Soft press gold or silver is gold or silver that is lightly attached to transfer sheets separated by pages in a book of 10 or 25 sheets. It is similar in function to loose leaf sheets but the transfer paper makes it easier for some to work with and can be used for both accenting and covering larger surface areas. This type of gold or silver is still fragile and can easily blow away if proper care is not taken since the gold or silver is only lightly placed on each transfer sheet. Hard press transfer sheets are gold or silver that is firmly attached to transfer paper backing by mechanical force for several hours so the gold is firmly attached to the transfer backing. Application with this type of edible gold and silver is usually the most difficult at first for some users but highly effective once you get the hang of it. It is commonly used to cover large surface area such as tier wedding cakes and other applications. To apply hard press transfer it is alway recommend that your butter cream or fondant is cold. Place the transfer paper over the surface area you wish to cover (front side with gold facing the area you intend to cover) and smooth over the back of the transfer sheet with your finger or application tool. This short video may assist if you are unfamiliar with this method.