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Fix a Warped Record

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In a music scene saturated with digital recordings, vinyl records have been making an unlikely comeback of late. But while digital music is easy to play back and store, records require more care and attention to avoid scratches and warps. The usual culprits for warps are improper storage, heat and humidity. Severe warps can cause a record player's needle to skip and jump, and even minor warps can compromise sound quality. If you've got warped LPs in your collection, there are several things you can try to get them spinning flat again.

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Storage 101

The best thing to do to prevent your records from warping is to store them in tight, vertical rows, with the openings to the back to minimize the amount of dust that creeps in. Not only will this help them remain flat, but it can also help straighten records that are already warped. And whenever you buy shink-wrapped albums, take off the plastic because it can shrink over time and warp the record.

General Notes

Thin vinyl is harder to fix, and tends to warp easier, even after you straighten it. Some warps are harder to fix than others – dish warps are the easiest to fix, while edge warps can be more troublesome.

If you decide to forge ahead, there are some things you can try to flatten out the warp enough so that you can play the record. Sometimes, if you have the right touch, you might even be able to flatten it out to its original state.

Making an LP Sandwich

First, a word of warning: Any time you apply heat to a record, it's a gamble, because you don't know for certain how the vinyl is going to react. Since records are made up of different vinyl formulas and have different thicknesses, unfortunately there’s no foolproof method here. If your album is rare or otherwise valuable to you, this method should be a last resort.

  1. Go to a thrift store and find a few warped records to practice on. Also look for two pieces of glass to make an LP sandwich with. The glass should be about 14 inches square, or thereabouts, and ¼ to ½ inch thick. Old picture frames or shelves are a good bet.
  2. Put the record on your turntable, and try to get a good idea of how serious the warp is – use a ruler to estimate the displacement at its worst point. You'll use this for reference after you bake the LP and spin it again.
  3. Press the LP between your two sheets of glass, and put the platter in your oven at 200 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
  4. Let the album cool and check it again on your record player to see if it has improved the warp. If it has, you can repeat Step 2 to see if it will flatten out even more. If it looks the same as before, you can also try upping the heat by 10 degrees at a time.

Solar Heating

You can also heat records with the help of Mother Nature. Use the same method as above, and put the LP sandwich in direct sunlight. The glass will slowly heat up and the vinyl will begin to soften. If the glass doesn't seem heavy enough to press the LP flat, find a weight (a can of soup or some such) to press it down in the middle. Normally, 10-15 minutes is long enough to heat the vinyl. After it's cooked, let it cool and give it a spin.

Other Options

If you're main concern is salvaging the music on the LP (and not the LP itself), simply buy or borrow a USB turntable and create an MP3 version of the album. If the album won't play at all, try weighting the needle just enough so that you can record it. Another option is to buy a record clamp, which brings an LP into more direct contact with the turntable platter by clamping down the outside of the record label.

In the future

As LPs continue to enjoy a resurgence, heavyweight vinyl will become more common, and fewer records will suffer warps. Likewise, new nano materials will be developed to mix in with the vinyl to strengthen it against warps.

This page was last modified 23:59, 30 December 2009 by ralfred. Based on work by howto_admin.

All text and artwork shared under a Creative Commons License.



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