Yes, you can gold leaf on top of existing gold leaf.
Overlapping Gold Leaf
When gold leafing, it's often necessary to overlap sheets to ensure complete coverage. This is perfectly acceptable and a common practice.
How to Apply Overlapping Gold Leaf
- Apply Adhesive: If the existing gold leaf doesn't completely cover the surface, add a tiny bit of adhesive (size or mordant) to the area where the new sheet will overlap.
- Placement: Carefully lay the next gold leaf sheet down, ensuring it slightly overlaps the previous sheet.
Considerations
- Tarnishing: Applying adhesive to the existing gold leaf might cause slight tarnishing in the overlap area. However, this is generally not a concern since it will be concealed by the new layer of gold leaf.
- Adhesion: Make sure the initial layer of gold leaf is properly adhered to the surface. A weak bond can cause both layers to lift or flake.
