Preparing your surface for an aged sterling patina finish starts with a thorough clean using Clean Slate. Wipe down with a lint-free cloth and allow to dry completely before beginning. A clean, residue-free surface ensures the gilding size and silver leaf adhere correctly.

Applying Windsor One Step Paint as a base coat creates the dark, rich foundation that will show through the silver leaf wherever natural wear and tarnishing occur. Apply an even coat and allow to dry completely before moving to the gilding size.

Applying Gilding Size for silver leaf adhesion is a step that rewards patience. Apply an even coat using a fine brush over the entire surface and allow to dry for approximately 15 minutes until tacky. The surface should feel sticky but not wet before applying the leaf.

Applying silver leaf for a luminous metallic base is the step that defines this finish. Press the leaf onto the tacky gilding size using the protective tissue it comes with. Smooth with a soft brush and fill any gaps with leaf fragments. The imperfect, broken coverage that results is exactly what creates the authentic tarnished silver quality of this finish.

Burnishing silver leaf for a softened metallic finish removes the harsh shine and begins the aging process. Lightly rub the leaf with 0000 steel wool using a gentle, even hand. This softens the metallic sheen and gives the surface the quiet, muted quality of genuinely aged sterling silver.

Applying a warm bronze patina glaze for an aged metallic finish builds the tarnished, dimensional quality that defines this look. Mix 1 tablespoon of Glazed Over with 1 teaspoon of Bright Bronze Mica Powder. Apply with a brush, pouncing while wet to create natural variation across the surface. Use a lint-free cloth to pull back highlights on raised areas, allowing the silver leaf to peek through beneath.

Adding an earth-toned aging glaze for authentic patina depth settles into every crevice and carved detail to create the accumulated patina of a genuinely old piece.

Mix 1 tablespoon of Glazed Over with 1 teaspoon of Lorie Earth Pigment and apply to the crevices and recessed details of the piece. Allow to dry fully. If desired, add small silver leaf accents to raised details at this stage, then buff lightly with steel wool once dry.

Applying Light Wax to seal an aged sterling patina finish protects all the layered metallic work beneath while adding a soft, unified quality to the surface. Apply a thin, even coat over the entire piece using a soft cloth or wax brush and allow to reach a tack before moving to the final step.

Applying Dust of Ages for a final tarnished sterling finish is the step that completes the aged, accumulated patina quality of this piece. While the wax is still tacky, apply Dust of Ages generously over the entire surface. Allow to set, then lightly buff away any excess powder with a lint-free cloth.

The result is a beautifully tarnished, luminous surface that looks like it has been aging in a European manor for centuries. Enjoy the bragging rights. You have absolutely earned them.