Gold Leaf Pricing

[Cyclynn]

Hi Folks! I am going to gold leaf stripes on a fella's safe. I need some help pricing the job. The project involves 1" stripes around the door, and along a hinge. Total is about 19 feet of 1-inch striping. I've come up with a project total of $422. That includes taping off the stripes, painting the size, the gold (23k), and laying the leaf. So far I've only done gold leaf jobs for my own signs, so I didn't have to price it. Does that sound about right to you who are experienced with leafing?

 

[2B]

does it have to be the "real gold" material?
usually, when we price compare, the customer 95% of the time goes with an imitation material
https://www.fellers.com/fellers-sho...hrome-brushed-vinyl/set/oracal-383-ultra-leaf

If you stay with the real gold, your price is too low.
we would be $650 area

your price is more on par for the imitation

 

[rjssigns]

Get a roll of 22k from Real Gold. Great product and easy to install. Border pinstripes are an option too. https://www.realgoldinc.com/VinylStriping

 

[Johnny Best]

Your going to have at least $100 in gold. Then drive time and labor. Plus I would use slow size so additional trip back the next day.
I would be closer to $1200 for that custom work.
You could go with quick size but 19 feet is a long distance to keep in the same tack time plus you have to put a clear coat over finished gold.

 

[Old Timer]

Would you be buying a roll of 1" 23k patent leaf and roll holder from someone like W&B Gold Leaf? get a price for materials and mark it up x5 and see what you come up with

 

[Gino]

I think you're on the wee side of 23k gilding. I' think closer to $600 or $700 is more like it.

You could save a lotta time if you use roll gold, instead of sheets. Also, have far less waste.

Are they bringing the safe to you or must you go there and gild it ?? If you need to go there, that will be at least 2 trips. In your own shop, you can find a window anywhere and plan around it.

 

[Jean Shimp]

I would give the option of the Real Gold striping in addition to the 23K hand gilded. If you are doing the work at your shop, the numbers seem OK, but you should add the clear coat as someone mentioned. That will add to your costs. If you are going out to the site, then you will have to add the cost of waiting on the size to dry just right in addition to the travel time (obviously). I like the Real Gold products but some people prefer the true, hand crafted quality. Can't argue with that.

 

[Billct2]

Yep, for real leaf I'd be double if I had to do it on site. They look nice with a accent stripe too.

 

[Cyclynn]

Thanks, everyone! Yes, it has to be the real thing - he is restoring an old safe and trying to be as true to the original as possible. The good news is it will be in my shop as long as I need it.. I was worried about the working time of the size, and if I'd have enough time for the entire face. I like the idea of the roll gold but to purchase 67' when I only need 19' is not something I can justify, but I really like the idea. Not a lot of demand for real gold in my town. Most customers do indeed choose the imitation or the Real Gold vinyl, which I also like. This customer didn't like that idea. Now... the clear coat - I forgot about that, so thank you for the reminder. Let me ask you this, though... the auto body shop that is painting the safe suggested clear coating the whole thing after my leaf is done and a local sign painter paints the detail work. That would be an automotive clear coat, and he suggested to the customer using a matte finish (more in keeping with the dull finish of the black doors). What do you think of that idea? I kind of talked the customer out of it thinking it might dull the glint of the leaf, but perhaps I was wrong?

 

[Gino]

Going way back, ya only hadda clear gold leaf if it was less than 22k or on a fire truck. You should use shellac. As for clearing it with automotive, that should be done BEFORE you do anything to it. Maybe after the painter does his thing, but NOT after you gild it. That will defeat the whole 9 yards of 23k.

 

[Billct2]

I thought gold leaf on trucks was always cleared otherwise it would get scratched

 

[letterman7]

You can clear over the gold with automotive urethane. It will protect the surface from scratches, at least a little bit. BUT.. you have to do some pre-prep to do that. Any pinstriping will have to be urethane compatible, or it will lift. Your gild sizing will also have to be urethane compatible. I've gotten away with using the urethane clear as the size - takes a bit of practice but eliminates the lift possibility. As for gloss or matte..you'll need to go "outside the lines" of the gold leaf anyway to protect the edge, so why not coat the entire door/sides? In that case I'd use a matte clear. If you are trying to keep just to the gold, go gloss.

 

[Jean Shimp]

To be true to the original I would say matte clear over black, then brush gloss clear over gold. Does One Shot still make a clear coat, or Frog Juice? Many years ago we would use spar varnish. Do be careful as mentioned before, some of the clears are too "hot" to paint over the leaf/outline. I used to do gold leaf on boat transoms and the painters would spray the urethane clears over them without any problems. But they did multiple, light sprays.

 

[Cyclynn]

I thought gold leaf on trucks was always cleared otherwise it would get scratched

I'm sure that is true. This is a safe, which will always be still inside a home.

 

[JWitkowski]

I use One-Shot Clear. Brushed on just beyond the edge of the gold. I found in the past that Frog Juice would sometimes lift other paints but never used it with gold leaf.