Although the back of your picture in a competition will not be judged, having a nice finish on the back as well as the ends, sides and front gives a nice touch to the finished article As with other aspects of marquetry there is no correct way of covering the base board but the sequence that most marquetarians use is the BEST method! Think Best, Ends, Sides and lastly Top. . Unless you are using multi-layered edges which you want to be seen from the front it is advisable to lay the top or front of the picture last. By doing this the picture will overlap the edge veneer which will not then be viewed from the front. When preparing the back, ends, side and top ensure you have a slight overlap all round. This can be removed once the veneers have been glued in position.

Before gluing or laying the picture down ensure that the baseboard is 'keyed'. This means scoring the surface with a rough piece of glasspaper. By doing this the glue will have a better surface to stick too. Once the surface has been `keyed' remove any dust that remains. What glue should be used? If you are lucky enough to have the use of a press, 'Cascamite' or one of the white wood glues are very good and provide an exceptional bond, otherwise it is advisable to use a contact adhesive like 'Thixofix'. It is worthwhile experimenting with different glues to find the one acceptable to you. I will suggest, though, that the beginner uses 'Thixofix' to start with. Please remember that the fumes can be quite toxic so use in a well ventilated room, shed or garage otherwise the smell will permeate the house. THE BACK If using 'Thixofix' firstly coat all surfaces of the baseboard and one side of the backing veneer. Do not coat too thickly, and allow to completely dry for at least 24 hours. During this time do not allow the surfaces to come together. The instructions on the tin state that the properties of the glue allow for repositioning. Don't you believe it! Once the surfaces come into contact with each other it is virtually impossible to separate them without using heat to melt the glue. Even applying heat will inevitably cause damage. If there are any glue lumps on the veneer or base board, clean them of before going any further otherwise they will show through the veneer. This first coat of glue acts as a sealer and stops the next coat from being absorbed by the wood. Don't apply glue to the borders and stringers yet. After 24 hours give the back of the base board and the backing veneer a second thin coat. Keep the glued side of the veneer uppermost and allow both to become touch dry. When touch dry place two laths of wood across the veneer, one no more than two inches from the top and the second about halfway down. These should be of sufficient thickness and distance apart to stop the veneer from touching the board when the two surfaces are brought together. Position the board on the laths and ensure that it is central. Bring the top edge into contact with the board. (remember, once the contact has been made, treat as permanently stuck.) Carefully invert the whole lot. Support the bottom of the veneer with one hand and remove the laths, top one first. Gently press the surfaces together starting from the top working from the middle to the sides until the veneer is completely stuck down. Then roll it completely flat using hard pressure with a wallpaper roller or cork block. This should remove any air trapped underneath the veneer. Any places that are not stuck properly will make a sort of 'tssk, tssk' noise. If you have a press, leave it pressed down overnight. Do not rush this process as it is essential that the work is firmly glued otherwise it may well start lifting in the future.