The Best Shelving for Vinyl Records: LP Shelves, Stacking, Storage

By Joshua Kanter

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Get your records off the floor, out of the closet, or off of that too-small bookshelf where they’ve been awkwardly sitting for years. These days, there are plenty of full-sized shelves available that can safely and securely hold your entire prized LP collection, giving you access alphabetically (or however you want to arrange them) to easily find the one you want to listen to, pick out, and drop it on the turntable.

You don't have to be an extensive collector either. Even if you’re just a casual record enthusiast, or inherited a bunch from a friend or relative, you’ll still need somewhere to neatly store these records to properly take care of them in the long run. The best vinyl shelving keeps everything in one place and neatly stacked or organized.

When shopping for the best vinyl shelving online, consider what your future collection might look like a few years down the road. A small shelf may hold everything you own now, but if you’re continuing to collect or just getting started, go for one with way more space than you need currently. Record collecting is an endlessly fun hobby, whether it's treasure-hunting at local thrift and music shops, flea markets, yard sales, or tracking down that rare, long-lost LP on eBay, and you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a shelf to comfortably hold it all without damage.

There are all sorts of of different sized shelving units out there, but we’ve narrowed it to our four favorite choices here. These ones are simple to set up, have a wide range of space and actual shelves (as opposed to say, record crates), and can also provide extra storage for anything else that will fit. These shelves are designed to fit a 12 x 12 album sleeve.

A bonus: if you find that you’re satisfied with the shelves, but eventually run out of room, purchasing a second one and simply sliding them together can look like one giant continuous unit, keeping a neat and tidy aesthetic, and instantly doubling your storage space.

The Monolith by Monoprice Double-Wide 3-Tier AV Stand is designed to be incredibly sturdy – and it absolutely is. Multiple support tubes feature a scratch-resistant, powder-coated finish, while the rigid, thick MDF shelves can be wiped down easily, resisting scratches and scuffing. Each shelf is acoustically inert and does an excellent job of dampening vibrations, ensuring that your turntable (or really any) speakers remain stable and secure at all times.

In addition, the open-air design of the stand allow your gear to get plenty of circulating air, preventing them from overheating during use. Unlike most enclosed AV cabinets, the Monolith provides the needed critical airflow, cooling, and ease of access to your components to keep them in excellent working condition.

The modular design of the stand is another feature that sets it apart from its competitors. The fully customizable design lets you build your rack exactly as tall as needed. You can start with the base and add as many shelves as you need. One set of steel support tubes is longer, allowing one tier to accommodate taller components. This feature ensures that you can customize the stand to fit your specific stereo gear or record stack as needed.

Aesthetically, it's still sleek and provides a clean display for your equipment, without having to worry about placing too much weight on it.

Buy The Monolith by Monoprice Double-Wide… $295.99

Strong, sturdy, and ready to hold a whole bunch of records, this shelf is an excellent option for any collector.

The cubes hold around 80 records each when really packed in tight, but with so many shelves, you’ll most likely be able to split them up. Each shelf can hold about 29 pounds of weight, so this can handle much more than just music. Users have stored clothes, big hardcover books, even board games in the additional shelves.

This can also be flipped on its side and used just as easily if you’ve got limited space to work with.

Buy KALLAX Shelf Unit $315.00

Strong, stocky and sturdy, this solid unit may only have four shelves, but for the casual collector that might be just right.

Aesthetically, it's pretty basic, but looks much more professional than stacked crates or the connecting wired and plastic options out there. Each side is nicely thick and durable, and height-wise this can double as a nightstand too.

Buy Better Homes and Gardens Bookshelf $75.80

This six-cube unit is an ideal middle ground between the larger pieces on our list. The six shelves not only offer plenty of space for a pretty extensive amateur collection, they also give you a sizable flat surface up top, perfect for a turntable and speakers, or even a TV.

Assembly is easy, and can be put together in under an hour with all the tools included.

Buy ClosetMaid Storage Organizer $109.02

For a light vinyl collection, or a small space, this shelf may be all you need.

Way Basics’ 2-cubed unit can be put together completely without tools, and is made from sustainable materials while still being lighter than typical particle board models.

It's held together by adhesives and wooden pins, which can handle up to 30 pounds, and is perfect for someone with a small turntable and just a few records they listen to occasionally. Plus it's guaranteed for life, and customer service is quick to respond to any issues.

Buy Way Basics Vintage Vinyl Record Cube… $58.99

Crosley has been making record players since 1920, but got into the furniture field in 2010, producing the perfect pieces for vinyl lovers.

Their Jacobsen collection walks the line of industrial and rustic design, sturdy and stylish, with a sleek brown ash finish and solid steel frame. The inner shelf is constructed to hold about 90 pounds worth of vinyl records (about 250 albums), while most turntables can fit comfortably on top and underneath. For larger collections, multiple units can be paired together, and Crosley offers an entire line of furniture that looks just as good. For smaller stacks, this unit is also perfect for holding pretty much anything – books, toys, games, even plants.

Setup was refreshingly easy, taking about 30 minutes to connect together with screws and an Allen wrench.

Buy Crosley JACOBSEN RECORD STORAGE CONSOLE