Gilded memorials – a golden shine for eternity

As the name suggests, memorials stand for memories. All over the world, people from the most varied cultures remember historical events or figures by glancing at memorials. Gilded memorials in particular stand for durability, meaning, and an imposing image – a golden memorial won’t go unnoticed. For a perfect optical result, the amount of gold must be carefully considered and dosed accordingly.

The location of the memorial determines the gilding technique that will be used. Indoors, oil gilding, gilding with water based goldsize, Architec T40 or water gilding are all options: inside, the monument is protected and is not exposed to temperature fluctuations and weather conditions. Things become more complicated if the memorial is to stand outdoors: in this case, a careful substrate preparation process is required. Oil gilding is recommended as a safe and durable gilding technique. The use of “protective varnish” can do great damage to the gilded memorial.

No varnish coating for gilded monuments in outdoor areas

A memorial is often exposed to the elements without protection, which must be considered during the gilding process. The most important thing to note when gilding an outdoor monument: no “protective varnish” should be added to the gilding. This causes the golden shine – also know as the “fire” – to become lost, reduces the lifespan of the memorial and detracts from the visual impact of the memorial significantly. Thanks to temperature fluctuations outdoors, the mixtion expands slightly in summer and contracts again in cold temperatures. This creates hair-line cracks and crackles in the varnish. The gilding work can take this only for a few years until it starts to peel away from the surface.

When carried out professionally, the gilding of a monument should last for centuries – even outdoors, exposed to the wind and weather – without the monument losing its shine. Thanks to its durability and weather resistance, gold leaf is perfect for making monuments shine and preserving memories.

Would you like to gild a monument, or do you have additional questions? We will be glad to advise you in terms of gilding techniques and products with our specialist knowledge – get in touch!