A wooden puzzle experience is richer (and a bit trickier!) than your average cardboard-made one. Wooden puzzles are a sensorial experience with their heavier and thicker pieces, campfire scent due to the laser-cut process and they end up either heirlooms passed throughout generations or displayed on a wall.
Here are some of the tricks and tips we've learned so far:
- Start by choosing a big enough, flat workspace. Reuse a cardboard box and use it as your base so that you can easily flip the wooden puzzle once is finished. A sturdy material that is easy to lift and transport comes in handy if you need to hide the unfinished work of art underneath the bed or sofa!
- Flip all pieces upwards. While you do sort in groups. We like to sort by color, edges, and special patterns.
- If your wooden puzzle will take you days, grab a couple of small plastic containers from the kitchen and store one group per container.
- Be patient and enjoy the process. A wooden puzzle is the most perfect digital detox for you and your loved ones.
One of the interesting benefits of using wood to manufacture a puzzle is that you won't need to invest a hefty fortune on glass while framing it. The hard and resistant MDF boards won't absorb humidity and can easily be wiped down with a rag. To frame your wooden puzzle you will need:
- Two cardboards. Sandwich your puzzle.
- Transparent duct tape. Secure the cardboard. Make sure they are super tight before attempting to flip.
- A friend. A helping hand to make sure you flip it in one movement while pressing both cardboards together.
- A clean surface to work.
- Glue for puzzles OR... our favorite: MORE TRANSPARENT DUCT TAPE!. Follow the glue instructions if you decide to go that route, remember to use a brush. You will be applying it directly to the bottom. Less is more!. Let dry and hang it on the wall, stick it to a board, have fun the possibilities are endless.
- If you are practical and rather impatient you should try the duct tape route. Start applying stripes, go from one side to the other, or work by zones. If you are a bit of a perfectionist you will want to make sure there is NO spacing between pieces. It takes a bit of practice but it works beautifully. Make sure it is a strong quality tape that will hold. Use double side tape to hang on the wall or stick into an MDF board.
We hope this helps, can't wait to see the end result.
Have a look at our wooden puzzle collections HERE.
Every day I'm puzzling...
