Moving a piano is quite a challenging task. However, it can’t be avoided if you will be moving to a new place or house. Definitely, you will be bringing all of your belongings, not only your piano, along.
This article will guide you on how to properly move the piano while ensuring your safety, the safety of the piano movers as well as retain the good condition of the instrument.
Weight and accessibility as determining factors
One of the factors that can make piano moving challenging is the weight of this particular musical instrument. In most cases, the weight of a piano depends on its type.
For instance, a large upright piano that has a height of 60 inches may weigh at least 800 pounds. Knowing how heavy your piano is can help you and the crew determine how much manpower is necessary for the task.
Accessibility is also a main concern. With a heavy musical instrument like a grand piano, it will be difficult to move it through narrow hallways or through stairs. It takes thorough planning on the part of the piano movers to pull this off.
Here are the steps on how you should go about the process of piano moving for each type of piano.
Large upright piano or studio piano
An upright or studio piano is the most common type of piano that homeowners have at home. It may weigh from 400 pounds to ½ ton. If you have this type of piano, know how much it weighs. You will need one person for every 100 pounds. For instance, if the piano weighs a total of 800 pounds, you will need 8 people to move it.
Additionally, you also need to get the measurements of the instrument to determine whether it can fit through hallways and through doors.
There is a need to use a dolly to transport such piano. You have to tilt one side backwards while the other side goes on top of the dolly. Make sure that plenty of people can support the tilted side to avoid accidents.
Slowly push the dolly to its destination. When going through a door, you and your companions may need to lift the instrument and find a way for it to go through if it hits the top of the doorway. If, at any time, you feel that the piano is about to fall, do not hesitate to tell your companions to stop and gently lower it. Adjust your movements accordingly.
Spinet piano
A spinet piano is the smallest type of piano that many homeowners commonly have. However, it may also weigh about 300 pounds so you or the piano movers should not take this lightly.
Similar with moving an upright piano, get the measurements of the spinet type and make sure it fits through hallways and doors. Inform your moving company to prepare the ramp beforehand to easily load the piano into the truck. It is advisable to load the musical instrument first so that there will still be enough space left for furniture and other stuff.
You will have to cover this piano with a blanket and a tape to ensure that the finishes and corners will not have scratches. You also need to have enough manpower to firmly lift and move it to its destination. See to it that each person lifts the piano from underneath its body.
Grand piano
A grand piano is a rare thing to see in most homes due to its size and weight. It can weigh up to 1300 pounds.
Similar to moving large upright and spinet pianos, get the measurements of your own grand piano and make sure that it can go through hallways and doors.
The only difference is that you will have to remove the legs of the piano by unscrewing them, and move the remaining body through a rolling skid board. This is a complicated task which is why homeowners prefer to let a professional moving company do it. Moving this type of piano requires all available manpower.
The safest way to move a piano
While it is true that you already have the basic know-how of the piano moving process, the safest way to do so will still be to engage the services of a reputable moving company.
These piano movers know the right techniques on how to move pianos, regardless of which types they may be. This is most especially crucial when there is a need to move the piano through several floors or several staircases. These movers also have the right tools that can make the task of moving these heavy and bulky instruments properly and safely.
Hiring such company will help you avoid certain accidents or back pains due to improper lifting. At the end of the day, the professional movers can give you an assurance that your piano is safe with minimal effort on your part.
