Lay the cardboard-encased puzzle on a large, level work surface. Lift away the cardboard and wax paper to reveal the back side of the completed puzzle. If you know you want to preserve the puzzle right from the start, go ahead and put it together on top of cardboard and wax paper.
If you don’t have a rolling pin, use an unopened jar or can of food from your pantry.
Since this is the back of the puzzle, neatness isn’t quite so important as it will be with the front side. But don’t apply heavy globs of glue or it may soak through and affect the front side. Look for puzzle glue, such as Mod Podge, at craft stores and online. There is an alternative to using puzzle glue—“laminating” the back of the puzzle with adhesive puzzle sheets or contact paper. [4] X Research source
If you don’t intend to apply puzzle glue to the front of the puzzle, skip both this and the following step and move on to adding a backer board.
Store the foam brush in a zip-close bag between coats so it doesn’t dry out. This is an optional but recommended step. Applying glue only to the back of the puzzle should be sufficient to hold the pieces together, but adding glue to the front as well increases the protection and durability. And don’t worry, the puzzle glue dries completely clear!
This is another optional but recommended step. If you want the puzzle to be extra rigid—for example, if you’re going to screw the puzzle to the wall as described elsewhere in this article—use 1⁄8–1⁄4 in (0. 32–0. 64 cm) MDF (medium density fiberboard) instead of foam board. [7] X Research source Work in a well-ventilated area due to the fumes from the aerosol spray adhesive.
Picture hanging strips use hook-and-loop (Velcro) so you can easily remove and reposition the puzzle as desired. To remove the strips, pull on the exposed tabs to stretch and release the adhesive. For the best results, follow the package instructions for your specific product.
If you don’t want to put holes through any of your puzzle pieces, find spots near each corner where four puzzle pieces meet. Press a thumbtack through the seam between the pieces at each of these intersections. Especially if you’re a renter, keep in mind that this method does put small holes in the wall.
Remove four pieces from the completed puzzle, about 1 in (2. 5 cm) in from each corner. Glue the puzzle together and then glue it to a 1⁄8 in (0. 32 cm) MDF backer board as normal—minus the four removed pieces. (If you’re gluing the front of the puzzle, brush glue on the four pieces individually so they’ll look the same. ) Drill pilot holes through the MDF at the four missing piece locations, then transfer these marks to the wall. Drill pilot holes into the wall and add drywall anchors (as needed). Line up the puzzle and drive screws through the pilot holes in the MDF and into the wall (or wall anchors). Lightly glue the four removed pieces into place. (Take pictures of the puzzle beforehand so you’ll know where the screws are hiding!)
If the canvas is a little bigger than your puzzle, consider painting it around the edges to add some visual flair.
Using an easel makes it easy to switch out puzzles if you’d like to rotate through several display-worthy options.
