This post is about Boot Upcycling with metallic foils.
I really liked the metallic foil boots that I had been seeing. But $600 (and up) is a bit ridiculous (to me). And silver is not really my color. But it gave me the idea, what if I could do pink? Time for some boot upcycling!
Boot Upcycling is a Great Option for Old (and NEW) Boots
When people think of upcycling, they might think of taking something old and making it new again. I do this all the time. However, in this case: old versus new, didn’t matter. I was more interested in the base color.
I knew that if I wanted to achieve pink, I would need a light base color. I found these BRAND NEW Vince Camuto genuine leather boots with crocodile embossing on Poshmark! (I love the Poshmark search engine)
These NEW leather boots were less than $75. And since I had credit at Poshmark for things I’ve sold, I didn’t have to spend any money 😊
Material Options When Boot Upcycling with Metallic Foils
It is possible to apply metallic foil to many different boot materials. For example: canvas, suede, fabric, leather or faux leather.
Here is a how-to video showing the entire process on canvas sneakers. (HELPFUL NOTE: when videos are longer than 5 minutes – I always go to the settings wheel and speed it up to 1.75 😊) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrKzaNcBbco
In this video above, she applied metallic foil on plain canvas sneakers. However, if you’re looking for that high shine (like the Neiman Marcus Inspo) then you’ll want a material that’s smooth (or almost smooth) in order to get that high shine.
Even though my boots have a croc pattern, the leather finish is smooth. Which made these a perfect candidate for the high shine metallic foil look.
Metallic Foil Options
I’ve used two different types of metallic foils. Let me describe both types for you.
(A) Metallic foils that come with a transfer sheet. These are much easier to use. You can cut and handle these sheets, and easily apply them to your project. (In the video above, she was using metallic foil with a transfer sheet).
There are so many patterns available. From animal prints to stripes and florals. And the color spectrum gives you endless possibilities.
Very easy but this option costs more.
(B) Metallic foils that are like “gold leafing sheets”. These metallic foil sheets are super thin and tear easily. Thus making these foil sheets harder to handle.
Plus, it’s a messy process because these fragile sheets basically disintegrate into foil flakes. Which can get shiny flakes all over the place.
There are a limited number of colors available. Like gold, silver, bronze, black, blue, green, red, pink or aqua. And there are no patterns – it’s just a solid color foil.
However, these “leafing” sheets are the least expensive option. And were perfect for me since my boots already had a pattern.
As of this writing, the cost is about $6 for (100) 3.15” square sheets. That’s about 6.89 sq feet of metallic foil. I used about (90) sheets to cover my tall boots.
I would TOTALLY do it this way again because it was so inexpensive. Thus giving me a lot of bang for the buck!
My Basic Steps for Boot Upcycling with High Shine Foil
1. Base Coat: If you’re applying foil to canvas, suede or fabric, you can skip this step. However, if your surface is somewhat smooth – you’ll NEED a base coat in order for the foil adhesive to stick better
2. Foil Adhesive: The foil adhesive that I used will remain “tacky” until you put foil on it. Which means you can apply the adhesive to your project and a month later it will still be tacky and allow you to apply your foil.
3. Metallic Foils: I used option (B) described in the section above.
4. Top Coat/Sealer: A top coat will protect your new boot upcycling project. And there are all sorts of top coats available. To me, what is most important is the finish. Depending on what you’re going for – you might choose a flat, satin or gloss finish. Since I wanted high shine – I went with gloss. And I simply used an inexpensive version from Rust-Oleum.
Attempting to Cut Costs
Foil Adhesive is not cheap. I tried to cut corners on a different metallic foil project. I used watered-down Elmer’s glue. But it’s NOT the same. Here’s why: before you can apply your metallic foil, the adhesive has to be “dry”.
When the Elmer’s dried, the foil wouldn’t stick. I also tried to apply the foil while the Elmer’s was still slightly wet, this just made a mess ☹
The special foil adhesive has something in it that allows it to remain “tacky” when it’s dry. Trust, it’s worth the extra money.
Details for Boot Upcycling with High Shine Foils
If your boots have zippers make SURE to protect the zippers from any and all products.
I used a small paint brush to apply the base coat. A small paint brush gives you the most control, so you don’t get product all over the sole of your boots. Then the base coat needs to dry thoroughly. Preferably let it dry overnight.
TIP: I put wine bottles into the boots so they would remain standing. That way the base coat could dry on both sides of the boots without sticking to anything.
Next up was the foil adhesive. The foil adhesive that I used is super tacky when it dries. So, I laid the boots on their side and applied the foil adhesive to just one side at a time. I used the same small paint brush that I used for the base coat.
I waited about an hour for the foil adhesive to dry then started applying the foil sheets to the half of the boots that were facing me. I used an old toothbrush to help me get the foil into the crevices of the croc pattern.
When you apply the foil, the adhesive is no longer tacky. So when this side of the boots were covered with foil, I was able to flip the boots to the opposite side. Then I applied more foil adhesive and let it dry for another hour before applying the remaining foil sheets to the other side.
Possible Issues with High Shine Foils for Boot Upcycling
I can’t stress this enough. Be EXTRA CAREFUL around the zippers. If you get any of the products into the zipper area, it could cause your zippers to malfunction.
Also, as I mentioned above, using the metallic foil sheets can be messy. Because little foil flakes get all over the place. But the process is not hard to do. And if you do your project in a tray, you can more easily catch the little flakes and use them.
Since the foil adhesive dries clear it is very easy to miss some spots. In the photo below, you can see where the foil didn’t stick. This is because (originally) I failed to apply foil adhesive to these areas. But this process is very forgiving 😊. I simply added more foil adhesive. Let it dry. Then reapplied the foil.
Sealing Your High Shine Foil Boots
Once the foil is applied, you don’t have to wait before applying the top coat/sealer.
I chose a SPRAY top coat. Because its a spray, it was IMPORTANT to protect the zipper area. I put tape over the whole zipper area. But I was concerned masking tape might lift up the unsealed foil. So, I used regular clear tape over the zipper area before I applied the spray top coat/sealer. See photo below.
I sprayed each side of the boots with two coats of top coat/sealer, waiting at least an hour between coats.
Styling an Outfit with My New Pink Foil Boots
I especially love pink in the Spring. And on a cool Spring evening, my pink boots were just the thing. It also helps that my pants have exact matching pink foil; I bought them that way 🙂
Materials Used
Rust-Oleum crystal clear spray enamel
Tools Used
Small paint brush
Toothbrush
Take Away
Metallic foiling is a great way to create unique one-of-a-kind footwear that expresses your fun side. It’s also a way to bring new life to old boots or shoes.
Here’s to foiling it and Making it Fabulous!
Other Helpful Links
This company has a HUGE selection of metallic foils: https://www.artisticpaintingstudio.com/metallic-foils/
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