Gold Size Water-Based 250ml

Amongst our extensive catalogue of products such that we supply to facilitate gilding at home such as gold and metal leaf, brushes and tools we also have a choice of water or oil-based sizes.

Gilding sizing is simply the adhesive material that is used in the process of applying gold leaf or other metal leaf to a surface but the characteristics of water based and oil-based size are quite different and are individually suited to different circumstances.

Acrylic, or water-based size has the appearance of a milky glue but when dried appears totally clear, rendering it virtually undetectable. Once applied to a sealed or non-porous surface, it requires a short period of time, usually 15-20 minutes, to reach a stage where it is tacky and ready for use. A great benefit of this material is that it will remain tacky almost indefinitely, allowing you as much time as you require to carefully apply your metal leaf. Oil based sizing, however presents a much shorter window of opportunity for use, as it loses its adhesive qualities after a few hours. Furthermore, water gilding generally results in a matt finish, whereas the use of oil sizing will give a shiny glossy appearance, and of course the clean up is much easier when dealing with a water-based product.

Whichever size qualities best suit your needs, water or oil, you can be sure of receiving a top quality product when you shop with us, at Art Gilding. 

Contact us today for all of your home gilding requirements.