How to Seal a Puzzle

If you love to make puzzles, you must know the pain of keeping them back in the box. In other words, letting your efforts go in vain. Sealing a puzzle is the best idea to keep your favorite puzzle safe. 

To seal a puzzle, you can use three methods: glue your puzzle, use DIY glue, or tape your puzzle. All three methods are best to secure every piece together strongly. However, make sure to use the right materials for each method and follow the appropriate steps. Some general things you will need in all the methods are a finished puzzle and cardboard pieces. 

The best part is that you don’t have to invest too much time to seal a puzzle compared to what you have to give to finish it. Moreover, you can use your sealed puzzle in several ways. For instance, you can frame it or use it as a mat. If you have a massive puzzle, you can also place it on the wall. It will give a classy look to your room. No matter what method you choose and how you place it in your room, looking at the puzzle will remind you of the fun time you had making it.

Methods to Seal a Puzzle

There are three easy methods that you can use to seal your finished puzzle. You can choose the one that is best for you. 

Glue Your Puzzle

Material You Will Need

• Puzzle glue
• Finished jigsaw puzzle
• Parchment or wax paper
• Rolling pin
• A cardboard piece

Method

First, you need to place your puzzle over wax paper. Make sure that the picture side of the puzzle is upward. After that, use a rolling pin to check whether your puzzle is flat or not. Pour some puzzle glue on the top of the puzzle, and spread it with a cardboard piece. A business card is also the best substitute for cardboard. 

Take the glue towards the edges of the puzzle to firmly fix every piece of the puzzle together. Keep in mind that you have to cover the entire piece. You might observe some air bubbles on the puzzle surface. They will go away when your puzzle gets dry. While you are gluing your puzzle, try to use a little amount of glue, as over saturating the puzzle can swell or peel it. 

Let the puzzle dry for several hours in the air. It’s better to let it dry for the time mentioned on the glue bottle. Generally, experts recommend air-drying puzzles overnight. When the glue dries, your puzzle will look like a hard surface. 

Use DIY Puzzle Glue

You can make your own glue to seal a puzzle. Here are the steps to follow to make your glue. 

• Take multipurpose white glue, and mix it with an equal amount of water. You need to shake it to make even consistency. 
• Take a bowl and add half a cup of flour and a small amount of water to make a thick paste. Sprinkle a pinch of sugar and salt- it will make the paste stickier.
• Now add the gum mixture to the flour mixture, and add enough water to combine the elements. 
• Your glue is ready.

Material You Will Need

• DIY Glue
• Finished puzzle
• Spreader
• 1 cardboard piece 

Method

Carefully place your finished puzzle on the cardboard by making sure your puzzle doesn’t lose its alignment. After that, place another cardboard on the upward side of the puzzle. It will look like a sandwich of two layers of the board at the top and bottom and a single layer of the puzzle at the center. Now here is the fun part. You need to flip the sandwich so that the backside of the puzzle comes up.

Once you do this, you can remove the uppermost cardboard, which will allow you to work on the backside of the puzzle. Start pouring a small amount of DIY glue and spread it with the spreader. Make sure that the glue reaches every piece of your puzzle. Try to make a thin layer of glue over the back of your puzzle. When you complete the other process, you need to leave it to air dry. 

Note: don’t ever use the DIY glue on the picture side of the puzzle. This is because this glue can cause a white or translucent effect on the picture. In other words, the puzzle design will not be visible and will look unappealing. 

Tape Your Puzzle

Material You Will Need

• Cardboard or poster board
• Binder clips
• Rolling pin
• Tape

Method

Begin by carefully sliding your puzzle over a cardboard or poster board. Then place another board piece over the top of the puzzle. This way, you will get two cardboards, one on top and the other on the bottom. As you have to flip the board, you can use binder clips to close the corner so that your puzzle doesn't fall. It is best to use at least one binder clip on each corner of the puzzle. 

Now, you need to flip the puzzle quickly. Not to mention, the faster you do it, the lesser the risk of unalignment. Once done with this step, use a rolling pin to flatten the surface of your puzzle. Take your packing tape, and start placing the strips of tape horizontally on the back of your puzzle. You also need to know that your tape should be 2 inches wide, sturdy, and thick to make this procedure successful. When you cover the horizontal surface completely, repeat the same procedure and cover the surface vertically to seal a puzzle strongly.

After completing these steps, let your puzzle set for a couple of hours. Now you can pick up your puzzle easily without worrying about falling. But in this method, your puzzle will be a bit less hard than the other methods mentioned above. So, keep your puzzle in a secure place so that there is no risk of damages.