4 ms·

Plywood is really good. MDF is also an option. But for the size of 9.000 pieces even some sturdy paper (old posters or calendar sheets) can be good enough as a

by adornKey 11mo ago

Plywood is really good. MDF is also an option. But for the size of 9.000 pieces even some sturdy paper (old posters or calendar sheets) can be good enough as a base. With good glue (e.g. some latex binder) the jigsaw puzzle will already be quite stable on its own. Having a soft base helps when transporting. I once had to move a 9.000 piece puzzle - and without some bending it would have been difficult getting it into the car. For the biggest jigsaws out there it gets difficult to find a good wall for it. Weight and bending of wood or MDF can become an issue. And even some walls are not as flat as they look like...

JKCalhoun 11mo ago
For stability I would go with an expensive multi-ply 1/4" plywood. Not your big-box plywood, I'm talking the high-end cabinet-maker type of plywood (Euro-ply, Apple Ply, etc.).
- mauvehaus 11mo ago
  Honestly, if you aren't planning on making a regular thing of it, MDF is probably a better choice. It's more stable than even multi-ply, and cheaper too. The ply wins on edge and corner durability though. On the third hand, MDF from e.g. Home Depot is pretty crap. If you're already going to a better lumberyard, maybe the ply is worth the additional dollars now that you've gone to the trouble of finding a better lumberyard. Further considerations: Multi-ply is frequently available in 5'x5' sheets and can be tough to find in 4'x8's. MDF is universally 49"x97" (so you can net a 4'x8' after accounting for the dinged up edges). The size of your puzzle may inform your choice. Home Depot et al. will usually cut a sheet to size on their panel saw. Your local lumberyard may or may not be interested in doing so for a small order. Home Depot et al. generally aren't interested in delivering for an even half reasonable price if they do it at all. A real lumberyard might be willing to do so, though it's unlikely to be cheap for a single sheet order ($25 for an order under $500, last I needed a delivery. Cheaper than owning a truck or van for me). They also usually dispatch trucks on a schedule. Mine goes north on Tuesdays and south on Thursdays, for example. Plan ahead and don't expect your stuff to show up like Amazon packages the next day.
  - adornKey 11mo ago
    MDF was also my choice for my largest gluing project. I needed about 7m² for the 24.000 Educa. MDF is cheap and easily available in big sizes. I'd use Plywood for things <1m², it looks nice. For the 9.000s I always used paper for the backside (old calendars are a good source for big sheets with excellent quality). Using one wooden lath at the top was enough to ensure stability for a 18.000. The 9.000s didn't need that - just paper and a bit of duct-tape on the backside were enough.

JKCalhoun 11mo ago

For stability I would go with an expensive multi-ply 1/4" plywood. Not your big-box plywood, I'm talking the high-end cabinet-maker type of plywood (Euro-ply, Apple Ply, etc.).

mauvehaus 11mo ago
Honestly, if you aren't planning on making a regular thing of it, MDF is probably a better choice. It's more stable than even multi-ply, and cheaper too. The ply wins on edge and corner durability though. On the third hand, MDF from e.g. Home Depot is pretty crap. If you're already going to a better lumberyard, maybe the ply is worth the additional dollars now that you've gone to the trouble of finding a better lumberyard. Further considerations: Multi-ply is frequently available in 5'x5' sheets and can be tough to find in 4'x8's. MDF is universally 49"x97" (so you can net a 4'x8' after accounting for the dinged up edges). The size of your puzzle may inform your choice. Home Depot et al. will usually cut a sheet to size on their panel saw. Your local lumberyard may or may not be interested in doing so for a small order. Home Depot et al. generally aren't interested in delivering for an even half reasonable price if they do it at all. A real lumberyard might be willing to do so, though it's unlikely to be cheap for a single sheet order ($25 for an order under $500, last I needed a delivery. Cheaper than owning a truck or van for me). They also usually dispatch trucks on a schedule. Mine goes north on Tuesdays and south on Thursdays, for example. Plan ahead and don't expect your stuff to show up like Amazon packages the next day.
- adornKey 11mo ago
  MDF was also my choice for my largest gluing project. I needed about 7m² for the 24.000 Educa. MDF is cheap and easily available in big sizes. I'd use Plywood for things <1m², it looks nice. For the 9.000s I always used paper for the backside (old calendars are a good source for big sheets with excellent quality). Using one wooden lath at the top was enough to ensure stability for a 18.000. The 9.000s didn't need that - just paper and a bit of duct-tape on the backside were enough.