Set-up
Plug your iron in, set it to medium (150–170°C / wool setting on most irons), and let it fully heat up. Lay your finished pegboard on a flat, heat-tolerant surface. Cover the beads with a sheet of parchment or perler ironing paper — never iron the beads directly.
First pass
Press lightly and move the iron in slow circles. After 15–20 seconds you'll see the bead tops start to merge. Lift the iron, peel the paper carefully (it'll be a little sticky) and check coverage. Most patterns need a second pass to fully fuse the bead bottoms once you flip the whole piece.
Flip and finish
Once cool enough to handle (~30 seconds), peel the fused piece off the pegboard and flip. Iron the back side through fresh parchment for the same time. The result should be a flat, slightly glossy panel with each bead clearly recognisable but bonded to its neighbours.
Common mistakes
• Too hot — beads fully melt into a puddle. Reduce heat. • Too cool — beads pop apart when you peel them. Increase time. • Sliding the iron — drags beads sideways. Always lift, reposition, then press. • No parchment — plastic sticks to the iron sole and ruins both. Always use a heat-resistant paper layer.