How to Glue a Puzzle
The first step to display or frame your puzzle involves gluing the pieces together. Follow these tips and tricks to make sure all of your hard puzzling work shines!
Preparation
It’s important to put a piece of thin plastic, wax paper, or something similar underneath your puzzle before you glue. This will prevent a big mess from the puzzle adhering itself to your table or surface.
Picking A Glue
Applying the Adhesive
The easiest way to glue your puzzle is to actually pour the glue right on top of the puzzle and then use a piece of cardboard or a business card to spread the glue around. There is typically a brush attached to the bottle cap and you can use that to spread the glue along the edges of the puzzle. Some glue will take up to 4 hours to bond, seal and dry.
Be careful! Brushing or sponging on too much glue at once may cause the puzzle to swell or peel – ruining your hard work!
Tips:
If the edges curl up somewhat after the glue has dried, try turning the puzzle over and brushing a coat of glue on the backside of the pieces. When this dries, it will usually pull itself flat again. Alternatively, if the entire puzzle is dry, you can cover the surface and place it underneath any weighted flat object that is bigger than a puzzle. After a day or so being pressed, it should stay flat.
Avoid using glue at all on metallic puzzle or puzzles that have high-quality finishing (glossy, lenticular, etc.) For these, we recommend using Peel & Stick Puzzle Savers by MasterPieces. This is an adhesive paper that is applied to the back of the puzzle and holds it together in preparation for mounting.
Dry Mounting and Framing
The best way to display your puzzle once it is glued is to have it dry mounted or framed in glass. If you try to hang it after just gluing, there is a good chance pieces will fall out with time. Dry mounting firmly secures the puzzle to a sturdy, foam-type board, perfect for framing. You can dry mount a puzzle at your local Hobby Lobby or most other craft stores that offer framing services.
There are several quality puzzle glues on the market, and we carry several brands. Find plenty of glue options here at Puzzle Warehouse, and enjoy your favorite puzzles forever!
