How do I fix a warped vinyl record with the Vinyl Flat?

1. Read Vinyl Flat Instructions, Groovy Pouch Instructions and Record Flattening Tips. 2. Clean the record and the Groovy Rings of The Vinyl Flat . 3. Place your record in between the two Groovy Rings. Follow this order: Metal Plate on Bottom -> Soft Groovy Ring -> Your Record -> Soft Groovy Ring -> Heavier, Printed Metal Plate on Top -> Secure with the Wing Nut. 4. Preheat your oven or our Groovy Pouch to the necessary temperature setting. For the best results select the correct temperature as per our Vinyl Flat Instructions. 5. Put your vinyl record with the Vinyl Flat in the oven or in the Groovy Pouch. Again, for the best results follow our Vinyl Flat Instructions. 6. Turn the heat off and let the record cool down to room temperature. 7. Enjoy your fixed record.

Which direction should the warp face when placing the record in the Vinyl Flat - up or down?

It doesn’t matter. The Vinyl Flat top plate is much heavier than the thinner bottom plate. The top plate does all the work, and the bottom plate is only used to help hold the record in place. Assemble the top plate with tight finger pressure on the wing nut - there is no need to crank down on the wing nut. As the vinyl is heated, it softens - gravity then causes the top plate to drop down slightly and flatten the record. This is why the wing nut may be slightly loose after flattening a record.

Do I really need the Groovy Pouch or can I use my kitchen oven?

We recommend using the Groovy Pouch to get the optimal temperature range of 130-150 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also use your kitchen oven or no heat source at all, although there are some risks: If you use your kitchen oven, you must use a digital meat thermometer - the kind that has a metal spike with a cable and remote LCD display - to verify your kitchen oven temperature. Do not rely on your oven display for the temperature, as all oven displays are inaccurate! The lowest setting on most ovens is 175 degrees Fahrenheit, which is too high to flatten your record. You need to manually turn your oven on and off to keep the temperature in the optimal range of 130-150 degrees Fahrenheit. Most records flatten in 1 to 2 hours following this procedure. If you don’t use a heat source, it may take months to flatten a record, and even then, it may not flatten. Heat greatly speeds up the flattening process.

Does the Vinyl Flat really work?

The Vinyl Flat has been in use since 2011, with thousands of happy customers. The overall rating for our products is above 4.8 out of 5.0 stars. Having no monetary incentive, top influencers and enthusiasts recommend us on Youtube. Follow the Vinyl Flat Instructions, Groovy Pouch Instructions and Record Flattening Tips, and Vinyl Flat should flatten most records. 180 gm records tend to flatten fairly easily. Some records can be tough to flatten - these include 45s made from Styrene and some ultra-light records from the 1970s and 1980s when less vinyl was used (during the oil embargo).

Resource Guide

TIPS, FAQS, AND HOW-TO GUIDES

Most Recent Posts

The Essential Guide on How to Fix a Warped Record

In this guide we show you step-by-step how to unwarp a vinyl record safely

Why do Vinyl Records Warp?

Let's go over each reason and potential cause for warping.

3 Easy Steps to Ship Vinyl Records

How to ship vinyl records? Follow this step-by-step guide before mailing them.

The Best Guide to Vinyl Record Storage

Find out how to store your vinyl records properly so that you'll be able to play them on your turntable for years.

5 easy steps

1

Connect the Groovy Pouch and toggle until an optimal temperature of 130°F

3

Insert the Vinyl Flat inside the Groovy Pouch and start heating for 1 hour

5

Play in your favorite turntable!

Vinyl Flat and vinyl record player_edited.jpg

2

Insert the record in The Vinyl Flat and hand-tighten the nut washer

Warped vinyl record flattener dished.png

4

Finish heating and cool down for 45-minutes with the record still inside

The Best Record Flattener Machines

Find out what the best flattener machines are and why you need one.

8 Mistakes when Flattening a Warped Vinyl Record

We know you folks like awkwardly numbered lists, this one is a collection of mistakes - read them to avoid them.

The Ultimate Guide For Record Cleaning Kits

Learn pros and cons of top 14 brands of record cleaning kits to maintain the quality of your vinyl records

How to Tell if a Record is Warped

We'll show you how to tell if your record is warped, and what you can do about it!

Types of Vinyl Records: Sizes, Dimensions and Materials

Learn more about the different types of records and their use.

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

Visit our FAQ page

HOLIDAY SALE: 10% OFF + FREE SHIPPING!