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If you are new to collecting vinyl records or if you are just wanting to find the best way to store your record collection then you are in the right spot. In this article we will discuss the best furniture to store records and specifically the Eket furniture piece.
Do records fit in Eket furniture? Records fit quite nicely inside of the Eket furniture that is put out by Ikea. The Eket series furniture works great because they have 1×1 solid blocks and 4×4 blocks. Both work great for storing records but the 1×1 blocks are a little of a tighter fit.
In the rest of this article we will discuss Eket furniture as well as other storage options that work great with records.
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Record storage
To understand what type of furniture you should purchase to store your records you first have to understand how records should be stored. Records should always be vertically standing on ends like books on a bookshelf. They should never be stored horizontally on top of each other.
The reasoning for this is when records are stacked on top of each other those records on the bottom will have a lot of pressure on them and will become warped or even cracked.
Storing your records vertically is the only way to prevent that from happening.
Using Eket Furniture
Eket furniture works great for storing records. The 4×4 cube furniture works the best but the 1×1 cubes also fit records just fine. With the 1×1 cube you will have about an ½ inch of clearance between the record and the top and bottom of the cube.
The 4×4 cube will have the same top and bottom clearance but since it is wider then putting the records into the cub is a little bit easier.
There is plenty of space with both the 1×1 and the 4×4 cubes to fit records without any difficulty.
Another plus to the Eket cubes is that they are deep enough that the records will sit inside of them and won’t hang out at all. This will help keep the sleeves in good shape and prevent the records from damaging their own sleeves.
The Ekat cube is 13 ¾ inches each way so you will have plenty of room for your records to stand up.
The Kallax shelving unit
The Kallax shelving unit is probably the most well known option from Ikea that works great for record storage.
The main difference between the Kallax and the Eket is that the Kallax is a little bigger on each side so the records have more room at the top and it is easier to put them in and get them out of the unit.
The Kallax cubes are 16” by 15” so you have a few extra inches on each side. That is especially helpful if you have records or sleeves that are a bit oversized.
The NORNÄS Sideboard
The NORNÄS is another excellent choice for your record storage. It’s rustic look fits in with many people’s decor as well as is a stylish way to store and display your records. Another huge plus for this line is that you can wax, paint, or color the wood to make it match your home as much as possible
The huge downside with this option… is that it was discontinued. The only way to get your hands on this storage solution is to find it secondhand or to hope that Ikea brings the line back.
Alternatives
Of course there are many storage alternatives to the ones mentioned above. You certainly don’t have to purchase all of your record storage units at Ikea (although I love shopping there).
Records are approximately 12 inches square (for the largest ones) so you will want your cubes to be more than 12 inches tall and 12 inches deep.
Ideally to save space you will want the cube to be 13-14” tall and deep. That way you have a few inches leeway but don’t waste a bunch of empty space on top.
There are a variety of options on the market that you can get for a good price but make sure that they are deep enough and tall enough for your records. There are many shelving units that say they hold records but they are an inch or two too shallow to fit the records.
Over time that will cause your record sleeves to become damaged and possibly even affect your records.
Only buy shelves that fit your records entirely!
Check out the video below for some really cool ideas on where and how to store your records.
What about the weight?
Weight is an important thing to consider as each shelving unit will have a weight limit. On average records will weigh 4-5 ounces so if you can fit 20 records per shelf then you are looking at 5-6lbs of weight.
Most shelves will hold 10-15lbs per shelf so this shouldn’t be an issue but if the unit you are purchasing is quite flimsy or isn’t designed to hold much weight then it is something else to look at before you make a final decision on which unit to buy.
Recycle or build your own
If you are a bit handy or like to do some woodworking then recycling or building your own shelving unit might be a great weekend project.
Ideally you won’t want to use plywood and other ugly wood as you want your record collection to look amazing not be the ugliest thing in your home.
There are tons of great wood options that you can use that not only look amazing but that can easily be painted or stained to match your current decor.
Building your own shelves will not only allow you to have something to admire everytime you walk by but it will also be much higher quality than anything that you would buy. Most shelves are made of pressed board with some veneer so having a shelf made of solid wood will help it last a long time and look much nicer as well.
FJÄLLBO TV & Shelving unit
If neat, tidy, and contemporary is not your thing, you might want to think about using the FJÄLLBO. This style of shelving appeals to the people who want a more industrial style unit in their home.
If you purchase the “tv unit” it should fit your records and then you can put something on top of it as well (it doesn’t have to be a tv). They also have a shelving unit in this style but it only has enclosed sides on the bottom so you wouldn’t be able to use the shelves on the top for records.
That is the main issue with this style of furniture.
Conclusion
There are many different options when it comes to storing your records. Whether you choose the Eket, the Kallax, the NORNÄS, the FJÄLLBO, or just recycle or build your own, there are plenty of different storage options for your records.
You will need to find a shelf that fits in with the rest of your decor and one that fits your entire collection.
Make sure to only store your records vertically and never horizontally. It is also not a good idea to have your records leaning on each other so try and keep the shelves full so that the records are standing up on their own and not putting pressure on the record next to them.