How to Move a Piano – All You Need to Know
People are usually excited about their cross-country moving plans, and we assume that you, too, can’t wait to move to your future home. However, you might be somewhat worried about shipping certain bulky items and you’re not quite certain how to move a piano to your new address like an expert mover, without damaging it in the process.
Luckily, we are here to tell you all you need to know about moving this valuable and incredible instrument. With our handy step-by-step instructions, you’ll have no problem tackling this task, regardless of the weight and size of the instrument. You probably have many doubts and questions on the subject, from how to keep it safe to how to lift and transport it, so let’s find out everything you need to know about moving both upright and grand pianos to your future home.
Why Safely Moving Your Piano Matters
Moving a piano is a task that requires careful planning and attention to detail, and it’s no surprise why so many people prioritize the safe transport of this beloved instrument. The piano is one of the most popular instruments in the United States, with 28% of American families owning a keyboard instrument and over 18 million Americans playing the piano, according to surveys conducted by the American Music Conference.
Given its popularity and the joy it brings to so many homes, ensuring a piano’s safe journey during a move is crucial.
Whether you’re an avid player or a proud owner, protecting your piano from damage during relocation is essential to preserving its value and the musical enjoyment it provides.
The Most Important Step – Gather All the Necessary Supplies and Equipment
During every relocation, getting organized is the key to success. So, here’s one of the first things to do so that everything goes according to plan – find proper packing materials ,tools, and supplies. These are necessary to wrap your piano, while you’ll need the right equipment to lift it and load it onto the truck. Just think about it – how are you going to remove smaller parts when you disassemble the instrument? How are you going to lift it and get it to a truck? And what happens during transport if your valuable possession is not protected properly? It’s quite clear – you can’t handle a single step without the right supplies and gear.
A Checklist of What You’ll Need
Before you start moving your piano, it’s essential to gather the different materials and equipment to ensure a safe and smooth relocation. Here’s a checklist of what you’ll need:
- Moving blankets: These are crucial to fully protect every inch of your piano from scratches and dents. Thick towels and blankets can also be used as extra padding to avoid damage.
- Dolly: A four-wheeled dolly is ideal for moving the piano. It helps maneuver the heavy instrument downstairs or across flat surfaces with ease.
- Skid board: If a dolly isn’t available, a skid board can also be effective in transporting the piano. It’s designed to help glide heavy items down steps or inclines.
- Straps and rope: These are essential for securing the piano to the dolly or skid board, ensuring it doesn’t shift or fall during the move. They also assist with lifting and positioning the piano onto the truck.
While these supplies are crucial, don’t forget you can always hire professional cross-country movers such as Flat Price Auto Transport and Moving for packing assistance. Expert movers can provide all the necessary equipment, from ropes to skid boards, and handle the heavy lifting for you.
Before Moving the Piano, You Need to Clear All the Passageways
The relocation turmoil can easily confuse you and you’ll probably get the feeling you keep forgetting something. While there are some most commonly forgotten things to pack, there are also certain significant steps that people tend to overlook. So, before you get the relocation process started, remember one more important step that will ease all the rest. Make sure you have clear doorways, hallways, and staircases to bring all your stuff out of your home obstruction-free. This is essential when you have some large belongings which are risky to get stuck if there’s not enough room to go through.
This is essential when you have large pieces of furniture that even the most experienced mover using the best equipment can’t take out if there’s not enough room to go through. If you try to do it without clearing the passageways, you can get stuck somewhere along the way, which, in turn, can damage your valuable instrument or you can even hurt yourself. So, it’s much safer to get everything ready in advance to avoid injury and damage.
Before Taking Further Steps, Check Whether Your Instrument Fits in the New Room
Before you take any final actions in relocation, make sure that you’ve planned everything well and that there is, in fact, enough space for all the furniture you’re planning to put in a room. This is of particular importance when it comes to bulky items and fine pieces of furniture like your piano. In addition to the actual room, you should also measure the doors, staircases, and all the passageways that you or each mover will have to go through to get it right where you want it to be.
Tips on How to Move a Piano Safely
You would probably like to know the easiest way to pack for a move, but you shouldn’t forget about safety. We’ve mentioned before that you’ll need ropes and straps, and this is where you use them – to secure your instrument when placed on the dolly or a skid board. Otherwise, it is likely to move or even roll off the dolly on the way down the stairs to the truck, even with expert movers using high-quality gear in charge. Don’t take the chance.
Start by Setting up Ramps
Once your instrument is placed on the dolly, you should set up ramps to carry it down the stairs or porch steps, as well as for loading it onto the movers’ truck. Ramps will be of great help when you get to your house, and it’s time for unloading, too.
Don’t Forget to Protect the Keyboard
In addition to protecting the instrument as a whole, you should also remember to protect its separate parts, from the legs to the keyboard. To keep the keyboard safe, put the lid down and lock it, if possible. If not, use masking tape to keep it in place during the move.
Make Sure You Cover the Piano with a Moving Blanket
Moving blankets are a necessity for a secure move. Use them to cover the entire piano and keep it safe from any possible damage during loading, unloading, as well as the actual transport. Blankets will also keep it safe if you leave it in a storage unit, too.
Lay Your Piano on Its Back
People who decide to handle the relocation without the help of a professional car shipping company often wonder about the right position in which you should place this bulky instrument. If you, too, have been wondering whether it’s wrong to lay it on its back, here’s your answer – it’s not. As long as you don’t drop it, moving it on its back won’t do any harm.
Additional Tips When Moving a Grand Piano
If you’re transporting grand pianos, your focus should be on the top lid to keep the keys safe. But you still don’t know how to move such a piano and what to do with the pedals and legs. It’s simple – the best solution is to disassemble and remove pedals and legs first. Again, using blankets while packing is the best solution for full protection.
Tips When Moving an Upright Piano
The most important step to keep in mind here is to protect the keys and the pedals and then the entire instrument, too, of course. Once it’s fully secured, put your upright piano on a dolly, secure it with straps, and you’re good to go.
Important Step – Retune upon Arrival
Finally, when you settle in your new home, don’t forget to retune your piano before you play it for the first time in your new place. No matter how careful you or the movers are, it might go out of tune along the way, so that’s your final step.
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Read moreThe Cost of Expert Helpers is Worth the Trouble
You weren’t even sure how to pack kitchen items like an expert mover, but now you know how to move a piano smoothly anywhere you want without a single scratch. You can, of course, try to do this by yourself just with the help of your friends instead of a reliable long-distance moving company. Just like with the rest of your belongings and fine furniture, you have to be careful with your instrument to make sure it gets safely to your chosen destination.
If you don’t know how to transport a piano and you’re afraid that you’ll do some irreparable damage due to improper handling and loading onto the truck, there’s no reason to panic. That’s why expert movers are at your service – to deal with this tricky task for you. Hiring expert movers to help and provide you with professional long-distance moving services is a good solution when it comes to a tricky task like this one. Whatever option you go for, good luck!
Let the Experts Handle Your Move!
Moving a piano is no easy task, but with the right help, you can make the process smooth and stress-free. At Flat Price Auto Transport and Moving, we specialize in handling even the most challenging relocations, from pianos to entire households. Our team of professional long-distance movers is equipped with the skills and tools necessary to safely transport your valuable possessions to a new home without a scratch. Don’t take the risk of moving your piano on your own – get in touch with us today for a free quote and experience a seamless, hassle-free relocation. Trust Flat Price Auto Transport and Moving to take the weight off your shoulders!
