The first step in mounting a puzzle involves gluing the puzzle. The most important thing you can do for yourself and your puzzle is to put a piece of thin plastic, baking paper sheet, or another sturdy material under the jigsaw puzzle to prevent the puzzle from adhering itself to the surface on which you are gluing it. This will prevent you from having to later destroy your puzzle when you have to scrape it off the surface.
Some like using an all liquid base glue. We personally don’t like the spray-on glues because they may cover evenly and usually end up gluing everything but the puzzle. The glue that comes in a powder form is great if you manage to mix it correctly. Often the powder glues are designed so that you can take your puzzles apart afterward. We recommend using glue that seals clear, solid and strong.
To glue a puzzle is a rather simple process and includes merely placing the completed jigsaw puzzle (picture side up) on a protected surface indicated above. Take the jigsaw puzzle glue and evenly coat the surface of your jigsaw puzzle in multiple THIN coats, waiting for each coat to dry thoroughly! Some glues may take 2 to 4 hours to bond, seal and dry. We recommend applying multiple light coats to the puzzle. Brushing or sponging too much glue on at one time will cause your puzzle to swell up and may even cause the picture to begin peeling off the puzzle pieces. Not all puzzles take the gluing process the same and the picture may lift when gluing.
There are times that when your puzzle has been glued, you’ll notice that the edges may have curled up somewhat. This can usually be rectified by turning the puzzle over so that the unfinished side is facing up and then brushing glue on the back of the puzzle. When the glue dries, it will usually pull itself flat again. Alternatively, the puzzle can be covered to protect the surface and then be placed underneath a piece of plywood or anything flat that is bigger than the puzzle with a little weight on top in a dry area for a day or so. More about Ravensburger puzzles
Some factories do not suggest gluing the metallic puzzle at all! To avoid ruining the finish of a Metallic puzzle, you may want to glue the puzzles from the back so not to damage the picture. One saves time, by gluing the puzzle from the back as you do not have to flip the puzzle which is always a risky procedure. Since the glue is liquid it will seep through the puzzle so we recommend sliding a sheet of plastic underneath the puzzle before flipping it over. A drop sheet or garbage bag is usually enough to protect your table. Apply one even coat to the puzzle surface and let dry 30 to 60 minutes. Then lift off the plastic to see the spots missed on the first pass. Touch up and apply a full second coat. This will usually turn the puzzle into a stiff sheet. It will take some practice to learn exactly how much glue to apply.
There are several quality puzzle glues on the market. Some products provide a brush or sponge for applying. The label recommends the size and number of puzzles they will cover. The choices are yours and they are endless!
