Vinyls used to be the most popular music storage medium in the 1990s, but with the dawn of digitisation and mp3 formats, vinyls soon lost their place as the top music carriers. Despite re-emerging as a form of storing media in the 21st century, finding vinyl covers can be quite difficult since their manufacturing was cut significantly after the decrease in their usage.

If you’re in a far-off area that lacks access to vinyl covers, your best bet is to make your own. If you’re new to DIY, do not fret as Neo offers an in-depth guide on how to make your own DIY vinyl sleeve.

What is a Vinyl Sleeve?

A vinyl sleeve is the outer covering of a vinyl record. However, a sleeve should not be confused with a record jacket or cover which is the box in which a vinyl is stored. A sleeve can be made out of a number of materials such as cardboard, paper, or polypropylene. Record sleeves also tend to have a hole in the middle, leaving space for the label of the vinyl to be visible without taking it out of the sleeve.

How to make your own DIY Vinyl Sleeve?

To make your own DIY vinyl sleeve, follow these steps carefully. Make sure to follow the measurements accurately, since any slight error can result in a sleeve that won’t fit your vinyl.

• Start by measuring a 12 ½-inch by 25-inch rectangular shape on a poster board.
• On the long side of the rectangle, find its midpoint and make a straight line to its centre. This will leave you with two equal squares.
• Then, extend the top and bottom sides of the squares by one inch on each side, as this will act as the tabs that hold the cover together.
• Next, cut out the rectangle by cutting around the outer lines of it. You can either use a craft knife or a metal cutter, basically anything that is strong enough to cut out the squares. However, do not cut the centre line.
• Fold the extra inch tabs on each side to make sure they turn inside. To make the fold sharp, insert a scissor or bone folder between it.
• Then, simply fold the rectangle into a square along the centre line that you made so that the tabs are on the inside.
• Once a proper fold has been made, open it up again and apply glue to the tabs. Make sure you only apply glue to the tabs and nothing else, since this can make sliding the vinyl inside quite difficult.
• Fold the fronts so that it meets the tab and let it set there. Leave the box to dry for a couple of hours and you’ll have your very own DIY vinyl cover.

Conclusion

Finding vinyl covers can be quite a hassle if you live in a far-off area or if there aren’t any vinyl shops available. To ease this predicament, you can simply make your own DIY vinyl sleeve, one that is simple to make yet sturdy enough to secure your vinyls. Simply follow this guide and you’ll have your very own vinyl sleeve.

Find some of the best vinyl casings at Neo and ensure that your discs remain safe and secure.