How to Flip a Puzzle

If you want to frame, laminate, glue, hang, or mount a puzzle, you may have to flip it before. However, flipping a puzzle is not an easy task. You need to be extremely careful and cautious while doing it. 

You can flip a puzzle by making a puzzle sandwich. Place cardboard below and above your puzzle, and secure their corners with a clothespin. Now, tightly lift your puzzle and flip it in a single motion. After placing your board back to your workplace, remove the clothespin and cardboard. You can do anything on the back of your puzzle afterward. 

Before flipping your puzzle, collect all the necessary items to make the process easy and quick for you. Also, choose flat cardboard pieces that are not too damaged so that your pieces don’t slip or fall while flipping.

How To Flip a Puzzle?

If you want to frame, laminate, or hand your puzzle, you may need to flip it before doing anything. In that case, you can follow the following steps to ensure your finished puzzle doesn't get unassembled while doing it. 

Things You Will Need

Before beginning the process, it's best to collect all the important items so that you don't need to search for products between the processes. So, collect and put the following tools and accessories on your workstation.

• Cardboard- 2 large pieces
• Cutters
• Clothespin
• Pencil 
• Scale
• Rolling pin
• Measuring tape

Step#1: Make Sure Your Puzzle is Fully Assembled

You need to make sure that you have put all the puzzle pieces and your puzzle is complete. Besides that, you also need to look and ensure all pieces are interlinked properly. This is why, if your pieces are fixed together properly, there will be less risk of them falling during the process. 

Step# 2: Cut Cardboard Pieces

If your cardboard pieces are bigger than your puzzle size, you need to cut them. Before cutting, measure your puzzle with the measuring tape. After that, add two inches to the measurements, and mark these measurements with a pencil on your cardboard. Draw lines with the help of these marks so that you can easily cut your board. 

Now, it’s cutting time. Cut your two cardboard pieces by keeping the marks as reference. Also, use cutters instead of scores, as it’s easy to cut cardboard-type materials with cutters. Make sure to follow the line while cutting. If not, you may cut a few inches less that will make the flipping step challenging. Once you cut both the cardboards, measure the pieces again to ensure that you have cut them appropriately.

Step#3: Transfer Your Puzzle

You need to transfer your puzzle to one of the pieces of cardboard. Keep in mind that you need to be extremely cautious while doing this step. Your slightest mistake can make your efforts go in vain. Therefore, you need to transfer your puzzle gradually.

Start moving your puzzle from your workstation to cardboard by slipping it towards the board. Keep your cardboard very close to the workspace so that no piece falls on the ground. After that, you can place your cardboard on your workstation. 

Step#4: Cover your Puzzle

Now, you have to place your other cardboard piece on the picture side of the puzzle. This way, your puzzle will get a sandwich look. You also need to close your sandwich tightly so that no piece slips out of it while flipping. 

For this purpose, you can secure the corners with clothespins. Use at least two clothespins on each side of the cardboard so that your puzzle gets secured on all four sides. Furthermore, you can use anything other than the clothespin that you can easily remove afterward. 

Step#5: Flip Your Puzzle

This is the most important part as well as challenging part of the entire process. Before flipping, you need to set your hands properly on the cardboard so that you don’t feel trouble while doing it. So, pick up your puzzle sandwich and tightly squeeze it so that your puzzle stays fixed between the cardboard pieces.

When you feel that you are ready, flip your cardboard in a quick jerk. Make sure to do this step in a fraction of seconds if you want an accurate result at the end. After that, place your sandwich back to its place. 

Step#6: Remove Your Uppermost Cardboard

You need to remove the clothespin and the first cardboard. By removing them, you will notice that the back of your puzzle is facing you. Hence, you have successfully flipped your jigsaw puzzle.

When you flip a puzzle, you also need to use a rolling pin to flatten its surface. So, carefully use your puzzle once or twice to ensure your pieces are perfectly straight to do anything you want. 

Things You Can do after Flipping a Puzzle

Here are some ideas that you can do after flipping the puzzle.

Laminate Puzzle to Create Table Mat

You can use puzzle glue to laminate your puzzle. in this case, apply it to all the pieces of your puzzle and spread it evenly on all the edges. Once done with it, wait for a few hours to let it dry. You can use your puzzle as a mat on your table or place it on the floor to give a catchy look to your space. 

Tape Your Puzzle and Mount It

After you flip a puzzle, you can plan it to decorate on your room's wall. You can do this by tapping the entire back of your puzzle horizontally. In the next step, tape your puzzle vertically to secure the pieces properly. 

Leave your puzzle for a few hours so that the tape permanently fixes on your puzzle. Use double-sided tape and place it on all four corners of your puzzle. Now, you can mount your puzzle on any noticeable wall of your room.