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Moving a 5,000 vinyl LP collection safely

Hello everyone,

I am moving from New York City to the Hudson Valley. I have packed my 5,000 LPs into boxes that are 13 x 13 x 13.

My questions are:

— Is it OK to stack them up to 4 boxes high? 5? 6? Since there is about 1/2 of space left in the top of each box, bubble wrap is laid over the top of the vinyl to fill the remaining gap before closing and sealing the box so that the boxes stay square and don’t collapse.
— When put in a moving truck with a rear cab that is 10 x 26, should I be worried about how hot it will get in there for a 2 hour ride from New York City to the Hudson Valley when the temperature is expected to be about 80 degrees?

Thank you in advance for your helpful advice.

unreceivedogma
128x128unreceivedogma
mllanos1111
9 posts
 
I'm moving cross country with about the same amount of LP's. 
I have heard two schools of thought on packing them in boxes.
Some guys say to pack them LP's standing up and other say to pack them flat.
When I worked at a record store many years ago, the records would always ship flat.
Any thoughts on this?
wntrmute2's avatar
wntrmute2
188 posts
 
Also consider that the records would have to reach the 80 degree mark or whatever temp you are worried about.  Just because the air temp in the transport vehicle reaches X the heat has to penetrate the cardboard which is double walled with an air-space and then warm the records which are further insulated within their cardboard jackets.  The mass of vinyl would have to cook a LONG time before even the outer ones gained enough heat to warp.  Worry about an accident instead as that is far more likely to damage your collection.  Now a move where it might take weeks to arrive is a whole 'mother kettle of fish.
wntrmute2's avatar
wntrmute2
188 posts
 
@milanos.  No way would I ship them flat!  I'm no expert but records stored for decades on edge don't warp.  There was a guy on AK that experimented with horizontal storage with poor results toward the bottom of the stack IIRC.  I don't think there is anything to gain.  I get nervous if I leave records laying horizontally for more than a day or two. 
inna
7,296 posts
 
I had a few records lying flat for years - nothing happened.
wntrmute2's avatar
wntrmute2
188 posts
 
Well then that is what I'd do.  Ignore millions of vertically stored records that aren't warped after decades and do as inna suggests.  
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