Gilded forgings transform gates, gratings and railings into a real treasure

Combining multiple forms of craftsmanship, forgers and gold-beaters can look back on centuries of shared tradition. The combination of the two materials, gold and iron, creates unique and elegant works of art. The creation of delicate gratings, gates and railings from solid iron is truly fascinating. The gilding of these artistic pieces with gold leaf also requires a good understanding of form, run and colour design. Here gold leaf should be applied mainly to the special details of the forging, providing accents to highlight the forger’s technical ability. The use of brackets is considered a “necessary evil” when forging, and here gilding should be applied sparingly.

Durable gilding on forgings

In order to apply durable gilding on forgings, a sound knowledge of how to protect iron from corrosion is required. Consideration should also be given to the application of varnish on the areas to be gilded. The correct adhesive for oil gilding and the suitable type of gold leaf, at least 23.5 carat, are essential to achieving a perfect result. The gold leaf thickness can, in specific cases, be an important factor in determining the durability of gilding work.

A thin film of glue to prevent the wear of the gold leaf layer

If you wish to ensure the long-term durability of the gilding work, then not only does good workmanship play an important role, but so, too, does the installation location of the object. If it is installed in a location that hosts large gatherings of people, the wear of the gold leaf cannot be avoided because of inevitable frequent contact. Oil gilding works are much less susceptible to scratching if the adhesive layer is applied in a particularly thin layer.