How Vinyl Records Are Made

Producing a vinyl record starts long before the actual pressing—in the studio. Artists record their music, then mixing and vinyl-specific mastering shape the sound so it cuts cleanly and plays without distortion (vinyl has different headroom than digital).

For front-end fidelity, Wrecking Crew cuts from either 7” or 12” lacquer masters — not DMM — using specialist partners to preserve warmth and ensure long-term re-press quality.

For over 85 years, lacquer has been the industry standard: a nitrocellulose coating on an aluminum disc into which a heated stylus engraves a precise spiral groove that mirrors the audio. Cutting engineers work in anti-static conditions and monitor levels with meticulous care, as even a fingerprint or speck of dust can ruin an entire side.

From the lacquer, the plant creates metal parts through electroforming. The silvered lacquer is placed in a nickel bath to grow the first metal negative, known as the Father. From there, production follows one of two paths:

  • Three-step plating — Father → Mother (positive) → Stamper (negative) — used for quantities over 1000 or archival purposes.
  • Two-step plating — Father → Stamper directly — ideal for quantities up to about 1,000, offering a faster turnaround without sacrificing quality.

Each two-step stamper typically produces up to 1000 clean pressings before retirement. Before going into the press, stampers are trimmed, center-punched, and polished for a precise fit.

Now it’s time to press. A PVC biscuit, or as Canadians call it, a puck, is placed between Side A and Side B stampers with the paper labels, then pressed under heat and high pressure. The groove is molded into the softened puck; cooling water is circulated through the molds and then the record is removed from the press and the edge is trimmed and each record is stacked to cool fully to prevent warping. Here, Wrecking Crew’s plant makes a key difference: it runs custom-built, German-designed NewBilt presses delivered new in 2025—the only ones of their kind in Canada. These semi-automatic machines ensure every record is handled by a trained technician, giving tighter process control and enabling complex color work. For a Standard 12” record weight is 140g but audiophile grade is considered 180g which is the only weight Wrecking Crew offers.

Wrecking Crew Studio with Screen

Materials matter. Black is the most common colour for Vinyl, and Wrecking Crew uses only Bio-Vinyl for black albums. It delivers equal performance to “virgin” PVC while reducing environmental impact. For our colour variants we use “virgin” PVC. Records are cooled and stacked only after they’ve fully set to maintain flatness.

Before a full production run, plants produce test pressings—typically 5–10—to check for recurring pops, distortion, sequencing, and label/catalog accuracy. Early pulls from a fresh stamper can be noisier and are often recycled. Every Wrecking Crew project includes five test pressings at no charge (more available), plus clear guidance on listening and approval so artists know exactly what to expect.

Sustainability is built into the workflow where it counts: For black Vinyl we use only ISCC-certified Bio-Vinyl, and for all of our packaging we utilize FSC-certified jackets. The plant benefits from British Columbia’s hydro-based electricity and employs efficient systems—a Fulton high-efficiency steam boiler, a closed-loop chiller using lower-GWP R-513A, and FortisBC Renewable Natural Gas—to further reduce impact without compromising quality.