brushed gold foil wrap

[Levi Chanowitz]

I just saw some picture frames that looke like they were made of brushed aluminum. Actually they were made of wrapped MDF. I am looking for a brushed gold/bronze foil that will look like it is metal. Anybody has any ideas?

[Jamie Buxton]

Look up metallic leaf. Gold leaf is one kind of metallic leaf, but there are now leafs made from aluminum, copper, silver, and many alloys. The application process is just like gold leaf. You paint the substrate with something gilders call size, but which woodworkers would call slow-drying varnish. When it gets to the tacky stage, you float the leaf on and pat it down. Most of the non-gold leafs need a clearcoat over them to prevent tarnishing.

[Levi Chanowitz]

will it look like real brushed bronze? will everyone think itis actual metal??

[Andrew Long]

Michael's Craft Stores carry sheets of gold, copper, & bronze for foiling. Not sure I would call them 'brushed', but they are used for on picture frames, etc. Don't recall if they had silver foil sheets.

[Steve Schoene]

Gold leaf is available, at specialized sources, in several alloys that provide somewhat different coloring. Mostly, they look like gold, which they are, rather than bronze. The gold leaf will pick up any texture from the substrait if you are looking for a "brushed" look.

The other leaf products work pretty much the same way, and there is a simulated gold leaf that is cheaper (but don't use it anywhere you might find it placed close the to genuine stuff). The advantage of genuine gold is that it doesn't tarnish (though it can collect dirt as it ages.)

One good source for a wide range of leaf products (an Mica powder, which is another way to get metallic looking finish) is Sepp Leaf Products at www.seppleaf.com (http://www.seppleaf.com) which offers links to dealers of their products.