special Instacoll Tissue, to gently press down the gold leaf.
Activation can occur after 1-2 hours or even after a day, a week, a month, or even a year. Therefore, it is advisable to apply Instacoll Base to the entire surface. All drying and processing times are based on temperatures ranging from 15-20°C and a humidity level of 50-80%.
Kolner Classic Poliment
For professional gilding and related restoration work, poliment—also known as bole—is a clay-like substance used as a base layer for gold leaf when gilding. It is applied to a prepared surface, typically Gesso, which is a mixture of chalk and rabbit skin glue. Together, the poliment layer and the underlying Gesso create a surface that allows for the polishing of gold using agate burnishers. It is important to note that poliment gilding can only be used on absorbent surfaces.
Poliment comes unprepared and must be mixed with rabbit skin glue before application. However, premixed bole is also available and can be applied directly as is.
Kolner Permacoll Size
Permacoll adhesive is intended for interior applications only. It is a permanent contact adhesive based on acrylic, offering superior strength compared to Instacoll, making it particularly suitable for gilding with imitation metal leaf, silver, and copper. This high-quality adhesive enhances the shine of all metal leaves and allows for easy imitation of a poliment gilding effect using the red Permacoll.
Permacoll Size offers greater flexibility compared to traditional oil sizes, which have longer drying times and shorter working periods. It typically dries within 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness applied and the porosity of the surface. Metal leaf can be applied hours or even days later. This product is specifically designed for creating decorative metallic surfaces that are not exposed to outdoor elements or excessive wear, and it is not suitable for burnishing.
Permacoll Gilding Size is recommended as an adhesive for metal leaf on all types of non-porous surfaces, whether smooth or textured. It is ideal for preparing frames, decorating sets for theatre, film, and window displays, as well as for architectural ornaments.
Permacoll Patina
Patina on an acrylic base, suitable for simulating the ageing of gilded surfaces indoors. It creates high contrast and vibrant gilding effects. This product is compatible with all types of gold leaf and metal leaf, regardless of the adhesive technique used.
Kölner Leaf Protect Varnish
This is a high-quality, transparent, water-based protective lacquer designed to shield gilded surfaces from external influences and oxidation. It preserves the metallic lustre without damaging the adhesive base. Please note that Kölner Leaf Protect is suitable for use on gold and metal leaf only in interior applications.
Kolner KGGG System Fond
The Kölner KGGG system consists of three components:
Component 1: Impregnation agent (Sealer P, Sealer 123A)
Component 2: Burnishing clay (Fond)
Component 3: Size for water gilding (Colnasol)
Kölner Fond is a water-based, burnishable gesso primer formulated explicitly for gold, silver, and composition leaf, and is designed for brush application.
The components are water-dilutable and can be applied without warming, which saves time and ensures good adhesion between the different layers. Kölner Fond serves as a water-based, one-layer gilders’ clay that replaces the traditional gesso and bole/poliment layers. It can be applied directly in the desired colour without any need for heating. Typically, 4 to 6 layers should be used, depending on the type of relief present. A dry film thickness of 150 μm must be achieved in all areas where the leaf metal will be burnished.
To begin, stir the Fond gently; do not shake it, as this can create air bubbles. Apply the Fond in a minimum of 4 layers. Once the last layer has dried, lightly polish it with a damp cloth. After this, use a Polishing Pad to achieve a shiny finish.
This product is available in 7 colours and is ideal for creating water-gilded and burnished frames, interior architectural elements, and furniture ornaments, allowing you to achieve a traditional look with less effort.
KGGG-System Sealer P and Sealer 123a
The impregnation agent is used to seal porous surfaces, forming a film within the material without creating a closed layer on the surface. Materials such as plaster and paper benefit from this treatment. The impregnation agent enhances the adhesion between the substrate and the subsequent primer coat, making it crucial to select the appropriate agent.
The impregnation agent improves the adhesive properties of KGGG-Fond. Kölner Sealer P is a water-dilutable acrylic resin dispersion with a solvent content of less than 1%. Once the film has formed, it can only be removed using acetone or ethanol. Brushes used for application should be cleaned with water. The product has a shelf life of at least one year.
Compared to Sealer 123 A, Sealer P offers better adhesion for Kölner KGGG Fond and spray fond, as well as a reduced impregnation depth for highly absorbent substrates like plaster. Sealer 123 A is diluted with water and is designed to reduce the absorbency of surfaces while ensuring good adhesion for the next layer of fond. It can also be used for gilding on plaster, stone, and wood.
Buy KGGG-System Sealer P and sealer 123a
Kolner Relief Plaster
The Kölner Relief plaster is a repair compound designed for use with picture frames and for restoring reliefs made of wood or plaster. Notably, the dried Relief plaster can be directly poliment gilded on small repair areas without the need first to apply KGGG fond.
Kölner Rapid Stone Mason
Kölner Rapid is specifically designed to meet the needs of stonemasons for applications like headstone gilding, statues, and stone buildings. The adhesive should be applied undiluted in two layers using a brush. After approximately 15 minutes of drying—depending on the thickness of the Rapid layer, temperature, and relative humidity—you can either apply a second layer of Rapid or begin gilding. It is important to ensure that the Rapid layer is completely dry before starting the gilding process. Once dry, you have three days of open time to complete a high-quality gilding.
For highly absorbent surfaces, apply multiple layers of adhesive, ensuring each layer is fully dry before adding the next.
Sealing the stone is not necessary. Working with Kölner Rapid is comfortable and safe, quickly becoming second nature. It is particularly effective for outdoor projects, allowing for fast yet high-quality work, whether done on-site or at a cemetery.
For larger surfaces, Kölner Rapid can be sprayed after diluting it with no more than 8% distilled water. A low-pressure sprayer with a nozzle size of 1 to 1.5 mm is recommended for this method. Kölner Rapid can also be applied with a brush. Available colours include yellow and clear, with a drying time of just 15 minutes and an open time of up to 8 hours.
Kölner Miniatum Gilding On Paper & Leather
Kölner Miniatum is a high-gloss size designed for gilding on various surfaces such as paper, vellum, leather, and flexible materials. These products are specifically developed for gilding paintings and calligraphy.
Using Kölner Miniatum is straightforward: apply it, allow it to dry, and metallise with transfer gold leaf within 24 hours. The product is based on a watery, glycol-containing acrylic dispersion and contains small amounts of butylcarbitol. Ensure proper ventilation while working with this product.
This size provides high-gloss gilding and silvering, making it particularly suitable for paper and other flexible surfaces, though it can also be used on rigid materials. It is recommended to process Kölner Miniatum at room temperatures between 15°C and 25°C. You can dilute the size with water, but do not exceed 5%. It can be stored for at least one year after production. Brushes, pens, and other tools should be cleaned with soap and water while the size is still wet; for longer projects, periodic cleaning with water may be necessary, especially in warm conditions. Once the size has dried and formed a film, cleaning with alcohol or acetone is an option.
The elastic nature of this size ensures a long-lasting gilded surface. The turning of illuminated pages will not cause the gold leaf to delaminate. Adhesion is reliable on paper, degreased vellum, smooth leather, various plastic foils (plasticiser-free), as well as on metal-backed papers (such as aluminium) and many other materials.
Kölner Miniatum is especially significant for gilding in the realm of book illumination. Even without agate burnishing, it can achieve spectacular high-gloss surfaces. This product works exceptionally well when high gloss is desired, particularly for small areas.
Buy Miniatum Gilding On Paper & Leather
Kölner Ceramic Gilding
Ceramic is a gilding adhesive designed explicitly for complementing and repairing imperfections in high gloss gildings on porcelain or ceramics. It can be diluted with water if needed. The products KT-5 and KT-5-hv can be mixed together.
The KT-5 ceramic gilding size is available in gel form. This product effectively fills minor imperfections and bursts in ceramic material. Once the film has built up, it can be gilded with transfer gold, resulting in a high gloss finish.
The gilding size is formulated for achieving a mirror-like gloss on china and ceramics. It is particularly effective for repairing minor damages to gilded china or ceramics. KT-5 and KT-5-hv are water-based, non-burnishable sizes for patent gold. KT-5-hv should be applied using a small spatula or surface knife. After polishing with cotton wool, the metal will shine mirror-like. Both KT-5 and KT-5-hv can be intermixed and thinned with water.
Traditional Water Gilding
Traditional water gilding is a time-consuming process, but it can be very rewarding and much cheaper than many of today’s products. To begin, you will need to prepare your gesso. Mix Rabbit Skin Glue and apply one or two layers of clay (bole). The bole allows you to polish the gold with an agate stone burnisher, resulting in a very smooth and shiny effect. The outcome of water gilding is an impressive gold finish.