26 Sep Essential Tips on How to Move Your Piano Safely

Pianos are a beautiful centerpiece in any home. Aside from being a source of entertainment, they can also be prized possessions and family heirlooms that have a lot of value. It’s not just something you can easily leave behind if you’re planning to move homes. However, pianos are notoriously hard to move. They are cumbersome, oddly shaped, and extremely fragile. Whether your relocation is over a short or long distance, the act of moving a piano down a flight of stairs or through a door is a terrifying prospect.

So how do you attempt to pull off this stunt without destroying such a high-value item? Here are a few tips that you need to keep in mind:

Let the professionals take care of it.

Pianos have an awkward shape and are usually quite heavy. It would be extremely dangerous if you attempted to move something so valuable by yourself. Even if you did ask your friends for help, it can still end disastrously. You can save yourself from the hassle of doing it on your own when you hire a piano moving company to help you. Professional movers already know what to do and have the right tools to make the job look easy.

Visualize yourself doing the process.

If you insist on moving your piano by yourself, make sure to buy or rent out the proper supplies to do so. Though the tools you’ll need will depend on the size and type of piano you have, you’ll generally need heavy duty straps, a large furniture dolly, a ramp, and moving straps.

Many hands make lite work.

Get the help of some strong friends to help you load the piano into the truck. It is definitely going to be a workout so consider getting weightlifting straps to make the process a lot easier.

Remember safety is key for your friends.

There is no rush to life. Having people watch people on the ramp is a good process for everyone. Remember not to drink alcohol while doing heavy lifting. Other substances involving inhalation is not recommended due to the price of most pianos.

Many hands make lite work.

If you’re moving away, make sure to protect your piano from dust and possible damage by wrapping it securely in blankets and padding. Make it a point to secure the wrapping down with packing tape so the corners of the piano don’t get exposed while in transit to its next destination. Since it might be too costly to wrap a piano entirely in bubble wrap, you can repurpose your thicker blankets and comforters to save some money.

Take note of the measurements of your piano.

If you aren’t sure whether you should be renting a moving truck or are using your own vehicle to move your piano, make sure you know your piano’s measurements first. Carefully measure out the dimensions of your instrument so you know whether it can fit into the back of your car or the moving truck. Additionally, your piano’s measurements can also help you determine how you’re going to move it outside of your home. Can it fit through the hallways? Is the staircase wide enough for it or is the elevator better?

Don’t just take note of exact measurements either. Calculate the estimated dimension with a few inches of allowance too. Your piano might be wrapped by the time you start moving it out of your home and will inevitably be a bit thicker. Moreover, there has to be some space for the piano in your vehicle too.

Know where your piano is going.

Before you attempt to move the piano into its new destination, make sure you already know where it’s supposed to go. Even with the help of a moving team, each attempt to move it around may compromise your piano’s safety. Ideally, you should be able to set the piano down somewhere, make some slight adjustments, and keep it there.