3 Craft Ideas for Unplayable Records

Do you still have the first record you bought? How a scratched record from years ago? Your vinyl collection probably has several records you can’t play anymore because of damage.

If you’re wondering what to do with old records, you can upcycle them to reduce waste and preserve nostalgia. 

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1. Make a Vinyl Bowl

One great vinyl record craft idea to try is making your record into a bowl. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Place an oven-proof bowl upside down in the center of a baking sheet and carefully position the vinyl over the bowl. Pop the whole thing in the oven for about 8-10 minutes before removing it. 

The record should have started melting over the upside-down bowl. Now, you can use oven mitts to shape the bowl the way you want it. Keep popping the bowl in the oven and removing it to reshape until you have the look you want. Then, let your bowl cool entirely and use it to store keys, jewelry, and more.

2. Craft Earrings

You can upcycle vinyl records to create one-of-a-kind earrings. This craft can be a great option to keep a meaningful album close to your heart. First, consider what you want the earrings to look like and gather any supplies you may need. 

Trace your record on paper and then outline the pieces you need. You may be able to make multiple earrings or even other jewelry pieces from one record. Pop your album into a 200-degree oven for a few minutes until the vinyl starts to warp. Remove the record and carefully start cutting the shapes you need. Put the vinyl back in the oven if it begins to harden. 

Let each piece cool fully, and then use hot glue or punctures in the vinyl to attach clasps or other adornments. If you want to create a bracelet, pop the record back into the oven for a few minutes and then carefully wrap the hot vinyl around a bottle or other round object until it cools.

3. Adorn Your Walls With Vinyl Art

One of the simplest vinyl record art ideas is to frame records or glue them together in a collage and hang them on your walls. Whenever you walk by your records, you’ll get to enjoy them. If you hang your vinyl in frames, you get the added benefit of not damaging the records further.

Do you need to replace some of those unplayable records? Record Head has a huge selection of vinyl ready to fill out the extra space in your collection. You can shop our records online!

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