What to do with a Finished Jigsaw

Jigsaw puzzles are a great game. You can solve them by yourself or with a group and there's no competition unless someone hides a piece from you. Everyone works together to put the picture together and usually some fun conversation takes place around a puzzle. But after you've spent countless hours finding a place for every piece what do you do with your finished puzzle?

Gluing a puzzle is a great way to save your jigsaw accomplishment. Puzzle glues can be found in retail stores and online. Slide a piece of baking paper, thin plastic or some other sturdy material under the jigsaw puzzle to prevent the puzzle from sticking to the table you are working on. Evenly coat the surface of the puzzle in multiple thin coats, getting in all of the little nooks and crannies. Applying too much glue at once may cause the puzzle to swell and the picture may start peeling off of the puzzle pieces. If the edges of the jigsaw begin to curl, flip the puzzle over to the unfinished side and apply glue. The puzzle will usually return to its flat shape once the glue has dried. Make sure you read the label of the glue that you purchase. Remember that not every puzzle glue is the same and each will recommend how many pieces it will cover.

Now that you have your glued jigsaw puzzle, how should you display it? The most common way to display a jigsaw is to put it in a frame. Most jigsaw puzzles come in standard sizes so finding a frame shouldn't be too difficult if you go to a craft and framing store. Once your jigsaw puzzle is in a frame, hang it up wherever you like!

The most common thing to do with a finished puzzle is to break up the pieces and put the jigsaw back in the box after you're done admiring your hard work. Nothing beats keeping your favorite puzzle around so you can solve it again on another day.

Happy puzzling!