Care
How to store vinyl records so they last
Upright, snug, cool and out of the sun: the storage habits that prevent warps, ring wear and split seams.
Records are tough enough to outlive the people who first bought them, but only if they're stored properly. Nearly all storage damage comes from four things: pressure, heat, moisture and dust.
Store them upright
Keep records standing vertically, like books. Records stacked flat put the weight of everything above onto the ones at the bottom. That weight presses the disc's outline into the jacket, a mark called ring wear, and over time it can warp the vinyl itself.
Upright doesn't mean leaning. A half-empty shelf where records slump at an angle puts uneven pressure on them, and that causes warps too. Fill the shelf or use a sturdy divider or bookend, so records stand straight and snug without being crammed in. You should be able to pull one out without a fight.
Keep them cool, dry and out of the sun
- Heat is the enemy. A record left in a hot car, by a radiator or on a sunny windowsill can warp in an afternoon.
- Direct sunlight also fades jackets and labels.
- Humidity invites mould on jackets and inner sleeves. Damp basements and attics with big temperature swings are the worst places for records. Somewhere around room temperature with moderate, steady humidity is ideal, and that's roughly what a comfortable living room gives you.
Sleeves: inner and outer
Old paper inner sleeves shed fibres and can scuff the playing surface every time a record slides in or out. Poly-lined or archival inner sleeves are cheap and are among the best upgrades you can buy. If an original printed inner sleeve has artwork or lyrics, keep it, and store it next to the record in the outer sleeve.
A clear outer sleeve protects the jacket from shelf wear, dust and ring wear. Choose polyethylene or polypropylene. Avoid old PVC sleeves, which can give off chemicals over the years.
Many collectors store the record in its inner sleeve behind the jacket, inside the outer sleeve, rather than inside the jacket. That way the record never presses against the jacket seams, and the seams don't split.
Shrink wrap
Original shrink wrap, especially with a hype sticker on it, can add to a record's appeal. Old shrink wrap can also tighten over time and bow the jacket. A common compromise is to slit the shrink along the opening edge, so the record slides in and out without stress, and leave the rest of it on.
Shelving
Records are heavy, often heavier than you'd guess. A hundred LPs can easily weigh more than 20 kg (45 lb). Use shelving built for the load, with at least 33 cm (13 inches) of internal height for LPs, and anchor tall units to the wall.
Handling
- Hold records by the edge and the label, and keep fingers off the playing surface.
- Put a record back in its sleeve as soon as it's done playing. Don't leave it lying on the platter or stacked on other records.
- Slide records in and out of the jacket gently. That's where most seam splits start.