The invention relates to a process for producing printed circuit boards with solder pads which are to be provided with a solder deposit and which are initially surrounded by a boundary layer of defined thickness which prevents soldering; the printed circuit board is then introduced into a solder bath in which the regions to be soldered are covered with a sealing element; when the printed circuit board is removed from the bath, the covering achieves a separation of the enclosed volumes of solder from the liquid solder in the dipping bath or in the soldering chamber, appropriate volumes of solder being defined in the cavities above the solder pads. Compared with the prior art, this has the advantage that the covering can be carried out by simple means and the process of forming the solder pads can be carried out separately from the actual dip soldering operation.