Record Album Covers

What can I use to display lots of LP record albums in my small apartment?

I'm moving into a studio apartment and need to take my record albums that are stacked floor-to-ceiling in a closet at my old house. Is there a shelving unit that I can either build myself, or purchase somewhere, that I can use to display these? I have lots. I would like something space-conscious (so either tall and narrow, or low to the ground). Links to websites with instructions or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Public Comments

1. Back in the 60s there were these tension rod/poles that went from floor to ceiling that had "shelves" on them for just such a project as you are intending. Try looking online for something of this nature, checking out local 2nd hand stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army, thrift shops, etc. You can find many interesting ways to display them around the home, too, by hanging them on the wall. Maybe you are a music enthusiast who might like to have one room devoted to just such a theme.
2. Consider having bookshelves (or albumshelves) custom made for your space. The cost would not be great and you fill the space in the apartment exactly as you would like. This would be especially good if you know someone with even the slightest wood working skills (dad with a workroom and tablesaw, boyfirend, brother in shop-class?). OMG, did that just sound sexist, right out of the 60's! Sorry, Kerry, I should not assume that you do not have any woodworking skills just because you are a girl! Someone gave me a set of shelves years ago that they had designed for albums and the shelves are still study and good looking. To design them, first measure the hieght and width of the space you want to fill. The space (height) between each shelf should be about 13" to 13.5" to fit the albums in. use solid hardwood like oak, 10" x 3/4". (I wouldn't make these any wider than about 3.5 to 4 feet wide). So lets say you have a space to fill 3 feet wide and about 4 feet tall. You should be able to fit in 3 shelves in that space, so cut 4 shelf pieces (one is extra for the top) 10" x 3/4" x 35" and 2 upright pieces of 10" x 3/4" x 46" (2"+3/4"(4) + 13"* 3 +2" = 46 inches) On your upright pieces cut "through dado" joints at the points that you require your shelves (crude but effective.) Make the upright pieces stick about 2 inches below the bottom shelf and about 2 inches above the top shelf. Make sure that your backing is solid (maybe a cheap but thick paneling) and nailed in many places, as this helps to "truss" the whole thing together. Throw on a little stain and, voila, (simple, country looking, but effective) beautiful, homemade shelves. If you are in an earthquake zone, please strap the shelves to the wall.
3. how about this and this may sound off the wall (forgive the pun) but how about the walls. if you have a small space it would look really cool to have nothing but albums as art work!!! i saw the above about building shelves but what if you just tacked up thin strips of molding in a perfectly uniform way and propped the albums on those thin strips... it would be less permanent - take up a lot less room and cost a ton less!! good luck!!
4. I prefer also to display them as an Art form. They will easily pop into in-expensive square photo frames. Black color looks the best. I helped a friend do his walls. We painted the walls a creamy coffee color and they really "popped."