Are you planning to move sometime soon?
The average American can expect to move at least 11 times throughout their lifetime. As you continue to find a permanent place to call home, you need to bring all your belongings along with you every time you switch locations.
Most take it upon themselves to move everything to the new location. All you need is a strong back to lift even your bigger pieces of furniture. If you own a piano, though, you may want to rethink your approach.
Learning how to move a piano properly ensures minimal to no damage during the move. Read our guide below to know what you need to do to move a piano without destroying it today.
Table of Contents
Measure the Piano’s New Space
To make sure your efforts aren’t in vain, measure the space the piano will end up in. You’ll want to make sure you have enough space to set the piano down. Make sure you also have enough room surrounding the piano, since you’ll likely move it around before settling it down.
Check the dimensions of the room to see whether you have ample room to maneuver even with the piano inside. Measure the path leading to the room, too. The piano may fit in the room, but it may not fit through the hallway or through the door leading to the room.
Use this opportunity to know how big of a truck you’ll need. If your piano can fit in a pickup truck that you own, then you’re set. You’ll only need to fasten it to the truck for the travel.
Make Sure You Have the Proper Equipment
Once the measurements look good, move on to the equipment you’ll use. Pianos are fragile and can break easily if you don’t use the proper materials to transport them. What you’ll need will depend on the type of piano that you have.
If you own an upright piano, a piano dolly is for you. Upright pianos are compact and won’t have many moving parts to worry about. Placing and fastening them on a dolly of suitable size makes it easy to move one around.
If you’re moving a grand piano, though, you’ll need a special board that prevents it from falling over. It has a groove where you can place the piano faced down. You’ll need more straps and padding to make sure it won’t fall over while it’s in transit.
Preparing the Piano For Transport
On the day of the move, disassemble the piano. There are a few parts that may be liable to break off when not removed. These can then cause further damage to the piano when not secured.
The lid is one of these parts. Even when secured in place, it can move still move around when the road isn’t paved. This can scratch and deface the part of the piano close to the lid.
Remove the screws holding the lid in place and place them in a secure bag. This will help you fish them out when you need to reattach the lid later on.
Detach the piano lyre, too. This connects the pedals to the chords of the piano. Unscrew it and wrap it in a thick cloth to prevent it from sustaining damage during the trip.
Once you remove the lyre, the pedals should follow. Wrap each one in a different bundle to prevent them from rubbing against each other and scratching themselves.
You’ll also want to protect the piano keys from jostling too much. Secure them with some cloth and tape to keep them from flying off.
Transporting the Piano
After disassembling the piano, place the piano on the designated board. The more people you have carrying the piano, the better and easier it will be to put it on the board.
If you’re handling a grand piano, remove its legs first. You’ll need to store the piano vertically. Having the legs attached is a surefire way to damage or break them during the trip.
Wrap the grand piano in a moving blanket once the legs are off. This is to protect the surface of the instrument from scratches. Once wrapped, fasten it to the piano skid and secure it in place.
It should be easy to move it towards the truck from here on out. Clear the path of clutter, since anything can scratch the delicate piano. Proper clutter control helps prevent damages and accidents from happening.
When loading the piano into the truck, put it in the back-most part of the truck. Being closer to the front means it won’t sway as much as it would in the back.
How to move a piano upstairs? Make sure the stairs can handle the weight of the load first. Consider the width of the stairwell, too, and make sure you can fit it while carrying the piano.
When Should You Hire Professionals?
There are a few factors that determine whether you should hire professionals to handle the job. The first is if you’re passing through a steep hill or such. The piano will sway and may slide down the truck if not fastened properly.
Professional movers know this and will take measures to prevent it. It’s also wise to call them when the stairwell to your new place is too narrow. They know how to move a piano up steps using different methods and tools at their disposal.
How much to move a piano? That will depend on a few things, like the distance of the move and the skill of the movers. The folks over at Muscleman Moving & Piano Experts have a page dedicated to pricing, which speaks to their professionalism in the moving industry.
Learn How to Move a Piano Today
Pianos are expensive, and there’s always a risk when moving them from place to place. Knowing the proper steps and procedures in transporting a piano helps you make sure nothing bad happens during the relocation. Move a piano with confidence today!
Now that you know how to move a piano, why not learn how to move other delicate objects, too? Check out more of our guides to know how you can move your belongings with ease. Master the move while keeping your belongings safe!
