How to frame a vinyl record

Most people order a 12 x 12 frame for a record. Then the sleeve will not go in. A 12 inch LP sleeve is not 12 inches. It measures 12.375 x 12.375. That extra 3/8 inch causes more headaches than anything else we deal with on record orders.

The number everyone gets wrong

Go get a ruler and check your own sleeve. A standard LP sleeve is 12.375 x 12.375 inches. The black disc inside is 12 inches. A 7 inch single sits in a 7.25 x 7.25 inch sleeve.

So a frame sold as 12 x 12 is too small. It will not close. Our album cover frame is sold for standard LP jackets and is listed at 12.25 x 12.25. Measure your jacket before you order.

Some old sleeves have puffed up a little at the seams. Cardboard soaks up humidity over 40 years. If yours measures more than 12 3/8 inches, ask us before you order.

Decide what you want to show

There are four ways people do this. Pick one before you shop for a frame.

1. Sleeve only. Cleanest look. That is our 12.25 x 12.25 album cover frame.
2. Sleeve and record together. Our 16 x 24 record and album art frame holds both behind one mat.
3. Sleeve with a mat border around it. Our 16 x 16 frame has a mat cut for the jacket.
4. Gatefold open flat. A gatefold spreads to about 24.75 x 12.375. We do not list a frame for that size yet, so ask us.

The record and sleeve frame is what people ask us for most. It also takes the most wall.

Never glue or tape the sleeve

We say this on the phone almost every week. Do not glue the sleeve to the backing. Do not tape it either. Not with double sided tape. Not with the glue stick in your desk drawer.

Tape leaves a stain. Glue rips the print off when you pull the sleeve back out. And you will pull it back out, because one day you will want to play the record.

The frame holds the sleeve for you. Backing pressure alone does it in a snug opening. If you want more hold, use archival corner supports or acid free mounting strips. Both come off clean.

Keep album art out of the sun

Album art fades. The reds go first. Sleeves from the 60s and 70s used cheap ink. It was never meant to hang on a wall for 20 years.

Our record frames come with a UV resistant acrylic front. Acrylic weighs about half what glass weighs, and it will not shatter if the frame comes off the hook. No glazing stops fading for good, though. The wall you pick matters more. A hallway with no windows is ideal.

Acid free backing, or a brown halo in five years

Plain chipboard backing has acid in it. It gives off more acid as it ages. That acid moves into whatever it touches, and old cardboard drinks it right up.

You get a brown edge first. Then a brown halo where the backing met the sleeve. It does not come out.

Acid free backing costs a couple dollars more. Our frames come with an acid free foam core back. It is not an add on. It is just what goes in the box.

Clean the sleeve before it goes in

Whatever is on that sleeve gets sealed in for years. Dust, cat hair, a thumbprint from 1978, the sticker somebody peeled off wrong. You will see all of it once there is acrylic over the top.

Wipe the sleeve with a dry microfiber cloth. Go light. Skip the cleaner, and skip the damp rag. Old ink lifts.

Acrylic also builds up static, which pulls dust onto the inside of the sheet. Peel the protective film off right before you close the frame. Not the night before.

Use a shadow box if you want the record to sit proud

A flat frame presses the record against the sleeve. That works, and most people are happy with it.

A shadow box gives you depth. The record sits in front of the sleeve with a real shadow under it. It stops looking flat. Our album frames are built as shadow boxes. The depth inside runs from about 7/8 inch to about 1 1/2 inches, depending on the finish. For a sleeve on its own, the shallow end is plenty.

Depth costs you wall clearance. A 2 inch box stands off far enough that you notice it walking past. Go look at the spot before you order.

Sun and heat warp real records

Vinyl starts to soften near 140 F. A frame on a wall with hard afternoon sun can get there in July. We have seen a record come back with a wave in it.

So, four rules:

• Keep it off any wall that gets hours of direct sun.
• Keep it away from radiators and baseboard heat.
• Do not hang it over a working fireplace.
• If the only good wall is the sunny one, frame the sleeve alone and leave the record in the crate.

Honestly, a first pressing you care about should not go on a wall at all. Buy a beat up second copy and frame that one. They run a few dollars on Discogs.

What we would order

Say you have one LP and one empty wall, no strong opinions. This is the build we would run.

• The 12.25 x 12.25 album cover frame, sold for standard LP jackets
• Hardwood, about 3/4 inch wide, in matte black, bright white, natural wood or honey oak
• UV resistant acrylic front
• Acid free backing
• No mat, because the sleeve is already the art

Every finish and size lives in our vinyl record frames collection. Check the sizes there against the sleeve you actually measured.

Questions we hear a lot

Can I still play the record after I frame it?

Yes, as long as nobody glued it down. The back of the frame comes off without tools. Slide the sleeve out and play the record. Put it back when you are done.

Do I need a mat for a record frame?

Usually not. The sleeve art runs to the edge and fills the frame on its own. A mat earns its spot when you frame a bare record and want a round opening around the label. It also helps a 7 inch single hold a bigger wall.

What size frame do I need for a 7 inch single?

A 7 inch single sits in a sleeve about 7.25 x 7.25. The disc itself is 7 inches. We do not list a frame for singles yet. Ask us and we will tell you what we can make.