The piano is one of the most difficult and tricky items to move. It is large, heavy and very inconvenient to hold up from the ground. If you are thinking about how it can be moved there are ways to answer to your question. With a few details to know you can move it anywhere in your home – to another room or to your next living place. Whatever you do just remember: safety for you and your piano comes first.
Before taking your piano out the door you need to know its size – height, width and its weight. The smallest pianos could weight between 500 – 600 lbs, there are high pianos with large backs that can weight more than 800 lbs. Still other piano models may reach 1000 – 1200 lbs in weight. By knowing the weight you can figure out how many people you will need to lift up the piano. It is possible to make this task with your friends if your piano is small. Arrange a day and some of your friends to be there to move the piano out of your home.
Pianos have wheels but it is not recommended that you use them for moving. They are a decoration that is not meant to serve such a purpose. Also if you use the piano wheels too much they can wear out quickly. Another risk that comes if you want to push your piano to move it is that you can break one of its legs. That is not necessary. Another reason in favor of this tip is that piano wheels may scratch hardwood floor or tear up the carpet.
It is recommended to use plastic or working gloves when lifting a piano. They can keep your hands from getting slippery. So, with your friends let each stand at a corner of the piano – to lift it is the way to move it. Next thing – use a dolly for a safe transportation. Lift the piano and balance it well on the dolly. A small upright piano can be transported by a dolly on its side. Just balance the weight of the piano well on the dolly – remember that the front side of the piano where the keyboard is is lighter.
Be careful when you wish to move your piano. Place safety on the first place and hire a moving company, especially if you own a larger musical instrument.
Since pianos are large it is possible during moving to have them scratched. In order to prevent that you need to protect your piano. Use cushioning material like moving blankets. That will also protect the door frame and the walls.
If you have to go upstairs or downstairs with your piano you will have to find several people who are able to carry it. There is no other way. Have in mind that this is very dangerous and there is a high risk of injury for you – and a very high possibility for a damage for the piano. The best thing to do is to call professional movers to handle it. If your piano is large or expensive also hire a moving company. It is also possible to do it at a reasonable price if you find an economy mover. Risking to do a piano moving yourself can have very bad results. Movers can dismantle your piano, pack its part, and transport them to your new home. Alternatively, if it won’t go out through the door because of its size see if it can go through the window. That would mean hiring a crane to lift up and move your piano out.
Pack your piano well and balance it on the dolly to ensure yours and the piano's safety.
When getting the piano in a pickup truck you can use the wheels of the dolly to slide it up it. If you are doing this job yourself you will need one person pulling the piano up and one or more people at the lower end of the piano to push it up. After the piano is in the truck tie it up well to its side to secure it in one position in which it will be stable. If your piano is a bigger one and you prefer not to deal with it yourself don’t worry – movers know what to do with it. Once it is packed well, loaded for shipping and stabilized inside the truck, it can stay in there and be safe even if you move it on longer distances across the country. When you drive your piano to your new home taking it out and into your home goes the same way backwards. Carefully slide out the piano and by lifting it gently balance it on a dolly to get it indoors.
A few final words
For your own safety do not attempt to move large pianos – not to another room or up or down the stairs! You can strain your back or cause a damage to your piano. Large furniture like this is clumsy to move so always use the services of a moving company.
Another great moving article by Pamela Smith!
Thanks!