If you’re the owner of a nice, dry, and properly ventilated garage, you can store unused books and preserve for years to come.
However, it all comes down to the way your books are stored, so in this particular guide you’ll find useful advice on how to properly store your books in the garage.
Picking the right location
When storing books in a garage, location means everything. According to The Library of Congress, you want to store your books under cool, dry, clean, and stable conditions.
Less humidity
Humidity can damage books. The humidity can enter the paper and make it susceptible to fungal attacks. You should always select a location with low humidity. Some people will keep dehumidifiers in their garage to decrease the humidity, but that isn’t always necessary unless you’re 100% sure the humidity is too high.
The relative level of humidity should be around 35% and stable, if you want a perfectly healthy environment for your books.
We recommend that you consult a professional, if you’re experiencing any issues with humidity and/or growth of mold inside your garage.
Less heat
Some garages are not insulated, and as such they can get very warm during the summer months, and very cold during the winter months.
The ideal temperature is room temperature or slightly below, so before planning on storing books in your garage, try keeping e thermometer there and read the temperature throughout the day. You may be surprised by how much it fluctuates, and that could potentially cause harm to your books.
In order to keep your books under a stable temperature, it’s best to store them a few inches away from any exterior walls, elevated from the floors, and away from garage door.
Clean place
Dirt, dust, and debris could invite insects, and there’s a chance that mold or fungus could form in corners without your knowledge.
Keeping the garage clean and tidy is definitely important, especially if you want to store your books there.
Selection of container
In the process of storing books in the garage, it’s important to consider whether you should keep them in a container or let them sit in a shelf.
Plastic container
Plastic containers are ideal book storage in a garage, because these are impermeable and will not allow humidity to enter the container. We recommend several plastic containers as the best storage options for books.
Bankers containers
This is a less expensive option and ideal for keeping the books in the garage. You may have seen some containers made up of the board. Mostly you can see them in your local banks. These containers are available in sizes that fit most books.
Upright bookshelf
Bookshelves are usually made of wood or metal. They help keep your books well organized, and in a garage with proper conditions, you can actually store your books in a shelf instead of packing them into boxes or containers.
Keep them in an upright bookshelf for temporary storage, that way they’re always within reach whenever you need them.
Individual book covers
Some books are quite expensive, and therefore need more care. If you’re wondering how to store these in your garage, you could get individual covers that fit most books.
That way your precious books are well preserved and kept in mint condition.
Tips for additional protection of your books
There are some important tips that you must follow if you want to keep the books safe in your garage. Some of these steps are given below.
Remove bookmarks
Bookmarks come in many shapes and sizes, and if they’re not removed, they could cause your books to deform or warp over time.
You don’t want to ruin your books because of a bookmark, but that could very well be the case if you’re not removing them before packing your books for storage.
Make sure you always remove bookmarks before storing your books.
Keep bookworms away
“Bookworm” is a common term used to describe any kind of insect capable of destroying books or paper items in general.
The list includes beetles, termites, ants, moths, cockroaches, and silverfish. These insects are quite common across most states, and you should therefore keep an eye on all your storage spaces, to ensure that no bookworms appear.
Add desiccant bags to airtight containers
Sometime you will have to keep the books in the garage and you will not find a place in the garage which has ideal relative humidity levels. In this case, you are left with only one choice to keep the desiccants in the book containers, and make sure they’re sealed airtight.
The desiccants will absorb the humidity in any airtight container, maintaining a nice and dry environment for your books.
Placing bubble wraps
The books should perfectly fit in the book container. Any space between the books and the container can lead to damage of the books during transportation to the garage.
If there are any empty spaces inside the box, you can keep bubble wraps inside to keep your books stored safe and sound.