Building or Repairing a Snow Globe: Mistakes You Should Avoid – A Tutorial

As a leading online shop for snow globes and DIY snow globe kits, we receive many questions from customers about the "dos and don'ts" of building or repairing them. We have created a video covering the most common mistakes.

Mistake No. 1: Issues with the Interior

Let’s start with the interior of the globe. This is where most mistakes happen. If you look at professionally made snow globes, you will notice that the figures are always mounted on a wide base. There is a good reason for this.

If you glue several figures directly onto the rubber stopper, they tend to detach quickly as soon as you push the rubber into the globe. If you want to integrate multiple figures, you must first mount them on a solid plate (made of FIMO, for example). This plate should be slightly smaller than the surface of the rubber stopper.

Another mistake is choosing an object that is too large. The object should take up about 60% of the globe's circumference. Because of the water, it will appear larger later on. If it is too big, it will look as if the object is bumping into the top of the glass.

Mistake No. 2: Persistent Air Bubbles

Air bubbles are a common problem when building snow globes. While they can be syringed out later, they sometimes keep returning. A frequent cause for this is leftover "snow" trapped between the rubber and the glass. This prevents a perfect seal, allowing air to seep back in. Therefore, rinse the rubber stopper under running water to ensure no snow particles remain.

Using the wrong ingredients in the water is another mistake. In addition to the glitter or snow, you should add some water clarifier and 1–2 drops of dish soap to the distilled water. The clarifier prevents the water from becoming cloudy or stagnant, while the dish soap breaks the surface tension, ensuring the snow or glitter distributes evenly throughout the globe.

Mistake No. 3: Improper Insertion

When pushing the rubber stopper into the glass, twisting it can cause the object to detach from the rubber. It is best to hold the rubber only by the edges and press it very slowly and gradually into the glass. Only at the very end should you use a syringe at the edge to remove the remaining air bubble.

Mistake No. 4: Gluing the Globe into the Base

Many mistakes are made when gluing the globe into the base. First, you should use a glue that is as viscous (thick) as possible. Apply the glue only to the inner rim of the base—ideally in thick dots. These dots must be large enough to reach the globe, but not so large that the glue oozes out over the top.

Mistake No. 5: The Music Box Rusts

If you plan to install a music box into the base, you must let the adhesive between the globe and the base dry completely before gluing the music box in. Otherwise, any moisture trapped inside the base can attack the music box, causing it to start rusting.