Some puzzles are so unique and good-looking that we want to display them and perhaps even frame them and put them on the wall.
To do that, we need to use the best puzzle glue that will bond the pieces well and provide a clean, shiny finish.
In this article, we will look at the top 6 best puzzle adhesives on the market. After the reviews, you can learn more about puzzles and adhesives in our guide.
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Puzzle Glue – 6 Reviews
In this section of the article, we will present you with a list of the top 6 best glue for puzzles.
All the reviewed models work great with any kind of puzzle and will give you a shiny, clean, and durable puzzle finish.
Our Pick
Mod Podge Puzzle Saver CS15068
Mod Podge Puzzle Saver is a US-made, non-toxic adhesive for puzzles. It works wonders on every kind of puzzle type and is, overall, the best puzzle glue you can buy.
This excellent puzzle glue has been praised by thousands of users online and has been on the market for 8 years! It will hold your puzzle pieces securely and will make them inseparable!
The Mod Podge glue does a phenomenal job at filling the cracks between the puzzles. Many other brands require you to glue the backside as well, causing leakage to the front of the puzzle and ruining the looks. You only have to glue the front side of the puzzle with Mod Podge, which makes it a lot easier to work with!
The finish of your puzzle will be shiny and clear when using this glue. It is white when liquid but dries crystal clear and leaves no smears or discoloration whatsoever! It also gives your puzzle a beautiful shiny finish that will make it stand out!
The glue dries very fast, giving you a good-looking result swiftly. You won’t waste any time waiting on the adhesive to dry! If you applied too much glue or have stained an unwanted object with the glue, you can easily remove it with warm water and soap!
This glue won’t damage the puzzle pieces and is water-based, which means it isn’t toxic. You can safely work with this glue indoors without it causing a headache. The glue is very well suited for kid’s use, so you can safely have fun with your children while gluing your puzzle!
The only downside of the glue is that it doesn’t come with an applicator. This, however, isn’t that big of a problem as you can grab a cheap foam brush on Amazon here. It works great with this glue and will provide you with a professional-looking finish.
Puzzle Presto! Peel & Stick Puzzle Saver
Do you want to preserve your puzzle the quickest way possible? If you do, use the puzzle presto sticky sheets, and you’ll glue your puzzles in no time!
The advantage of using a sticky sheet is that it’s mess-free, super easy, and extra fast. The sheets can be cut to the desired size for the perfect fit.
All you have to do is turn the puzzle backward and stick the sheets to it. No mess or waiting for drying like with the glue.
With the sheets, you get 2 self-adhesive hangers. These neat accessories help you hang and display your work easier.
You can get the whole process of gluing, hanging, and displaying your puzzle done in under 10 minutes! With liquid glue, the same process can take up to 48 hours!
The 6 adhesive sheets are sufficient for a 1000 piece puzzle, and that’s what we don’t like about these sheets. You can get the puzzle glue for the same price and join 4000 puzzle pieces instead of 1000.
With that being said, it is definitely worth the money if you’re looking for a mess-free, super quick alternative for a puzzle glue.
PHILODOGS Jigsaw Puzzle Glue with Applicator
The Philodogs Puzzle Glue makes gluing a puzzle as easy as pie. The squeezing system and the applicator make this glue perfect for preserving puzzles!
This glue dries clear and doesn’t leave smear residue. The dried result is neat and shiny. The glue actually makes the colors of the puzzle pop because of its glossy finish.
The glue is perfect for children’s use since it’s non-toxic and is incredibly easy to apply. The glue is water-based PVA glue that doesn’t damage your puzzle nor makes you sick when you inhale it. It is not edible though, so supervision of the children is required.
The application of this adhesive is a breeze. All you have to do is unscrew the cap and squeeze the bottle. After that, smear the glue with an applicator and wait for it to dry.
The adhesive does a great job at filling cracks and the applicator makes this even easier. After drying, your puzzle will be rock solid and permanently bonded. The 4-ounce packaging is sufficient for gluing more than 3000 puzzle pieces.
All in all, this glue is an ideal choice for bonding puzzles. It’s super easy to apply, leaves a glossy-looking finish, and is great for kids!
RECHIATO Puzzle Glue Sheets
The Rechinato puzzle glue sheets are a great budget option for sheet gluing your puzzles.
The main advantage of this product is its affordability. You get 16 puzzle bonding sheets that are big enough to bond more than 4000 puzzle pieces! Usually, sheet bonding your puzzles turns out more expensive, but not with this model.
Besides their affordability, these sheets work excellently for gluing puzzles. They hold them securely and tightly with no weakening of the bond over time.
The process of bonding puzzles is very easy, like with all adhesive sheets. Cut the number of sheets needed, glue them to the back of the puzzle, and voila! Your puzzle is glued in less than 10 minutes with no mess!
You also get a handy accessory with the sheats, a scraper. A scraper can help you in the application of the sheats. You can easily press the sheats and adhere them to the back of the puzzle with this handy tool.
This adhesive sheet pack has great value for the price. You get the mess-free and swift application of the adhesive sheets while not breaking the bank.
PuzzleWorx Easy-On Applicator Puzzle Glue
This quick-drying easy-to-apply PuzzleWorx glue is an ideal choice for gluing puzzles.
It comes in two packs that can glue up to 3000 puzzle pieces. The bond of the glue is strong and will hold for a long, long time. You won’t have problems with pieces falling out with this adhesive.
What we really love about this adhesive is its high viscosity. It resists running and spilling, which makes the application so smooth and effortless! You won’t spill the glue over the edges like with other glue models, so you save both your glue and your time!
The drying time is for this glue is fast indeed. You can expect the glue to dry in around 60 minutes. For maximum strength, the glued puzzle should be left undisturbed for 24 hours.
When dried, the finish looks outstanding! The colors of the puzzle become more vibrant and the whole picture gets a shiny look. The glue doesn’t damage the puzzle pieces and dries crystal clear with no ugly residue color left.
The PuzzleWorx glue isn’t toxic and is great for use indoors. No nausea or headaches will be caused by this glue, even when working in areas that are not well ventilated.
This glue makes the results look expert-like. Just go for it, and you won’t be sorry!
MasterPieces Jigsaw Puzzle Glue
The MasterPieces puzzle glue not only glues your puzzle perfectly but makes it look even better than before!
This glue dries transparently clear and doesn’t interfere with the look of your puzzle. The dried finish is glossy and gives your puzzle a nice shiny look.
The consistency of this adhesive is great for easy application. The high viscosity feels gel-like and makes the spreading of the glue much more accurate and less wasteful. You won’t be spilling the glue over the edges with this adhesive!
The quick-drying time is another property that we like on this puzzle glue. You won’t have to wait half a day just to touch your puzzle after gluing. This will make you finish your work much faster than with most of the other puzzle adhesives.
The applicator that comes with the glue is a very useful accessory. It helps to spread the glue easily and fill in all the cracks with the right amount of glue. The glued puzzle will stay rock solid for a long time with this glue.
One thing that makes a lot of people turn to other puzzle adhesives is the price of this glue. It’s definitely on the higher side, but the quality of this glue justifies the price tag. It’s above and beyond the most puzzle adhesives.
What To Look For When Choosing Puzzle Glue
In this section of the article, we will share the most important factors to look at when you shop for puzzle glue.
Type Of Glue
The only glue that really works for gluing the puzzles is the PVA glue. This is what many refer to as white glue, crafting glue, paper glue, or the Elmer’s glue.
The unique properties of this glue make it perfect for gluing sensitive puzzle pieces without distorting them or altering their looks. What are exactly those properties?
Well, first of all, it dries crystal clear. This is maybe the most important feature of puzzle glue since you want to preserve the looks of your puzzle when gluing it. The PVA glue is known not to leave colored residue and doesn’t tend to change colors after time.
Next, the PVA glue is not toxic. It’s very gentle and doesn’t destroy materials like polyurethane or epoxy adhesives tend to. It won’t destroy or curl the puzzles.
Because it isn’t toxic it’s great for indoor use, and since we will most likely glue the puzzle inside of the house, this is a great feature. The fumes won’t make you sick like with cyanoacrylate-based glues or epoxies. Because of that, it’s also safe for children’s use, although it isn’t edible.
Another feature that makes PVA glue suitable for bonding puzzles is the quick and easy removal of the glue. Stronger and harsher adhesives require strong solvents like acetone to remove the dried residue. That kind of removal would most likely destroy the puzzle.
But with PVA adhesives, the removal can be done with only hot water and soap. The water and soap aren’t harmful to the puzzles, so this is yet another advantage of PVA glue for this type of application.
So, don’t use any type of glue but PVA. It’s not worth it and will destroy your puzzle.
Viscosity
Using PVA glue is a must, but not all adhesives have the same consistency or thickness. The viscosity or resistance of the fluid to flow will determine how easy the glue is to apply.
We always recommend going for high viscosity puzzle adhesives. They don’t run, don’t spill, and are just so much easier to work with.
The high viscosity glue also gives you more open work time with the adhesive and doesn’t dry too quickly.
Drying
What happens when the glue dries is super important when it comes to gluing puzzles. We want a fast, clear, and shiny drying adhesive for our puzzles.
The drying time of the adhesive will determine how fast will you finish your work. We recommend going for puzzle adhesives that have a drying time of under 60 minutes.
A crystal clear drying color is a must for bonding puzzles. Any discoloration of the dried glue will completely ruin the result.
Apart from clear drying, try to look for glue that leaves a shiny finish and accentuates the colors of your puzzle.
Combining the quick, clear, and glossy drying of the adhesive you choose will give you a swift and beautiful result. That’s why it’s worth paying attention to.
Application
The application of the glue is almost as important as the glue itself.
A puzzle glue should be applied with a foam brush or an applicator that comes with the glue.
If you don’t use a proper tool for spreading the glue, you can avoid filling the cracks in the puzzle pieces making the bond weak and unstable.
Looking for a glue that comes with an applicator might be a wise choice.
How To Glue Puzzles
Let’s go over the process of gluing your puzzle. You will need puzzle glue, wax paper, and an applicator.
- Clean the surface of the puzzle to remove any dust, debris, hairs, or oils that can prevent successful adhesion.
- Place the wax paper beneath the puzzle by sliding it below. The wax paper will protect the table or the surface that the puzzle is positioned on.
- Pour the glue in the middle of the puzzle and start carefully spreading the glue toward the edges. Avoid using too much glue when you come near the edges to avoid spillage. Make sure to fill the gaps as much as possible since we want all the glue to go there.
- Remove the excess glue that is left on the surface of the puzzle with an applicator. The excess glue may cause the puzzle to curl or become wavy. The finish should look glossy, if it looks matte, too much glue was applied.
- Leave the puzzle undisturbed for 24 hours to ensure the maximum strength of the bonded puzzle pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best glue to use for puzzles?
The best glue to use for puzzles is PVA glue. Most of the quality PVA glues that dry clear and have high viscosity will work well. We recommend Mod Podge or any other model reviewed in the article.
Do you glue the front or back of a puzzle?
Most commonly, you will glue only the front of a puzzle, although gluing the back won’t do any harm.
Some people like to glue both the front and the back of a puzzle to ensure the strongest possible bond.
How do you keep a puzzle together without glue?
The best way to glue a puzzle without glue is to use adhesive puzzle sheets. The sheets are a quick and mess-free way to bond your puzzle. Check out the recommended puzzle adhesive sheets in this article for more information.
Conclusion
That about covers it for all you need to know about puzzle glue. It’s a pretty simple process if done correctly.
Make sure to use the high-grade puzzle glue like the ones we reviewed in the article and follow our directions on gluing the puzzle.
If you did all that, you’ll have no trouble gluing your puzzle successfully!
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