How Does A Puzzle Mat Work

Puzzles are great stress relievers. But sometimes it gets inconvenient when you are not done with it, but you need to pack it away or move to a different location. Then eventually, you get to lose some of the puzzle pieces. Good thing puzzle mats exist. Let us find out how does a puzzle mat work.

Conveniently Pack Your Puzzles Away 

Puzzle mats come in different materials. They can be made of cloth, rubber or plastic. How does a puzzle mat work? Well, it gives you the convenience of moving or packing your unfinished puzzle work without dismantling what you have already put together. It is also best for storing your puzzle pieces, making sure that the other pieces will not get lost. Here are the very easy steps on how to use puzzle mats.

1. Lay the puzzle mat on a flat surface, like the table or floor.
2. Start building your puzzle on top of the mat.
3. In case you need to put it away, simply roll up the mat with the puzzles in it.
4. If you want to start working with your puzzles again, just roll out the mat back, and you will see that your previous unfinished puzzle work would still be intact.
5. Continue working on your unfinished puzzle.

Make Your Own Puzzle Mat

If you do not want to spend money to purchase a puzzle mat, you can also make one with just three materials.

What you need:

• Tube – You can use a PVC pipe, or if you have an empty cardboard tube lying around, you can use that too.
  
• Felt cloth
  
• Rubber band

What to do:

1. Get your cut felt cloth, and lay it on the floor or on the table.
   
2. Cut the felt cloth depending on the size you need. If you work most of the time with big-sized puzzles, you can cut a wide piece of felt cloth. But if you are into small or regular size puzzles, you won't need a bigger cloth.
   
3. Once you have the appropriate cut of felt cloth, put away the extra fabric, and start working with your puzzle on top.
   
4. When you want to put away the puzzle, put the PVC pipe at one end on the felt cloth.
   
5. Slowly and carefully roll up the felt cloth with your puzzles around the PVC pipe.
   
6. When your puzzle is all rolled up, grab a rubber band and put it around the rolled-up fabric. The rubber band will make sure that the rolled-up cloth will not unroll and will help keep your puzzles intact.
   
7. Now you can freely move or store your DIY rolled-up puzzle mat.
   

Conclusion

A puzzle mat is not really a need. But if you are a puzzle enthusiast and would like to make things convenient and organized, then a puzzle mat will benefit you. You can also make yourself one.