LP Storage Units for Regular Access

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Njord Noatun

Super Member
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This thread is not about permanent storage of LPs; it is about how to store the LPs you keep out on regular rotation.

In the record store, they use cardboard boxes, approx. 13" wide: The jacket is facing the customer, and with a flick of a finger, he can leaf through records at high speed and with very little jacket wear.

Contrast that with a home setup where you keep the records, spine out, on a shelf. To access an album, you need to:

  • Put your index finger on the top corner and tilt the album out, putting pressure on the lower corner.
  • Grab the album and slide it out on the lower seam and against the faces of the adjacent albums.
  • If it is not the album you want, slide it back in again.
  • Repeat as needed.

The latter method is not only slow and inefficient, it also creates all kinds of wear issues on sleeve corners, faces and seams.

Does anyone know of LP storage devices that provide the face-out benefits of the "record store box", but at the same time has enough WAF to be presentable, say in a living room setting?
 
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At a local record store they have bins set up as you say, made out of particle board.

I've thought often of measuring them and building one. You could easily subsitute nice wood for particle board.

It's still a record bin though! I've also considered putting a hinged lid on one so they would either be a kinda buffet table or built-in look bench.

Pete
 
Does anyone know of LP storage devices that provide the face-out benefits of the "record store box", but at the same time has enough WAF to be presentable, say in a living room setting?
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Well, that is a tall order. I have seen it done on HGTV, so what I describe is from memory.

One of those designer shows featured a couple and the husband had lots of LPs (cool guy) while his wife loathed them (twit). The designer was hired to redo either their living room or family room. What he did was build a shelf system (i.e. Built Ins) that covered the entire wall/side of the house. There was some room for books, a vase, etc. But the majority was made for the LPs.

He built slots that I guess were 13' x 13'. And then inside the slots went these drawers/bins that held the records so that you could pull out the drawer and flip through them. When you closed the drawer, you could barely tell there were LPs stored. Very, very tasteful.

An ambitious project, Sigurd. But you seem to be pretty adept at woodworking. Good luck.:thmbsp:
 
I got 2 of these at walmart a while back for half price. It's a 13" cube trunk. They look nice and they are stackable but are somewhat expensive. The inside is cloth lined also.
Here's a thread I made when I bought them. There are a few pics in it.
 
I use one of those Ikea bookshelves. In addition I started putting the albums in poly sleeves which make for easy and protective sliding in and out. I also don't pack them in tightly. I'm getting dividers to alphabetically organize them too. Since I can also see the titles on the spine I don't have to flip through them. Works for me.
 
You could easily invert a rubbermaid shelf used in closet applications to mimmick the record store format with the albums facing forward...
 

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This is all so much personal preference, but if you’re looking for something ready-made and want to cycle 25-30 lps to your “on deck” circle, old fashioned magazine racks are pretty tasteful looking.

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If you loose pack 70 or so LPs into one of the open-design record table/racks, these can work pretty smoothly. Just grab 20 or so and pull them out halfway, then just flick ‘em back in one at a time.

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Most of the time, I like setting up a row and leaning them against a chair leg. If I’ve got a big night with friends on tap, I’ll set up about 50 to 70 this way. Everybody can flip through them with ease.

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Then there’s Andyman’s vinyl transport boxes, they definitely make a statement.

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If you’re serious about building record store type bins, consider incorporating some kind of wedge that can bring your LPs back to vertical after leafing through them. Maybe I’m just paranoid with summer coming and that four-letter word that begins with “W”.

- Mario
 
MAXZ28 said:
You could easily invert a rubbermaid shelf used in closet applications to mimmick the record store format with the albums facing forward...
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Thats what I have.
 

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I've always said it's absolutely crucial that your records are easily accessible to enjoy them. Some of mine are in crates on the floor, where I can flip through them like you do at a record store. Many others are sideways on a wall shelf, but I don't like to look for an lp by reading that skinny spine, so I just stand sideways and flip through to find what I'm looking for.

You know you can buy the cardboard storage boxes relatively cheaply at places like Bags Unlimited.
 
I can only wish for record store style stacking.

Here's mine shelved. I can only wish I could have them flippable from front to back. I just don't have that kinda space in my living room, and really don't want to keep them in the basement. Too far to walk on those drinking evenings with fragile vinyl.

I just pull out a handfull, and stand to the side too and flip through them. You will notice on the floor I've got a few stacks I flip through too...

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super j said:
I got 2 of these at walmart a while back for half price. It's a 13" cube trunk. They look nice and they are stackable but are somewhat expensive. The inside is cloth lined also.
Here's a thread I made when I bought them. There are a few pics in it.
Click to expand...

those are nice looking, but I would need at least a dozen of them...


onepixel said:
I use one of those Ikea bookshelves. In addition I started putting the albums in poly sleeves which make for easy and protective sliding in and out. I also don't pack them in tightly. I'm getting dividers to alphabetically organize them too. Since I can also see the titles on the spine I don't have to flip through them. Works for me.
Click to expand...


I have one of those shelves as well, the one with 8 openings, as well as putting all my records in poly sleeves, but I still find it a pain to pick through them. I much preferred them lined up against a wall or something like that.
for a while I had em mostly in milk crates.


Recently I was thinking Filing cabinets might do the trick.

they're usually 15" wide, so the drawer is 13". dont know if the drawers are high enough though.

if they are they would be good, because they are quite sturdy. even has a sliding adjuster in it to allow you to ensure the records stay vertical.
open up the drawer, loosen the slidy clamp thing, and flip through.

the only issue i see with filing cabinets is that they are ugly.


I like the story about the home design thing, with the big shelf of drawers.
 
Check out IKEA if you have one near you. The sell stackable bookshelf cubes that you could put shelves in (I don't). You can also buy optional doors for them (I don't. They are perfect for about 50-60 record albums each. Once the LPs are in them - you have about a 2" gap at the top to slip your finger in and get your LP. They're not too expensive. I have about eight of them. People always want to know where I got them.

They also have other DORM ROOM type stuff that might work just as well.
unfortunately they discontinued the wood finish that I was purchasing over the years - but they still have other finishes that you might like.
 
Filing cabinets don't work. Checked already. I haven't found one yet that had the right dimensions--most drawers I find are only 11 1/2" tall. Damn shame because they're everywhere and usually cheap.
 
ampegdan said:
Filing cabinets don't work. Checked already. I haven't found one yet that had the right dimensions--most drawers I find are only 11 1/2" tall. Damn shame because they're everywhere and usually cheap.
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boo
boo-urns.

back to the drawing board.
 
I've wished for a long time that I could flip through my entire collection (about 700 LPs now), but I just don't have the floorspace. I have mine stored like you, with a few piles on the floor to flip through like you.

But I bought poly outer sleeves for all my LPs about 8 years ago now every new one gets a prophylactic after it gets washed and welcomed. So the issues of ring wear are diminished if not completely eliminated.

One pain-in-the-arse thing was that these outer sleeves would work their way off the records a bit, stick out, and make the collection look kind of messy and even herder to read. Then, just last week, it dawned on me to install the poly sleeve from the bottom, open on the top, then when I slide it into place, it stays put, nice and neat.

Anyway,
good luck. I'll be interested to hear if you find a good solution.
 
Jack Lord said:
So Njord, what is the verdict? Any of these ideas catch your fancy?
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Thanks to all for many great ideas. I like the drawer idea, but in order to meet strict WAF requirements I believe something built in may be the best way to go, which means getting this done right has to be part of a "master plan": I guess I will keep on thinking about solutions until we do some kind of remodel; little or big.
 
Back in the days of wire spool tables we used fruit crates for browser boxes.
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Now they are considered antiques, possiblly increasing WAF factor.

Jim
 
Njord Noatun said:
Thanks to all for many great ideas. I like the drawer idea, but in order to meet strict WAF requirements I believe something built in may be the best way to go, which means getting this done right has to be part of a "master plan": I guess I will keep on thinking about solutions until we do some kind of remodel; little or big.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the way to go. The "Big Picture", so to speak. Let us know when the library is built.:thmbsp:
 
Good topic and one my wife and I are discussing now that my LP collection is starting to really grow.

Currently I am using wicker baskets that are available at Target for $15-$20. They hold about 30 LP's, allow you to flip through them easily and go with our somewhat Asian themed living room where my 2-channel set-up resides. The Closet Maid concept can be done quickly and cheaply and one I would consider if my set-up was in a separate room of the house. I think I will check out Ikea on line (they do deliver even if one is not in your immediate area) since I do seem to recall some shelving units with large pull out drawers that could be used for LP's. A fairly good sized wall unit near my gear would be practical and have high WAF.
 
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