Moving A Piano Is Simple Using These 4 Steps

Maybe your family piano has been in the family for generations. Maybe you're in possession of a piano you wanted your children to play when they were little, but as they got older, it became clear that no one would play it at all. Maybe you're a concert pianist, and you use the piano every single day, practicing concertos and obscure musical pieces. Whatever your reason for having the piano you love it, and you're going to have to move it when you move to a new location. Moving a piano isn't as simple as moving a sofa, a refrigerator or a bookshelf.

A piano, in spite of its size, is a very delicate instrument. Instruments, especially those made of wood, are sensitive to movement, heat, condensation, and anything else in the atmosphere that may affect their sound and quality. If you have an electric piano, all you need to do is to cover it up with bubble wrap, disconnect it from the base, box it up into the original packaging or a special instrument box filled with packing peanuts and more bubble wrap and ship it off. Moving larger pianos is a big process that is a lot more complicated.

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Safety Tips For Moving A Piano

What To Do Before The Move

How To Move Different Kinds Of Pianos

Safety Tips For Moving A Piano

One of the most important considerations for moving a piano is safety. Pianos are huge, with the smallest of them weighing about 500 pounds. The last thing you want is to move a piano without planning, a situation that can end up with someone getting hurt. There are several different types of pianos, and the rules for moving each of them will differ. Ultimately, you want to make sure that you, your movers, and your piano arrived safely at your new destination.

Simple well thought-out and strategic safety tips can make all the difference when it comes to safety and moving a piano.

Following are just a few pointers to keep in mind:

Whichever type of piano you have, make sure it is securely tied down before the vehicle transporting it begins to move. The last thing you need is a piano slipping and sliding all over the inside of a truck because it wasn't secured or fastened to a firm foundation before the move began. Not only could that pose a real issue for the people driving the truck, but if the piano was to slide towards the back of the truck, it could slam into the back door, forcing it open and causing it to fall outside. You'd be putting anything and anyone behind the truck, including moving cars and pedestrians, in danger.
What you wear is critical during a piano move. Don't wear clothes that could snag or get caught onto the piano, causing you to trip, fall or worse. Avoid clothes like baggy jeans, long loose t-shirts, shoes with giant shoelaces, or shoes with slippery bottoms.
Plan out the path you'll be using as you move the piano. This is critical to avoid injury to yourself, the movers as well as the piano. You'll most likely have several people moving the piano, so plan out everyone's role each step of the way. Decide who will be at the front and who's going to be at the back of the piano. Figure out the language you're going to use for orders like pull, lift and move. For instance, if someone says something random like, "Let's go!" Use any words you'd like, but make sure they're clear and understood by everyone so that there are no misunderstandings.
Know of the obstacles you encounter as you move the piano along. Are there stairs? Map them out. Is there a pathway that involves maneuvering the piano around curves or lifting the piano up a step or two? Are there sharp corners that need to be navigated? How will you attempt them? Are there areas that have slippery surfaces? How will you navigate those? Make sure that's all clear.

What To Do Before The Move

There are several things you want to do before moving a piano.

Make sure you have all the materials you need to move the piano. This includes materials like blankets, tape, measuring tape, a piano skid board, a four-wheel flat dolly, a screwdriver, and heavy-duty furniture straps. You'll need these items to move the piano safely.
Measure all doorways and openings you will push the piano through. You don't want to make it halfway to the truck only to discover that the piano cannot make it through a particular space. Measure the angles of the piano, and make sure you account for weird shapes that jut out, which would make it harder to move the piano around certain areas. If there are pieces of the piano that can be removed, remove them. Anything you can do to reduce its size will make it easier and safer to move.
If you live in a high-rise building with a doorman or are part of an H.O.A, make sure you're moving the piano at an approved time of day. Many co-ops, condos, and HOAs require moves to take place at a certain time of day. Make sure you check the rules in your area, so you don't end up having to pay fines or reschedule.

How To Move Different Kinds Of Pianos

There are many different types of pianos. There are uprights, baby Grands, spindles, church organs, electric pianos... the list goes on and on. Each type of piano needs to be moved in a specific way. What works for an electric piano does not work for a baby grand used in concerts.

Spinet Piano

A spinet piano is a small compact size piano frequently used in homes and measures about three feet high and about five feet wide. If you think they won't weigh a lot because they're small, think again. These pianos typically weigh around 300 lb.

They have to be moved as carefully as much larger pianos.

As with a much larger piano, plan your route carefully. Spinet pianos are smaller than larger pianos, so it's usually a lot easier to fit them within doorways but make sure you measure ahead just to make be certain.
Make sure you have the doorway to the truck open before you move the piano outdoors. Make sure that any ramp or device you'll be using to lift the piano off of the ground and into the truck is ready to go. Move the piano into the truck before you move in your other furniture so that there's plenty of room to secure the piano.
When moving your spinet piano, use one person per 100 pounds of weight to move it. So if your spin it is 300 pounds, use three people at an absolute minimum. Make sure that there's also a person who can do things like open doors, straighten out rugs in hallways or remove them altogether.
Before you move it, lock down the spinet's lid, including its keyboard lid. Wrap the piano with the blankets, securing them the with tape and straps.
Start moving the piano. Make sure that everyone is lifting from underneath the spinet, taking small, even steps as they move in sync.
Move the piano a few steps, stop and set it down, and wait before lifting it again.

Upright Piano

Studio upright and large pianos are two of the most popular types of home pianos. A studio piano is about 48 feet inches tall and 58 inches wide while a large upright Is nearly 60 inches tall and 58 inches wide. Despite their differences, both can be moved in the same way. The smaller studio piano can weigh as little as 400 pounds and as much as 600 pounds.

The full vertical piano, also called the large upright, can go up to nearly a full half-ton in weight.

Clear the path to your destination in the same way you would with your spinet piano.
Make sure the truck is open and that the ramp is ready and waiting to lift your piano.
Like when moving spinet pianos, make sure you have at least one person for every hundred pounds of the piano. In addition to wearing thick work gloves, make sure that your moving crew is wearing weight-lifting belts to help support against the immense weight of the piano.
While you may get away with not using a dolly for moving a piano the size of a spinet, you absolutely need one for larger ones like these. Make sure that enough people are on the dolly side of the piano so it can be supported.
Move as slowly as you can, stopping every few steps to make sure that the piano remains safe and is fully supported.
If, once the piano is on the dolly, it's too high to fit through a doorway, gently tilt it back and scoot it through the doorway. Move slowly to ensure everyone's safety.
As you move this massive piano, remember to squat, keep your back straight and always lift with your legs, not with your back or arms.
If, during the move, the piano feels like it's going to fall or you feel unsteady on your feet, yell "Stop!" so that everyone can immediately stop moving and re-secure the piano.

Grand Piano

The most recognizable feature of a grand piano is that it's very long and low. Its unique shape makes it sound richer than other types of pianos. Grand pianos are much too big for the average-sized home and are better suited for larger spaces like concert halls or very large homes. The smallest grand piano is the petite grand piano. The petite grand weighs around 500 pounds. The next size up is a standard grand, weighing anywhere from 600 to 700 pounds, The largest size Is the concert grand piano, which weighs in at a massive 1300 pounds. The largest grand pianos are as long as nine feet across, making them a beast to move.

More important than ever, it's important that you have your route planned out before you move a piano this size
Grand pianos are moved on their ends because they're so massive, so make sure that all the doorways that the piano has to pass through can accommodate its size from front to back.
Transfer the piano on to the skid board, remove the leg that's closest to the bass corner of the piano, place the leg into blankets and tape the blanket up. Move around the piano and remove and roll up all its legs into blankets.
Make sure that the top of the piano is completely and securely locked down. Check the keyboard cover to make sure that that's closed as well.
Start lifting the piano from the back and shifting it upwards, making sure you're lifting the keyboard end at the same time. Move the piano by pushing it from the back and pulling it in the front. Make sure you have people standing on both sides of the piano, making sure that the piano doesn't shift or topple in either direction. What you're trying to do is put the piano vertically on top of the skid board so that the left side (the bass side) is facing down on the board. Make sure the treble side is pointing upwards and that the keyboard is vertical.
Grand pianos are enormous, so it'd be best if they're moved by professional movers if you can afford it.

Conclusion

A piano is a precious musical instrument. Moving a piano takes a lot of time and effort, but if you put the right time into it and make sure you plan ahead, you should be able to get it from one location to the next with relative ease. At the end of the day, it may make sense to go with professional movers experienced in moving a piano. They have all the gear necessary to make the move, they've done it many times before, and they'll have liability insurance in case anything should happen in transit. Ultimately the decision is up to you.

Moving A Piano Is Simple Using These 4 Steps – Helpful Tips

Safety Tips For Moving A Piano

What To Do Before The Move