How to gild with Kölner Permacoll Size

Permacoll Gilding Size is a permanent, acrylic-based adhesive designed for indoor use. It offers superior adhesion compared to Instacoll Size, making it ideal for gilding with imitation gold, copper, and silver. This high-quality adhesive produces a bright, reflective finish on all types of metal leaf (imitation gold, silver, copper, and variegated). The red Permacoll variant can also replicate the appearance of traditional poliment gilding.

Kölner Permacoll HA (High Active) is a specialised formula designed for imitation metal leaf. While regular Permacoll Size suits thin, genuine gold and silver, the HA formula provides stronger adhesion for heavier imitation leaf, such as imitation gold, copper, and aluminium.

Why Permacoll HA Excels for Imitation Metals

Super sticky hold: Imitation metal leafs are much thicker and heavier than real gold leaf, so they need a strong glue. Permacoll HA provides extra grip, ensuring the leaf sticks well and shines brightly.

Indefinite “Open Time”: A major benefit of Permacoll is its flexibility. It dries to a permanent Unlimited “Open Time”: A big advantage of Permacoll is its flexibility. It dries to a permanent, sticky surface in 15 to 30 minutes, but you can add metal leaf for hours or even days after. This removes the strict time limits of traditional oil sizes. This helps copy the look of traditional clay bole gilding. This adds depth to your imitation gold or silver right away.

Important Limitations to Keep in Mind

Permacoll is for Indoors Only: Permacoll is an acrylic, water-based glue made just for indoor decorative work. It cannot stand outdoor weather or heavy use.

Non-burnishable: You cannot polish metal leaf applied with Permacoll using an agate stone, but it still dries to a bright, shiny metallic finish.

Kölner Leaf Protect: Needs Sealing: Imitation metals, especially copper and imitation gold, have base metals like copper and zinc that can tarnish over time. Seal your finished work with a protective varnish like Kölner Leaf Protect.

If you are working with porous surfaces like plaster, stucco, wood, or wood composites, start by sealing them with Kölner Sealer 123-A, thinned with water. Once the sealant is dry, use a soft brush to apply undiluted Permacoll Size.

For non-porous or slightly porous surfaces that are clean and free of dust or grease, such as painted or lacquered wood or plastics, apply Permacoll Size right away. If the Permacoll beads up, which can happen on some plastics, add a drop of liquid detergent to the size to fix this.

Once the surface is dry, it will have an even sheen and look darker. At this point, you can apply any type of metal leaf. If some areas look dull or matte after drying, add another coat of Permacoll Size before moving on. After applying the metal leaf, gently rub the surface with a cotton cloth. Be gentle if you are using real gold leaf.

How to make cracking effects with Permacoll Size

1. Use a soft brush to apply Permacoll Size in one direction, ensuring the layer isn’t too thin.
2. Once the Permacoll Size is dry, apply gold or silver transfer leaf. Then, rub the metal surface with a cotton ball, moving in one direction.
3. Brush a 50% yellow dextrin solution onto the metal surface. To stop the solution from beading up, add a drop of liquid detergent.
4. The dextrin layer will start to crack as it dries. Crack width depends on layer thickness and drying speed.
5. If you dry the layer faster or make it thicker, the cracks will be wider.
6. The cracks will reveal the metal underneath.
7. Dextrin can wash off, but it is usually best not to.
8. To make the crack lines stand out, rub oil paint in a contrasting colour into them.
9. You can protect your work with a clear, non-water-based acrylic coating, as long as the dextrin layer is underneath.