The  art of gilding requires exceptional precision and a delicate touch as  metal leaf is extremely thin and can easily break. Metal leaf is usually  applied over materials such as wood, plaster, and glass, and it can add  shine and elegance to ceilings, furniture, decorative wall panels, the  exteriors of skyscrapers, and other architectural elements.

It  is applied using water-based or oil-based adhesives and although some  metals need a protective coating to seal them, others such as gold leaf  do not and are ideal for outdoor architectural applications. Gilding can  be done in a variety of karats and metals such as gold leaf, silver  leaf, palladium, and aluminum leafing.