CD Case Restoration

CD's are not cheap. So when you are a music collector such as myself, it can become pretty pricey. Brand new CD's in the store can cost upwards of 15 to 25 dollars (even more for some special sets). So what's a collector to do? You can always do what I do. I've found second hand stores can be wondrous places for music. But don't you sacrifice quality for price? The answer is no. Second hand stores won't sell damaged CD if they can help; and they'll gladly refund your money or repair the CD if found damaged. But that's just the CD, what about the case? If you are like me, you care about the condition your CD is in. Believe it or not, the CD jewel case can be restored; or to be more precise, replaced. Just follow these easy steps and you'll be saving tons of dough on your CD purchases (making more funds available to purchase even more music).

Take a look at this typical CD as found in a second hand store. You'll notice the damage. A-The front hinge is broken. B-A large crack on the front cover. C-Stubborn store stickers. D-Damaged corner.
Not exactly a CD you'd like to put out on display.


Open the CD cover so you can easily remove it from the rest of the jewel case.


Now detach the front cover. Gently ease the top and bottom off from the main CD case.


The CD holder pops off. This is probably the trickiest part of the whole operation. Using gentle pressure, pull up. You'll notice little grooves holding it in place.


You should now have all three pieces detached.


Remove the jacket from the front cover and discard it. (The cover, not the jacket).


As you would any other time, remove the CD and discard the holder, especially if the prongs that hold the CD in place are snapped off. Sometimes the holder from the original CD is salvageable. Use your own discernment if you want to retain it or not. The dark ones I tend to keep if they are in good condition.


The back overlay is also easily removed. You'll want to discard the back casing of the CD case.


I generally buy several packs of empty CD jewel cases. Make sure you get the standard size and not the thin ones; they don't work if you want to keep all the original CD items. You can find these cases at places like Wal-Mart, Target or just look for them online. They are not hard to find. If you go to a store, search in the electronics department. A clerk should be able to help you find them.


The older case you shouldn't have had to worry about. Now you'll need to do that. If you are not cautious, you can accidentally snap the case. Just be patient and careful.


Once the new case is pulled apart, put the CD in the CD holder, the back overlay in the back case and the jacket in the front CD cover.


Once again, you need to be careful when snapping the CD holder back onto the back case.


Once the CD holder is back in place, put the front cover back on. And presto! A discount CD that looks brand new. Not a bad way to save yourself 10 - 20 bucks.

Enjoy!