For audiophiles, your vinyl record collection is among your most prized possessions. Whether you’ve been collecting vinyl since the days of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones or you’re newer to the game and have more brand-new colored vinyl, how you store your music makes a big difference in the longevity of your collection.
The best place to store records may be on your turntable itself, getting regular play, but what if you have to move and need temporary storage? What temperature should you store vinyl records? We delve into the specifics so your years of crate-digging doesn’t amount to a pile of melted wax.
Tips for Everyday Vinyl Record Storage
- Use Inner Sleeves to Protect Records in the Cardboard Jackets — Inner sleeves help protect the integrity of the vinyl, avoiding scratches. If possible, avoid paper sleeves in order to prevent them from slowly scratching away at the surface.
- Use an Outer Sleeve for Extra Protection — Some records may come in an outer sleeve, which provides extra protection for your vinyl. You can also purchase these outer sleeves, which eliminate dust from getting on your record while in storage. Vinyl bags can also be used for long-term protection.
- Store in Heavy Duty Plastic Rather Than Cardboard — Choose sturdy plastic crates or bins for vinyl record storage rather than cardboard. The cardboard isn’t strong enough to hold up the weight of vinyl records. You don’t want to ruin your records by having them fall out of the bottom of a cardboard box.
- Handle with Care, By the Edges — Caring for your records goes beyond how you store them. Avoid touching your records anywhere except the edges, as oils and grease your from hands can inadvertently damage the vinyl and the sound.
- Store Upright, Never Stacked — Vinyl records always need to be stored upright in order to keep them in good condition. Records stored at a slant or stacked on top of one another for an extended period of time can warp from the pressure. The weight of stacked records can also lead to cracking or scuff marks. You may also be putting your album jacket artwork at risk when stacking records.
Protecting Vinyl Records in a Storage Unit
Storing your vinyl records in the right environment will help preserve them in the long-run. If you opt to move your record collection into a storage facility, consider a climate-controlled unit. Climate-controlled storage units feature temperature regulation within a set range. This predictability means your entire record collection will be better protected from threats of extreme heat, cold, mold, mildew and dust. If you don’t choose a climate-controlled unit for long-term storage, you may end up with a pile of unplayable melted plastic.
Whether in storage or at home, vinyl records should be stored between 59 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to avoid storage in direct sunlight, as it can rapidly destroy the collection. Sunlight fades the colors in the album artwork, which you’ve probably seen on second-hand records with faded spines from years of light exposure.
Depending on where you live, humidity may also be an issue. Records should be stored in a relatively dry environment, which means you don’t want moisture-causing mold and mildew on the jacket or the record surface. At the same time, too dry of an environment can result in headache-causing static. The most stable environment is usually within 35-40% relative humidity around your record storage area.
Like in your home, having durable shelving, plastic crates and sturdy bins rather than cardboard boxes will help protect your record collection. For shelving, you’ll want something that can support 35 pounds per-square-foot.
Save the Music, Store Your Vinyl Properly
You’ve curated an awesome record collection to match your specific music taste. It’s important to protect your collection with proper storage practices. Climate-controlled storage units, which are available at many SPS locations, will help maintain the ideal vinyl record storage environment. Whether it’s the Johnny Cash “Live from Folsom Prison” album you picked out of a crate or The Head and The Heart’s “Living Mirage” album on limited-edition baby pink vinyl, your collection deserves to be stored and preserved for optimal play in the years to come.