DIY piano moving

Piano Moving Made Easy

A piano is a large, heavy instrument that would be difficult to move independently. A piano can weigh between 272 and 544 Kgs. Plus, their strings are tight and may even break during the process of moving a piano.

It is always advised to hire a trusted professional to do it for you, but some people prefer to do it themselves. If you would instead move a piano yourself, this blog is for you. Below you will discover tips and tricks for moving a piano yourself.

Reasons To Hire Professional Movers

• Most people leave the task of moving pianos to professionals because they don't want to damage the instrument or cause injury to themselves or their helpers. A small slip can cause a piano to go down the stairs very fast. It can also hit a person on its way down, requiring them to be hospitalised. Professional movers will come with their team members to move the piano and ensure no harm or damage is caused during the process.
• Since they are experts, they will recommend the most suitable moving truck for your piano. When you want to move the piano yourself, you might get a moving truck, but you may not be aware that not all of these trucks are fit to carry heavy or oversized loads. You might also not have all the equipment necessary for the job and may even overlook others that you think are not needed. Professional movers will also come with the right gear and equipment for the job.
• A DIY transfer of a piano seems very cost-effective. This is true if the piano is not harmed or the people moving it are not injured. If any injury or damage is done, it might end up costing you a lot more in terms of repairs and hospital bills. If you use professional movers right from the start, you will be protected from all these expenses.
• You will not waste a whole day trying to shift a piano or have to manoeuvre through corners and stairways as you try to position the piano. This saves a lot of time, and time is money. It will also save your helper's time as they will tend to other matters and leave the heavy lifting to professionals.

Most people prefer letting professionals handle the moving of a piano. However, if you are trying to save on piano moving costs, you can move the piano yourself. Let's discuss the piano moving tips and tricks for DIYers.

If you aim to move a piano by yourself, you'll need to do some significant preparations ahead of time. Below are practical tips on how to move a piano yourself.

Piano Moving Checklist

• Do not heap stuff on top of your piano. Since the piano is rather big and heavy, you might be tempted to put boxes on top of it. Do not do this, as you can damage the piano.
• Do not leave the piano outside as you are moving other stuff. It might be affected by direct sunlight or humidity. When you get it from the house, load it up into the moving truck.
• Clear the way for the piano. Determine the route the piano will be moved through, and make sure you clear out anything that might be on the way. Moving a piano requires a bit of manoeuvring, and having stuff in the way only makes it more labour-intensive. Also, things lying around might cause a person to slip, fall, and get injured.
• Examine the condition of the piano. Take note of any scratches, keys that are missing and moveable pedals, etc., before moving it.
• Talk to a professional before the move. We know that your budget is tight but talk to a professional as they might give you a few pointers on how you should do this if you decide to do it yourself.
• Do not forget to check and prepare where the piano will finally be set up. Measure all the stairs, entrances of the place the piano is coming from, and its destination. It will make the job run smoothly.

Getting Ready To Move A Piano Yourself

Important Preparations

There are many different types of pianos. If you are preparing to move a piano yourself, you need to know the approximate weight of your piano. The weight you see is the combined weight of the piano top and base. To determine the average weight of a piano, you will need to know the piano's base length, plus the weight of the top.

For upright pianos, the base is typically 19 inches, and the weight of the top is often between 1.4 and 2.3 Kgs, depending on the piano. For grand pianos and baby grand pianos, the base length is usually 20 inches, while the weight of the top is between 1.4 and 2.3 Kgs. When moving a piano, you'll need to remove the keyboard, pedals, and other parts that go in and out of the piano.

To keep the piano safe, take everything out from under so that there is nothing loose that can come off and cause harm during the move. You'll also need to disconnect your piano from all electrical systems. You may want to bring along a dolly and have someone help you lift the piano onto the dolly.

Before moving the piano, measure the distance between the piano and the wall or other obstruction. Make sure that you know where you will be moving the piano from and when it will be moved. Measure the entryways, stairways, and lobbies that the piano will pass through.

This will tell you if it will be an easy task manoeuvring through the corners. Keep all the doors open and protect your wooden floors and furniture. Anything that is in the way should be removed before moving the piano. You can use thick towels or a safe corner guard to protect edges so that your piano is not scratched as you are moving.

Acquire Suitable Moving Equipment

Getting the right gear and equipment is key when it comes to moving a piano by yourself. It is not only for the piano's safety but also yours and that of the person helping you move the piano.

For upright pianos and grand pianos, you will require a lot of moving coverings to protect the sides. This will prevent your piano from being scratched. If you do not have blankets, you can use thick towels as well to protect your piano. To ensure that the blankets and towels do not fall, secure them with tape.

Another essential piece of equipment that is required when moving an upright piano is a dolly. When selecting a dolly for this purpose, make sure it can hold the piano's weight.

Grand pianos are not easy to move because of their size design. You will be required to get other supplies apart from blankets and towels. One important thing to have is a piano skid board.

Do not pick just any skid board, but ensure the one you choose is suitable for the piano size. You will need straps to secure the piano in position. You will also need a screwdriver. Other essential supplies you will need for the job include:

• Work gloves
• Heavy-duty tape
• Plastic wrap or dense cloth/blanket
• Four-wheel dolly
• Dolly straps
• Van/truck
• Ramp
• Weightlifting straps
• Moving straps

Get Help from Friends

As soon as you have the supplies ready, it is time to start making phone calls to your friends and ask for help. The minimum number of muscular people you will need is four. If the size of the piano is significant, you will need even more helpers.

The best people for this job are those who have a bit of experience in moving pianos and are physically fit. Make sure everyone is wearing suitable moving clothes. They should also put on sneakers with a good grip.

Choose the Right Moving Method

There are several methods of moving pianos from one place to another.

The first thing you need to do before moving a piano is to determine the optimum place to move it. A home with a low ceiling or high floor will make it difficult to move a piano safely. Move a piano into your garage well ahead of time where possible, or at least get a truck or trailer to carry it to your new home. This way, moving the piano into your home will be easier and safer.

Before moving the piano, be sure to get a detailed floor plan of your new home and the space you'll place the piano. First, take a quick look at the area on Google Earth or a video that your local city or county has made.

Keep the Keys Safe

Closing and locking the keyboard lid is the first thing you need to do before moving a piano. It protects the keys, which are usually fragile and can be damaged if it opens as you move.

If the lock of the keyboard lid is faulty, make sure it is tightly wrapped when you are covering the keyboard. Tape will damage the wooden surface, so do not use it.

Cover the Piano

Cover the piano with blankets, towels, or pillows. Check the corners, ensure they are well protected, and then use packing tape to secure the blankets. Make sure the tape does not touch the surface of the piano.

To protect the piano from any impact that might happen in transit, ensure your blankets, towels, and pillows are thick.

Hoisting the Piano

Never lift a heavy object like a piano by its legs, whether you are hoisting it into position, putting it onto a dolly, truck, or a different place in the house. The legs are very fragile. Do not put the piano on the side as it is not suitable for the internal system. Let it always be upright.

To each end of the piano, put two people. Put moving straps underneath the piano's base, one on either end. You should have four helpers, each positioned at one corner. Each person should be holding one end of the strap as you hoist the piano onto a furniture trolley.

Now fasten it. Ensure the legs of the piano are placed flat on the trolley. Secure the casters, if your piano has them, in position or make sure the piano is steady. The type of dolly you use will depend on factors such as the distance that you are moving the piano and its weight.

Loading into Truck

When loading the moving truck, ensure that the piano is positioned near the back wall. This is the wall that splits the lorry's inner cab from the cargo compartment. If you are moving, this is supposed to be among the first few things you place in the truck and the last one to remove.

‍Piano movers like using wood boards to ascertain the floor is level when moving a piano. This is because most floors are not level in trucks. This supports the casters so that they don't hold all the pressure. This pressure can cause the piano legs to strain and be unstable when moving.

Hoist the piano from the trolley onto the boards. Fasten the piano to the wall of the truck using the moving straps. Look and make sure that the piano cannot roll side to side or tip over while being transported.

Plan for Arrival

The first thing you do is make sure the piano will arrive at its destination fine. Once you know what kind of piano it is and the size, make sure you have a heavy-duty dolly to move it into your new place.

The Move Day

Now it's time to make the journey to your destination. As you arrive at your destination, ascertain you know the exact place the piano will go. It is recommended that the piano be put beside a wall, if possible, the interior wall. This wall will guard it against cold and humidity.

Use the above steps when offloading a piano and moving it into the house. Be careful when negotiating stairways, lifts, or tight spaces.

After You Have Moved Your Piano

Tidy Up

The first thing is to remove all the blankets, towels, or padding that you used to cover your piano. If yours is a grand piano, cautiously screw the legs back on. Let your helpers assist you with this step.

Do not place the piano next to a fireplace, in direct sunshine, close to an opening, window, entrance, or external wall. These places can have high temperature and moisture variations, resulting in your piano sounding out of tune. Piano tuners do not come cheap.

Retuning the Piano

During the piano move, it may lose its tone. This mostly happens if it is rammed against a hard surface. Your piano will take time to adjust to its new surroundings, so tuning it may take some time.

What Makes Moving A Piano Hard?

It does not matter if you move a piano yourself or with professional assistance. There are factors that can make the job of moving a piano difficult.

They include:

• Point of entry. For instance, the piano can only go via the balcony and might require a lift or a crane to lift it up.
• Ceilings that are low, thin lobbies, thin doors.
• Park the truck as close to the point of entry as possible. Moving the piano from the truck to the house might be impossible if it is far.
• The weather might affect the condition of the piano. Direct sunlight and humidity are not suitable for the piano.
• A thin stairway with curves or decorative banisters makes manoeuvring the piano hard.

Hire Professionals To Move Your Piano

In summary, moving a piano yourself is a risky affair compared to other do-it-yourself jobs. However, if you follow the guidelines outlined above, you can move your piano without calling in the experts. It is essential to have the proper attire and equipment for this job and friends or family members who are ready to help you.

With the information provided above, there is a danger that you will damage your treasured musical instrument forever if you are not well prepared for the job. This can alter how the piano will sound even if it is repaired. If you are not ready to follow these instructions to the letter, contact the professionals to handle this task and save yourself and the piano from any damage and injury.