Moving a piano can be a difficult process. Elevators and stairs further complicate this process. Best way to move a piano is definitely by hiring Premium Q Moving and Storage Boston as they have experience in moving it and they know what to do. You see, pianos are quite heavy and kind of awkward to move. Not to mention that they are quite valuable. Moving a piano by yourself can potentially cause injury both to your back and to your home.
However, there are certain things that you can do if you want to move the piano yourself.
How to Move a Piano – What can you do to make it easier?
Find Help
The first thing you need to do when trying to move a piano is to get help. You can definitely not do it alone but how many people should you ask for help? To properly move a piano, at least four people are needed, provided that the piano itself is of an average upright sort.
Larger pianos will need more people to properly handle. Friends and family are the prime choices here, just make sure you compensate them for their time and effort, somehow.
Have Proper Equipment
What you need to acquire are some heavy-duty straps, first and foremost. Other than that you will need a dolly that can fully support the piano’s weight. Some extra straps could come in handy, to secure the piano to that dolly. They will also help when loading the piano in the moving truck.
If you are unsure of what kind of straps or dolly to get, you can always contact a moving company, rental truck company or even a moving supply center.
Wrap Your Piano Properly
For this step, you will need some padding. Ordinary blankets work alright but you might want to consider properly packing your valuable items like the piano, as they are unusually expensive. By applying proper padding to the piano you will protect it from bumps. Secure the padding with some packing tape but be mindful not to apply tape on the piano surface. You want to take special care to protect the corners of the piano, as well.
Padding should be thick enough to protect the piano from any bumps that might occur during the transport.
Protect the Piano’s Keyboard
The first thing you should do is to close the keyboard lid. You absolutely do not want it opening during the move so make closing and locking it the first thing you do. You do not wish to damage those fragile keys. Avoid using the packing tape to make sure that the lid stays closed as you might damage the surface of the piano.
Lift the Piano Properly
There are some considerations when it comes to lifting a piano. First and foremost do not lift it by the legs. This is a common mistake that fledgling piano movers might make. Legs are quite vulnerable and you can break them easily. Also, you want to always keep the piano in the upright position, as laying it on the side is not good for its own inner mechanics.
Here is a step by step guide on how to properly lift the piano :
- Have two people standing on each end of the piano
- Place the straps under the piano, one strap on each end
- Four people grab a strap each, making sure every corner is supported
- Lift the piano onto the dolly
- Secure it. (Make sure that the legs are sitting flat)
Secure the piano in the truck
You want to have the piano at the back of your moving truck, ideally next to be back wall. You want for it to be the first thing that you load into the truck and the last one that you unload. Another thing that you can do, in order to make it even more secure, is to use wood planks. You see, most of the trucks do not have level spaces and wood planks eliminate that. Using wood planks will relieve the pressure on the legs, during the move.
- Move the piano from the dolly onto the wooden planks
- Use moving straps to secure the piano inside the truck
- Do some checking on the stability of the piano inside the truck
- Make sure it can not roll or tip under any circumstance
How to Move a Piano – After the Move
Bringing the Piano In
After you have safely transported your piano, there can be further considerations. You need to figure out exactly where the piano will go before you start moving it in your new home. If you have any doubts, it might be better to consider renting a storage unit until you have everything figured out.
Ideally, the piano should be somewhere where it is safe from dampness and cold. If there are some “tricky” spots, such as tight spaces or stairs, in the way of your piano and its new place, it might be best to hire a moving company than to risk anything.
Tune Your Piano
Every single time that you move a piano, you will need to tune it afterward. Pianos look bulky and quite solid but the truth of the matter is that they have a mechanism that is quite sensitive. Movement alone can set that mechanism a bit off, not to mention unavoidable bump or two. What you want to do is get a professional piano tuner to get it sounding just right again.
