Aurustumisel

Aurustumisel is the Estonian term for gilding, the process of applying a thin layer of gold to the surface of another material. The goal is often to improve aesthetics, provide a luxurious finish, or enhance corrosion resistance. Gilding is used on metal objects, wooden furniture, ceramics, and certain electronic components, with methods chosen based on substrate, desired appearance, and durability.

Common techniques include leaf gilding, where thin sheets of gold (gold leaf) are adhered to a prepared surface with a sizing agent and then burnished; electroplating (gold plating), in which gold is deposited from an electrolytic bath onto a conductive substrate; and chemical gilding, where gold is deposited chemically via a reducing agent. Historically, some gilding methods used mercury amalgam, but these are now restricted due to health and environmental concerns.

Key steps across methods typically include thorough surface preparation (cleaning and sometimes roughening), application of an adhesive or sizing, deposition of gold, and finishing steps such as burnishing, toning, and applying a protective varnish or lacquer to limit wear.

Gold thickness in modern applications ranges from a few hundred nanometers to several micrometers, with higher wear areas requiring thicker coatings. Gilded surfaces can be sensitive to abrasion and chemicals, and maintenance may involve gentle cleaning or re-gilding. The practice has historical significance in art and architecture, as well as continued use in electronics where gold's conductivity and corrosion resistance are advantageous.