How to Choose a Transfer Foil

November 2, 2026 Jennifer Ferguson

With hundreds of transfer foils to pick from, the choice comes down to a few questions: what look you want, what you're foiling, and what color goes underneath. Each foil's product page answers the practical ones in the same few lines, so once you know what they mean, choosing gets quick.

Start with the look

Solid / Plain: one even metallic or color, like gold, silver, copper or rose gold. The most classic look, and the easiest to match with paint.
Holographic: an embossed pattern that splits light into rainbow color as you move. Some are seamless, where the colors simply blend; others are patterned, with glitter, stars, confetti, flowers or shattered glass.
Transparent: a design on a clear background, so your base coat shows everywhere the design isn't. A semi-transparent foil lets some of the base color glow through the pattern.
Patterns: animal print, flowers and leaves, marble and stone, sparkle and glitter, rainbow and tie-dye, and stripes and plaid.

Read the lines on the product page

Each foil page lists:

Recommended base coat: the paint color that looks best under that foil.
Fabric: "Works on fabric" or "Hard surfaces only." For clothing and other fabric, you need a foil that works on fabric. Hard-surface foils are made for wood, furniture, walls and decor.
Release: how easily the foil lets go of its carrier sheet.
- Easy release lifts off with light scrubbing.
- Standard release needs some extra scrubbing before you peel.
- Very delicate releases at the lightest touch. Handle it gently, and skip the crinkle technique with it.
Toner-reactive (on some foils): it also works for toner foiling with laser-printed designs.

Pick the base coat

About 90 to 95 percent of a foil transfers, so a little of the base coat always shows through. That's why the color underneath matters.

Black looks good under most foils.
For a solid foil, paint as close to the foil color as you can, so any gaps disappear.
Transparent foils work over any color. A dark base gives the most contrast.
Not sure? Paint a few small squares on a sample board, add adhesive, and test the foil over each one.

Transparent foil on glass

A transparent foil's design looks the same from both sides, so you can foil the underside of a clear glass plate and see the pattern from the top. Metallic and other regular foils won't show the same design through the glass. See how to decorate glass plates with transparent foil.

Sizes

Most foil is 12 inches wide. Order a 12 × 12-inch piece by the foot, or a 12-inch roll of 3, 15 or 100 feet. Some designs also come in 24-inch rolls. Each product page lists its sizes.