Gilding Cost Calculator
Enter your area, sheet size, waste allowance, and price per book to get a materials cost estimate — add optional labor for a full quote.
Estimated project cost
How the cost is built
The calculator first works out how many whole books of leaf the area needs (the same coverage math as the Leaf Sheet Coverage Calculator), multiplies that by your price per book for the material cost, then adds labor hours times an hourly rate on top for a total. Dividing the total by the area in square feet gives a cost-per-square-foot figure that's useful for comparing quotes or past projects against each other.
Because books are bought whole, small projects often carry a higher effective cost per square foot than large ones — a single leftover sheet from a five-book job is nearly free, while the same leftover on a one-book job is a real chunk of the price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes into a gilding cost estimate besides the leaf itself?
Leaf (priced by the book) is usually the biggest line item, but size, bole, gesso, sealants, brushes, and burnishing tools all add up on top of it. This calculator focuses on leaf and optional labor since those two vary the most from project to project; add your other materials separately.
Why does cost per square foot change so much between projects?
Waste percentage and sheet size both change how many books a given area actually needs, and books are bought whole — so a small, fiddly, high-waste piece can cost noticeably more per square foot than a large, flat, efficiently-covered one, even at the same price per book.
Should I price genuine or composition leaf?
That depends entirely on the piece: genuine gold leaf won't tarnish and suits anything meant to last or be handled, while composition leaf costs a fraction as much and suits large-scale, temporary, or practice work where it will be sealed or isn't expected to last indefinitely. Price both if you're deciding between them.
Is labor cost realistic to estimate this way?
Only roughly — actual gilding time depends heavily on the surface's detail, your experience, and how many coats of size, bole, or gesso the technique calls for. Treat the labor figure as a placeholder for your own estimate or quote, not a prediction.
Educational tool only. Prices vary by supplier and market — treat this as a planning estimate, not a quote.