Each book of silver leaf contains 25 leaves that measure 95mm x 95mm. 1 book of silver will cover an area of 0.23m² without waste or overlap. (The amount of waste can be determined by the gilder’s own level of expertise and will depend on the complexity of the surface being gilded.) The higher the gold content of a leaf the more resistant it will be to tarnishing – this means silver leaf should always be protected from the atmosphere with a lacquer.