Although we have yet to experience any problems I have heard from sign maker friends that gilding straight over acrylic paints can sometimes cause failures. The cure is to put a barrier coat of oil based lettering enamel down first before we lay on the oil based size and gold leaf. It adds one more step to the sign making process but peace of mind is well worth the extra effort. I laid down the lettering enamel and just as I finished our client dropped in for a progress check on their sign. He was delighted with the results to say the least.

He asked me to pop over to the farm to locate the concrete footing they were placing in readiness for the sign which id due to be delivered in three days. I complied and was pleased to see they had decided on brand new landscaping all around the sign area. The old, overgrown hedge was gone. In its place was a new bed for the sign complete with a new hedge and a low split rail fence. This sign is going to look wonderful in its new home.

I got back to begin the gilding process but as I laid out my tools and materials a wind storm blew in and took out power out. Gilding would wait until tomorrow.

Stay tuned...

-grampa dan