Decorating Decorating Tips & Advice How to Gold Leaf Add shimmer to your decor by learning how to gold leaf. This easy DIY technique can be used on many surfaces. See how it's done! By Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole Instagram Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of interior design expertise. She has vast experience with digital media, including SEO, photo shoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on August 14, 2016 Share Tweet Pin Email Gold leaf adds a hint of glamour to anything it is applied to, whether that be a vase, picture frame, or furniture. To show you how to apply gold leaf, we embellished dollar-store plates with graffiti-like slashes of gold leaf. Because gold leaf is not food-safe, these plates are intended for display only. Master the technique with our step-by-step instructions below. Decorating With Gold What You Need Metal leaf kit (we used the basic Speedball Mona Lisa gold leaf kit) that includes: Adhesive Sealer 5 1/2-inch-square sheets of imitation gold leafPaintbrushOptional: gentle cleanser, fine-grit sandpaper, thin cotton gloves Step 1: Clean the Surface Clean and/or sand the surface to be embellished. Porous surfaces may need to be sealed before you apply metal leaf. Step 2: Brush on Adhesive Brush on adhesive in a smooth coat in desired design, and let dry just until tacky. Step 3: Apply Metal Leaf Apply metal leaf. Because sheets of metal leaf are very thin and tear easily, consider wearing soft cotton gloves. Gently smooth the leaf over areas of adhesive. Step 4: Remove Unused Leaf Smooth wrinkles with your fingers or a clean, dry paintbrush. Discard unused leaf, but be careful not to damage the edges of the desired design. Apply clear sealer to the plate. Next Project: Gold Stenciled Bee Plates Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit