For anyone who has moved house before, there are a great many things that take a special touch to complete. Among them is the moving or relocation of larger items such as furniture or a piano. Moving larger items can be a bit tricky as you don’t want to risk any damage, and they often weigh quite a few kilos so it can be awkward to deal with them. Today, we’re going to look at the process of moving a piano. It’s quite possibly one of the heaviest items you’ll have to deal with as well as one of the most delicate. Any undue impact could affect the keys, strings, or other components. You need to know what you’re doing to move one safely and securely, and we’re going to show you how to do just that.
How to move a piano
The first step to a successful piano move is knowing what kind of piano you’re dealing with. Every piano is different, and depending on the model and style, the weight will be different as well. Smaller upright pianos such as the spinet model are on the lighter side, but they can still reach 300 lbs (136 kg) in weight. On the other hand, grand pianos can reach weights in excess of 1,000 lbs (454 kg). Get all the facts, including weight as well as width, height, and depth measurements. This way you can get a good plan together for moving it without risking damage.
Next, you need to properly plan your route to get the piano from the room it’s currently in to its final destination in the new home. Grab a tape measure and determine how it will best fit through each door that you’ll need to get it through. This will let you know if it will fit or if you’ll need an alternative strategy. Also, you should have the moving truck ready to go, including its door being open and any necessary ramps in place. Then ensure you have enough people to do the job. You’ll need at least one person for each 100 lbs (46 kg) of weight, but you might want to have a few extra in case someone gets tired and needs to be replaced or doors need to be held open for the others to get through.
Finally, get the piano ready to go. Secure both the back lid and the keyboard lid, and wrap the piano all around with blankets. You can use almost any thick blanket, and there are also special moving blankets you can get if needed. Then, use some packing tape to ensure all the blankets are firmly in place. This can greatly reduce the risk of scuffing the finish while in transit.
Now, you’re ready to pick it up and get moving. Make sure you stop every few metres to reset your grip. You don’t want to accidentally drop it. Following these steps for how to move a piano will get you on the right track to safely relocating your instrument. There may be other tips that fit with the specific type of piano you have, so do some extra research and make sure you cover all your bases before you let your piano get a single step out of the door.