How to move a piano: useful tips by WW Moving Company

Perhaps you have to try very hard to find something like a piano that is so heavy and large - and so fragile at the same time. This musical instrument needs to be treated with care, no matter whether you are tuning it, using it, or going to transport it. The latter point, however, deserves special attention. In this article, you will learn how to transport a piano by https://a-plus-moving.com/ without damaging it, and what precautions you should follow during transportation.

how to move a piano

How to prepare the piano for transportation

Before you move your piano, you should prepare it for transportation, that is, remove the outer parts of the instrument and pack them, which will help to avoid various damages in the future:
  • To remove the bottom cover, the purpose of which is to protect the pedal mechanism and the bottom of the soundboard, you will not need screwdrivers, because in most cases it is secured with a wooden or metal latch.
  • The most vulnerable part of a piano when it is being transported is its kick mechanism. It is best to leave it in place and not touch it. If it becomes urgently necessary to remove it, you will need to unscrew the fastening bolts. The mechanism should be handled with the utmost care, carefully packed and transported with the utmost care.
  • To secure the top cover of the piano, you mainly use latches.
  • The cover, designed to protect the keys, is fastened with screws, therefore, you can detach it by using a screwdriver or a screwdriver.
  • Do not forget to protect the strings - cover them with thick paper. Put a foam pad between the cover and the keys. If the latter is not available, any soft material will do.
If you are going to transport your piano assembled by yourself, be sure to secure the covers with tape - this will help avoid unpleasant surprises during loading. A loose hinged lid that protects the keyboard can pinch your fingers or even break.

The musical instrument itself or its large components should be wrapped with a cloth or special air bubble wrap before transportation. If you do not want to spend money on the purchase of packing materials, use improvised means (blankets, plaids). Secure the soft layer with a thick rope. Packing your valuable cargo in this way will greatly reduce the likelihood of damage.

How to prepare the piano for transportation

How to move a piano to another apartment: procedure

The most common type of piano today is the regular piano, which is about one and a half meters long and varies in height. All models, from the smallest, which weigh between 350 and 500 pounds, to the larger ones, which weigh about 700 pounds, but can even reach 1000, are transported in the same way. Unlike other, larger musical instruments, the center of gravity of the piano is at a height of 50 inches. Read a little instruction on how to move pianos correctly:

  1. Use the help of professionals - they are the ones who can safely move this musical instrument up or down flights of stairs. The enormous size, heavy weight, and unclear center of gravity make pianos very dangerous to move by people who have never done it before.
  2. If you need to lift or lower a piano up or down stairs, research all the information you have about it. The age of the stairs, design, and structure are important. In some cases, the steps may not be able to support the weight of a musical instrument (in the neighborhood of 300 pounds) along with four or five movers. Which means you will have to give up the idea of moving a piano. It is better to know all the nuances in advance than to risk the lives and health of people.
  3. Do not be lazy to plan and study the route. Don't forget to measure all of the doors you will encounter along the way to make sure the piano will fit through them exactly.
  4. It's also worth looking in advance at how the doors of the truck you'll be moving the piano open, as well as thinking about ways to load it.When thinking about how to move a piano, take our advice and have one loader for every 45 pounds of cargo.
  5. Be sure to add rubber gloves for each worker, and consider using a back support strap to prevent strain on the back muscles.
  6. The musical instrument must be prepared for transportation. Because of its large weight and bulkiness, you will need a wide dolly. Close and secure all piano covers, wrap the instrument in a blanket and tie it with tape, then bring the cart to one end of the piano, and with the help of helpers tilt it onto it.
  7. It is important to have more people on the side of the musical instrument that rests on the cart. This is necessary to support the weight of the piano, as it will tilt backward, and by supporting it on the side, the movers will be able to keep the balance. This point is essential for this kind of instrument because of its heavy weight.
  8. Don't let gravity get in the way of your plans, with maximum effort, gently push the piano to the end of the cart.
  9. If you are unlucky and the piano on the cart does not fit in the doorway, you will have to make several approaches to get it through the doorway without the cart. Once you get past this point, you can put the musical instrument back on the cart, most importantly, make sure it's level and stable.
  10. Remember that the proper way to lift weights is to crouch down with your back straight and lift the object by the strength of your legs. Make sure that your helpers are aware of this technique.
  11. If it appears to you that the piano is unstable while you are carrying it, you should notify the others immediately and set the instrument down properly. Move the cart, swap people if necessary, and try again.
  12. When thinking about how to move a piano, keep in mind that it needs to be supported from below. If you decide to do it yourself without seeking professional help, remember, an instrument aimed downward will put more pressure on the ladder compared to a level surface.
  13. Position most of your helpers at the part of the tool that is down, holding it up. It is very important that each person behind the piano has enough room to step aside if necessary. After all, if anyone loses their balance, the instrument could fall. Your job is to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to step aside if one of the helpers, for example, stumbles.

How to move a piano to another apartment

Rules for transporting pianos in the car

Once you have safely delivered the musical instrument to the van, you can consider that half of the job is done. It remains to load the piano inside and transport it to its destination. It is worth worrying about a safe route in advance. The road should be flat, to prevent strong shaking and vibration, it is important to observe the speed limit. Deciding how to transport a piano, remember that in this case, haste is categorically contraindicated, even if it is a trip to another city.
Often for the transportation of pianos are used trucks. In this case, the instrument is placed in a horizontal position at the back of the car. Do not forget to fix it properly. The carrying capacity of this type of vehicle makes it impossible to transport the instrument in an upright position, as it would then be standing on its wheels, and fixing the piano along the side with straps alone is forbidden.
The transportation of pianos requires special devices that allow them to be securely fastened. Special vehicles for the transport of pianos with a capacity of more than three tons have hydraulic elevators and metal locking devices. With the latter, which protects against horizontal and lateral movements, the piano is held securely along the side of the vehicle.
Unless absolutely necessary, you should not transport your piano in the winter. Keep in mind that the instrument is sensitive to temperature fluctuations. In order to protect it, it is worth looking for a van with air conditioning.
Thinking about how to move the piano, keep in mind that the services of specialized companies involved in the transportation of heavy and valuable instruments, including antique and collectible pianos, are very expensive. For this reason, a number of instrument owners, when moving, are inclined to make the serious and responsible decision of transporting pianos on their own using equipment such as trailers.

However, transporting this musical instrument in a trailer is strongly discouraged. The most serious damage that can happen to a piano is a cracked soundboard, which is caused by careless handling of the instrument (when it is set up and dropped from even a slight height). And transporting it in a trailer is certainly not a safe and gentle way to transport it.

How to move a piano without damaging it: useful tips and nuances

Some people think that transporting a piano is similar to transporting a closet. But it's worth upsetting them, this kind of handling will be devastating for the instrument.

When moving the piano, there are a number of mandatory rules that must be followed:
  1. There are handles on the back of the piano, but they should not be used to move it long distances, they are designed to move the instrument away from the wall.
  2. If you're thinking about how to move a piano without damaging the flooring, you shouldn't move it with the metal casters that end the legs - they are more of a decorative feature than any practical use.
  3. If your home does not have a freight elevator, it is not advisable to place the piano on the stairs in an inclined position when lifting or lowering it to avoid damage.
  4. Move the piano in such a way as to prevent vibration, dirt, dust, and moisture from getting inside the instrument. It is for this reason that the piano should be protected by means of packing material before it is transported.
  5. Pianos, regardless of model, are highly sensitive to changes in temperature and high humidity. It is best to choose warm times of the year for transportation. If you need to transport the instrument in winter, pack it as carefully as possible and make sure that the piano is not outdoors for a long time.

Perhaps the most important rule is not to try to hold or catch a falling piano under any circumstances. In such a case, the only right thing to do is to step aside. Otherwise, injury (or, in the worst case, death) cannot be avoided.

How to handle your piano after shipping

Bring your piano into the house slowly and carefully. It is a good idea to open a window in the room, thus avoiding sudden changes in temperature. The instrument should gradually become accustomed to the existing microclimate in the room, making sure that the top and cover of the keyboard are closed.
Do not wipe moisture from the surface of the instrument, wait until it dries on its own. In addition, you should not play the piano on the day of shipment.

One week after the instrument has been delivered to your new apartment, you should use the services of a tuner, because the piano does not sound right after transportation.

Move Piano with Professional Piano Movers

We are professional movers who have been transporting pianos for more than 1 year. We are happy to help all our movers. Don't hesitate to call us for professional assistance with piano transportation across the USA. Our team of 20 movers and 3 truckers work 7 days a week.