What Are Custom Photo Puzzles Made Of?
By Giftenova Team – Last updated August 26, 2026
A custom photo puzzle is printed in high resolution on thick, puzzle-grade card stock die-cut into standard interlocking pieces, with a matte finish. It ships in a custom gift box made of full-color cardboard with your photo on the lid; the 99-piece pocket version ships in a mailer tube instead.
The Puzzle Itself
Your photo is UV printed directly onto 1.5 mm blue puzzle board, then die cut into interlocking pieces. The printed surface has a matte finish, and the reverse has a blue/grayish backing. Our guide to jigsaw puzzle board types explains what the board terminology means, while the thickness guide answers how thick jigsaw puzzle pieces are.
Fresh die-cut edges can leave a little fiber in the box; why puzzles have dust explains what is normal. For the broader production paths, see how jigsaw puzzles are made.
The Box and Tube
The packaging is cardboard and is tied to the piece count you choose:
100 XL, 500, and 1000 pieces: a custom full-color gift box with your photo printed on the lid.
99 pieces: a mailer tube, to keep the pocket size small and card-friendly.
What are photo block puzzles made of?
One product in the range is built differently: photo block puzzles use a brick-and-baseplate format, with printed tiles that snap onto a baseplate rather than die-cut card-stock jigsaw pieces. See the photo block puzzle guide if that is the format you are looking at.
Related Information
For the finish specifically, see are custom photo puzzles matte or glossy. For how the piece counts compare on size and solve time, see our photo puzzle piece count guide, or browse the full range of custom photo puzzles.