Storing files in plastic covers is a good method to protect files from coffee spills, weather, or dirt. They can also protect the documents from cigarette ashes. If you have ever been to a construction site, you know that they are a chaotic and dirty place; this makes protecting blueprints at a construction site a full-time job. Plastic covers can provide good protection for blueprints that need to be carried from site to site.



For the same reason, laminated files are becoming more popular for engineers, construction workers, and architects in the field. Large document lamination is affordable and provides for the ultimate safety of a document, although the weight of the document is more than doubled. The problem here is that once laminated you can't make changes or notes on the blueprint. Long term storage of laminated documents can prove problematic since they are inflexible and can get permanently creased.

Vertical file storage systems may be the most efficient method for storing blueprints. By storing blueprints in a vertical (and flat) position, floor space savings of up to 75% are achieved. Stored in vertical plastic sheaths, blueprints are protected from damage by dirt or contact with other documents. Access and organization is improved since all blueprints are labeled like the files in a conventional file cabinet. This easy access minimizes the stress on the office worker when searching for documents since all documents are easily found. Cost savings can be substantial since one vertical file storage system retailing for $1500 can store the equivalent of a three five-drawer flat file storage systems with dimensions of 24x36 inches, which can retail for $3800 or more. Vertical file storage systems have wheels and are mobile; they also can be locked to provide a secure storage system.

Thus, many options exist for blueprint storage; your blueprint storage needs will dictate the preferred methods of storage. For many users, multiple storage systems prove the best solution.