How to move a piano

Moving A Piano

Moving a piano is a job reserved for those who can do it and do it well. This is because most pianos weigh approximately 136kg onwards, making them quite challenging to move, especially if you are doing it alone. Moreover, a piano's intricate design means that you need to move it in a particular way to ensure that it functions as it should once you move it to its new location.

And, it goes without saying that having to replace your piano because of moving it incorrectly will cost you a lot as pianos are expensive instruments. Luckily, there's a whole world reserved for piano movers, which means that you do not have to do this tedious and challenging task alone.

Therefore, if you want to move your piano but are confused about the procedure, this article will guide you through the right path. After reading this article, you will be able to know about the necessary equipment for moving the piano, the costs involved in the moving process, and the necessary precautions to take when moving your prized possession. If you are ready, just read on to find out.

What Do You Need To Move A Piano?

You can’t move a special instrument like a piano with your free hand. You need to use some special equipment to do this work. This equipment will not only make the moving process safe but also lessen your pain. Below is some mandatory equipment for piano moving:

A Piano Dolly

A piano dolly is a special kind of dolly. It has four wheels and extra bearings. The bearings are needed to make the turning easier. It includes floor-friendly rubber wheels that save your floor from damage.

A Piano Board or Skid Board

This is a large kind of plywood that includes padding. It is used to effectively move grand pianos. You have to tie the piano to the board with its straps. Then, you have to drag the piano board into the piano dolly. This board provides your piano with extra support while moving it.

Strapping

You also need strong strapping to tie the piano with the piano skid board or piano dolly. Look for locking straps to secure your piano to the skid board or piano dolly. There is a strap called a hump strap. It helps move large and heavy instruments. It facilitates the process of moving things up a flight of stairs. You have to wrap it around the wrists of the piano through the wheels on the bottom of the piano.

Moving Pads or Blankets

Pads or blankets are for covering the piano and protecting it from breakage. This protection will guarantee that your piano is safe from damage from the start to the end of the move. Pads or blankets are necessary to protect the instrument from accidental bumps. They also protect the piano from spots that could be left behind by tapes and straps.

Belt or Shoulder Harness

A belt or shoulder harness allows the movers to use their legs and arms to move large and heavy instruments, in this case, your piano. It will not increase the weight of the item you are carrying. It prevents your body from unwanted injuries that can result from improper lifting, making it a vital safety gadget.

How Much Does A Piano Weigh?

Before lifting a piano, you need to know how much a piano weighs to avoid hurting yourself in the process. The weight of a piano depends on its kind. This means that the weight will vary depending on the style and make of your piano.

Pianos typically come in two types:

• Upright pianos - These types of pianos stand tall vertically. The strings stay vertically inside the case.
• Grand pianos - Grand and baby grand pianos are horizontal, and the strings stay vertically.

Here are the weights of some of the popular piano brands:

• Young Chang 121 - 225kg
• Baldwin BH-122 - 246kg
• Yamaha P22 - 222kg
• Kawai K300 - 227kg
• Steinly Model S - 245kg
• Mason and Hamlin CC - 635kg
• Yamaha C3 Studio - 320kg

How To Move A Piano

Pianos are large and heavy instruments, which makes them very difficult to move. As a result, they need to be moved technically. It is necessary to follow some steps before starting the moving process. The steps below provide a guide on how to move your piano:

Step One: Measure the space available in the new location

Before lifting the piano, measure the space in its current location and its new area. You have to make sure that the piano will fit in your new place. It's also necessary to ensure that there is enough space around the piano to move it. Measure the doorways and staircases to ensure that your piano can actually fit through them.

Step Two: Clear the pathways

Clear the path to the door in the place you are moving from. You have to also clear the paths of your new house and its entrance to move the piano in. Make sure that the staircase is strong enough to bear the weight of the instrument. Doing so ensures that there are no obstacles that will hinder the move.

Step Three: Follow the right steps based on your piano type

Here comes the most critical part. You have to follow different steps according to the size and style of the piano:

1. Upright Piano

To move an upright piano, you have to take care of the piano keys and piano pedals. Try to cover your piano with a blanket or moving pad. Cover the sides, front and back, with the blanket. Then, tape the blankets to guarantee that they will not fall off during the move.

After covering all the sides, make sure that you have a minimum of one mover on each side of the piano. The movers should be careful about the weight of the piano. They must bend their knees to avoid shoulder injuries. Then, lift the piano and place it on the piano dolly.

2. Grand Piano

Before moving a grand piano or baby grand piano, it is crucial to secure the top lid. Take a screwdriver and disassemble the parts of the piano, especially the pedals and legs. Take all the legs off with caution to prevent the piano from hitting the ground during the move. Now, wrap the keys, lid, and other parts of the piano with a blanket.

Ensure that you secure the blanket with tape. Then, wrap the piano's legs and pedals with another moving blanket and tape it. When you are sure that all the piano parts are secure, gently tilt the piano on the piano skid board. Be careful with the moving and keep balance with your team members. Secure the piano with the straps to the skid board. Now, try to move the piano carefully. Your other team members have to hold the upper body of the piano.

Step Four: Reassemble the piano

After moving the piano to its new location, reassemble the piano parts as they were before. Ensure that you look at the position of the components correctly at the time of separating. Doing so will help you at the time of reassembling it. You can also refer to its user manual as a guide. However, if you are using professional piano movers, they will do the reassembling for you.

Once your piano is assembled, recheck it and give it a good clean with a washing cloth.

Tips To Observe While Moving Your Piano

Your piano is a large and heavy instrument, which means that you have to observe some precautions while moving it. This will help you prevent injuries and damage to it. Here are some moving tips that should be followed.

Get the Right Size of Moving Truck

If you are moving all your stuff, make sure that you have the right size of moving truck to move your large items. If you are moving the piano only, then select a truck of the right size according to your piano size.

Take All the Necessary Measurements Beforehand

Take accurate measurements of the piano before starting the move. Moreover, you should take measurements of the doorways and staircases of your piano's current location and those of its destination. If your doors are not high enough for the height of your piano, you might face problems, making the move more complicated. So, before starting the moving process, take all the necessary measurements to avoid surprises.

Never Try to Move Your Piano Alone

As discussed before, pianos are very heavy. This makes it quite difficult to move a piano yourself. An average-sized upright piano needs at least three adults to move it. Therefore, you will need a lot of help. If you are not using professional piano movers, you can enlist your friends or relatives to help you move your piano. Having enough physically strong people prevents incidents of damage to your piano and accidents such as back sprains.

Do Not Start the Move Without Proper Equipment

It is impossible to lift a piano without the proper equipment. You can never do it freehand. Therefore you have to hire equipment, such as a piano dolly. All dollies are not the same, so you should specifically get a piano dolly. Piano dollies have four wheels and a padding system with straps. Without this equipment, your piano is not secure enough to move.

Avoid Relying on Your Piano Casters

Many pianos have casters. However, they are not good rollers. You cannot move your piano across a long distance with the help of the casters. If you try this, there remains a huge chance of damaging the casters. Therefore, you should not rely on your piano’s casters to facilitate the move.

What Is The Average Cost Of Moving A Piano?

General Costs

The average moving cost of a piano for local movers is around $200 to $400. If you want to move your piano over a long distance, the average price will be anywhere between $700 and $2000. So, the cost to move your piano is about $200 to $1000 locally. It can vary based on the size and weight of your piano.

Additional Costs

A piano is a cumbersome and expensive instrument. So, if you want to move it with proper caution, you have to bear some additional costs, such as:

• A grand piano needs to be disassembled before moving it from one place to another. If you want the hired movers to disassemble it, some extra charge will be added to your quote. Typically, piano movers charge around $100 for disassembling the piano legs and pedals.
• If your piano is extremely valuable, you have to protect it perfectly. The safest way to move any piano is to transport it in a customised wooden crate. Piano-crating fees range somewhere between $800 and $1000.
• If the hallways and staircases of your house are quite narrow, it will be problematic for the movers to move the piano. Therefore, they have to follow the hoisting process. Your piano might have to be hoisted out through a window or balcony. Hoisting needs some special equipment. The movers expect about $700 to $900 for this specific service.
• Moving your piano at the last moment will cost you extra. Sometimes, it may be double the regular piano moving cost. For an emergency move, you may be charged about $400 to $600 for a long-distance move.

Factors That Determine The Cost Of Moving A Piano

If you are not interested in the hassle of moving your piano alone, you can hire a professional mover. In that case, you have to bear a little cost, but it will make your task easier. Here are the factors that determine how much you will pay to have your piano moved by professional piano movers:

• The size and weight of your piano will matter at the time of payment. If you have a grand or baby grand piano, it will take more time and movers than the upright piano making the move more expensive.
• The most important part of this moving process is the moving distance. It really matters whether your piano is going to be moved interstate or within the same state. The distance will increase your moving cost. The piano moving will include the cost of time, fuel, wear, and tear, etc.
• Another factor that is going to matter is the obstacles or barriers faced by the movers on the moving day. It is justified that the movers will charge more money if they come across more obstacles during the move. So, this factor increases your moving cost.

Cost Of Moving A Piano By Yourself

Some people try to do the piano moving task by themselves to reduce the costs they will incur. DIY piano moving includes some costs, such as the cost of buying or hiring the proper equipment. The costs incurred while moving your piano by yourself are as follows:

Upright Piano

If your piano is an upright piano, you have to take a four-wheel piano moving dolly. This piano moving dolly will cost you around $160. You also need a one hump strap to tie the piano to the dolly. This hump strap will cost about $35. Another important piece of equipment for moving an upright piano is a locking piano belt. This belt is needed for the extra security of the piano as you move it. It will cost you around $35.

Grand or Baby Grand Piano

In the case of a grand piano, a piano skid board is mandatory and will cost approximately $170. The size and price of the skid board will vary according to your piano size. You will also need two piano lockers belts for extra caution. Each of them will cost you about $35. Some moving pads are also required for covering the piano. Quality moving pads will cost about $30 each. Moreover, you will need quality packers tape to cover the mover’s pad. A roll costs around $3l.

Contact Professional Piano Movers

It is really hard and risky to move a heavy instrument, such as a piano alone. Sometimes people try to do this on their own, but the piano gets damaged in the process if they fail. There are also a lot of records of injuries being incurred during the piano moving process.

Some people want to do it on their own to save money, but the equipment cost is not that low. You will find a lot of piano moving companies around you who will do this task for you. You have to contact them and send the details of your piano to them. You can also talk about the payment process with them before making the contract.

You also have the option to choose a company that will offer you insurance. If you hire an experienced mover, the risk of damage to your priceless piano will be lessened, and it will also relieve you from extra tension. Simply put, it is advisable to contact a professional piano mover. You can get one within your budget to provide quality piano moving services.