How to Antique Silver Leafing

Lay down drop sheets or newspapers to protect your floors. Wipe down the silver leaf you wish to antique with a clean, damp cloth to remove any dust or other debris.

Stick masking tape on any surfaces, for example glass or non-leafed metal, that lie adjacent to the silver leaf you wish to antique. This will prevent them becoming stained or damaged.

Open a tin of oil-based varnish if the silver leaf of your piece has not been previously varnished. Apply this to any unvarnished silver leaf using a natural-bristle paintbrush and smooth, regular strokes. Allow the varnish to dry according to the manufacturer's directions.

Open one tube of raw umber acrylic paint and one tube of raw seine acrylic paint, both available from craft stores. Squeeze out and mix, on an artist's palette, one parts umber and two parts seine with a natural-bristle brush.

Dip your brush into a glass of clean water. Continue mixing the umber and seine with this brush to dilute the mixture slightly and form a glaze. Continue diluting the glaze until it is the consistency of a water-color paint.

Brush the glaze onto your silver leaf with smooth, regular strokes. Use your brush to remove any beads or pools of liquid and leave the glaze to dry for 30 minutes.

Examine the piece and decide which areas of the silver leaf would appear more shiny due to rubbing over time. These will commonly be raised surfaces and edges. Rub these areas with a clean dry cloth until they appear “buffed” or worn smooth.