MasterPieces Puzzle Glue with Wide Plastic Spreader Easy to Apply Dries Quick and Clear Protects Finished Jigsaw Puzzles

This glue was easy to use on my puzzles, spread well, and dried clear. The applicator included worked well also. The glue held well as I placed my puzzles into their frames. One bottle had leaked a little in the package and made a little mess, but everything else was fine Read more

This glue is absolutely remarkable. It is incredibly clear and dries fully transparent with a nice glossy shine. I've seen a number of complaints from other reviewers that I'd like to respond to, as I think they were quite unfair: 1. Complaints that this glue is messy -- Actually, assuming you take proper precautions (see below) this glue is definitely NOT messy and is super easy and clean to apply. All you do is pour the glue in the middle, then spread it around using the included paddle/scraper, which you can then throw away. No need to buy a paintbrush or other tool, nothing gets on your fingers, no issues at all. I don't see how this can qualify as messy. The glue itself is quite thick, so it also isn't going to get runny and go places it shouldn't. I think people aren't being careful and are somehow spreading the glue beyond the edges of the puzzle. That's not the manufacturer's fault. The glue is so thick it is quite easy to control. I've glued several puzzles and never had more than a single drop go over the side. 2. Complaints that the glue will seep between the puzzle pieces -- Why is this a surprise? Did you think your puzzle pieces were waterproof/airtight? The glue is obviously liquid (though it is pretty thick and viscous), so how can you possibly blame the glue manufacturer for the gaps between pieces in your puzzle? That said, I have never had a problem with glue seeping through (partly because I buy quality German puzzles with tight-fitting pieces, and partly because I put wax paper underneath the puzzle before gluing). 3. Complaints that the glue will glue your puzzle to table/paper/cardboard underneath -- This is related to the above, with glue either seeping through or people spreading glue beyond the puzzle, so that drips of glue run over the size. And, yes, if you do that, then if you don't put a non-stick surface (like waxed paper) underneath, the glue will stick to it. Again, why is this a surprise? Frankly, anyone who has ever done any gluing knows you need to be careful with what surface you are working on. I tape 2 strips of waxed paper together, slide the waxed paper gently under my puzzle, then apply the glue. Never had a problem. 4. Complaints that the glue will cause the puzzle to curl or become wavy -- Again, this isn't the glue's fault. It is inherent in the gluing process. Frankly, this glue doesn't create as much of an issue as I would have expected, provided you take proper precautions. Curling is caused when glue isn't spread evenly. As the glue dries, there is a little bit of shrinkage, and if different puzzle pieces or sections shrink by different amounts on a tiny, tiny scale, then you get some curling. So the most important thing is to spread the glue evenly. You also want to avoid spreading it on too thick, as that can also lead to uneven drying. If, after being careful, you do wind up with some curling, it is easy to fix. First, let the glue dry several days until the surface is no longer sticky or tacky. Second, flip the puzzle over and place it face down on a couple of sheets of waxed paper. Third, stack heavy books or other flat objects on the back of the puzzle, and wait a few days. After that, the puzzle should be nicely flat. 5. Complaints the glue doesn't cover as much as it should -- This is actually a fair complaint. Each bottle says it contains enough glue for 2-1000 piece puzzles. Ultimately, it isn't really about the number of puzzle pieces, but the size or area of the puzzle that you need to cover. Without indicating how much area the glue covers, the 1000 piece number is meaningless. In practice, I have found that I need BOTH bottles in order to cover ONE SIDE ONLY of a Ravensburger 1,000 piece 27" x 20" puzzle. That works out to 540 square inches for both bottles, or 270 square inches per bottle. A few tips: A. Tape two strips of waxed paper together, then gently slide them under your puzzle with a back-and-forth sawing motion. B. I find it easier to pour the glue into two "pools" (one in the middle of each half of the puzzle), rather than a single puddle in the middle, then spread from there. C. Since the glue is quite thick, it takes a while for all of it to dribble out of the bottle. I like to hold the bottle over the edges of the puzzle and let it drip around the outside edge of the puzzle. This makes it easier to ensure the edges get enough glue. D. Related to (C)...make sure the edges get enough glue!!! Seriously, it is easy to think you have the edges covered, but then when it dries you realize you didn't go quite to the edge and now some pieces are loose. E. After applying the glue, look at the puzzle from different angles or inspect with a flashlight to make sure you covered all of the puzzle with glue. This stuff is so clear, it can be hard to tell where it was applied and where no. I use the different light angles to try and spot differences in the amount of gloss. Wherever the puzzle is slightly matte, I know I need to spread some glue there. F. Ummm...don't spread glue beyond the edge of the puzzle. G. Let the glue dry for a few days before touching or moving. H. After it is dry, flip the puzzle over and glue the back. I just paint on a thin layer of Modge Podge, because I have it on hand and it is fairly cheap. You don't need to buy more of this puzzle glue for the back. No one will see the back and it would frankly be overkill. One more thing: there is absolutely no comparison between glossy Modge Podge and this stuff. This puzzle glue is 100x better and makes the glossy Modge Podge seem dull and hazy by comparison! Hope this helps, Adam Read more

The glue applied smoothly, dries clear, and holds the puzzle pieces together very well. The wide spreader makes application easy and helps distribute the glue evenly without making a huge mess. My only complaint is the quantity. One jar seems to cover about one and a half medium-sized puzzle, so if you plan on preserving multiple puzzles, you’ll probably need to buy more than one jar. This pack does happen to come with 2 jars. Read more

This product was very easy to apply with the provided applicator. It did an awesome job holding the puzzle together. I used it in both sides. Dried clear and quick. Looks great in the frame! Read more

Clear, complete directions are needed. Although the drying time is too long, the finished product was very good. Read more

The glue works well, and gives the top of the puzzle a glossy finish. Just make sure to have a flashlight handy when spreading it, as sometimes it’s hard to see and you want even coverage. And at least for me, I had about five minutes before the glue started to set. And if you push on set glue it can clump. Do the entire puzzle at once not in sections. I had a 1500 piece project. Overall excellent product and the value was great. I detected no odors or vapors. I will use it again. Read more

It easily covered both sides of a 550 piece, 18"x24" puzzle with a bit left over. I recommend either using a flashlight or applying in a bright room so you can use it to see which parts are covered well. I just simply poured in the center of the puzzle but it would have probably been better to use smaller puddles throughout the puzzle or poured in a spiraled fashion since some of my edge pieces were a bit lose after gluing only the front. It was definitely easier to apply to the back of the puzzle because you could easily see which areas had less glue based on the color of the paper backing. It made the front of the puzzle a bit more glossy but it did not look bad on my puzzle. Based on the complaints here are some of my thoughts: Use wax paper underneath your puzzle because it does seep through the cracks. I only had 1 place where a decent bit got through but it was easily separated from the wax paper and I used the cheapest wax paper I found on amazon. Do NOT use newspaper or poster board. Mine did not leave any air bubbles, I didn't apply the glue for a day or two after I received it which might have helped it settle out any air bubbles from transport. I found the spreader was enough to get it in all the cracks, you need to pour it kind of thick though. I pushed any excess off the sides. It wasn't really that messy as long as you use wax paper below it with a 2"-3" border around the puzzle. Any glue that I got on my hands dried very quickly and was off within a minute of scrubbing. I could simply peel some of it off by the time I finished applying. I picked my puzzle up after ~8 hours of drying and with application only to the front and it held together very nicely. There were a few loose spots but the application to the back should fix it. Don't fidget with the puzzle until it has dried for a few hours. Just apply the glue and walk away. I would definitely recommend getting 2 bottles for a 1000 piece puzzle if this is your first time doing something like this, it was my first time and I had some areas I didn't cover too well and areas where I pushed some excess off the sides. You will probably waste some, use too much, or need to re-coat. It seemed like you would need to be very efficient for both sides of a 1000 piece puzzle only using 1 bottle. Mine curled very slightly in a few of the corners but it was most likely due to differences in the amount of glue from the center since I poured only in the center. They seemed like it would flatten out if you covered the puzzle and left some weight on it, like books, for a few hours. They were not curled enough to the point were I wouldn't frame it. My application to the back is currently drying, if it causes any other damage or problems I will update this review Read more

Great glue, kept my Harry Potter puzzles together very well and it dries clear Read more