Before any restoration is carried out photographic records are made, and each piece of work is then individually assessed to establish the appropriate treatment. The item is initially cleaned to remove any surface dirt, paint, varnish or newly applied gesso, taking extreme care to conserve any original gilding. The areas of damage can then be repaired; missing pieces are moulded and cast or hand carved in wood using lime. Layers of gesso are painted on to the moulding, recut when dry to define the detail and smoothed. The gesso is then covered with several layers of coloured bole, for example red, yellow or blue/black, and polished. It is on this smooth ground that the gold leaf is laid, either by water or oil gilding.

Oil gilding produces a flat appearance, whereas water gilding can be burnished to give a highly polished finish. Many items require both methods of gilding. In all cases the workshop’s reference books and sample mouldings provide the necessary information to enable any restoration to be carried out accurately and sympathetically.