Aluminium leaf (often called imitation silver leaf) is a metal leaf made from pure aluminium that has been hammered into incredibly fine sheets for use in gilding. It is somewhat shinier than genuine silver and somewhat paler in shade but is often used as a cost-effective alternative to silver leaf or when a non-tarnishing silvery colour is needed. Aluminium leaf is available in both standard and superior quality and as both loose leaf.
This product is supplied as loose leaves in bundles of 500 leaves with each leaf having a dimension of 160 x 160mm. Each leaved is interleaved with each other in a bundle, with tissue paper separators between set amounts of leaf, please check the product pages for more details. In order to remove the leaf from the book we recommend you use a gilders knife slid under the leaf if you are placing it onto a cushion to cut into smaller pieces. This leaf is too heavy to pick up with a gilders tip, although it can be handled directly if done so delicately and with clean, grease-free fingers. When picking up the leaf with fingers we advise you carefully lifting the leaf by the corners. Loose leaf is suitable for most surfaces but is usually used for more intricate and delicate work - for example, carved mouldings where transfer leaf is unsuitable.
Aluminium leaf is non-tarnishing and will only require protection if the leaf is to be used outdoors or if the gilding is to be touched or handled regularly. We supply a number of lacquers and varnish that are suited for protecting metal leaf; in particular we recommend Whitson's Universal Lacquer to protect the leaf from minor handling in indoor settings. Whitson's Universal Lacquer is also an excellent intermediary product to follow up with additional applications of more hardwearing water based varnishes if required.
Aluminium leaf is available in two grades with the Superior grade being manufactured in Italy to the highest standards
Size: 160 mm x 160 mm (one bundle will do over 12m2 of flat surface)
Each bundle contains 500 leaves
