Essential Tips for Moving a Piano

Pianos are large and sensitive devices that must be handled with care. So, whether you’re moving an upright piano or a grand piano, we’ve produced a step-by-step moving piano guide to help you navigate this tricky process.

Moving a piano demands extreme caution to avoid damaging the instrument, your property, or yourself. They are heavy and could scratch your hardwood floors.

Casters or wheels in pianos are just for decoration or short distances, not for movement. If you don’t move them correctly, you could injure yourself (especially your lumbar region). A piano should not be moved by a single person, so you must seek assistance.

Also, due to their unusual shape, you must plan their wrapping and movement path accordingly to avoid damage to your piano. Gain knowledge about the considerations you should make before moving your piano.

Before Moving a Piano

Moving a piano can be tricky, but with the right technique, it is not that difficult. Knowing the piano’s shape, size, and materials will make it easier to move.

● Measurement

Before deciding to move the piano, there are many things to consider. One of them is the measurement of the irregular faces, doors, and stairs your piano will go through. Consider which rooms the piano will need to pass through.

A piano’s length and width are not set and can change depending on the model. The height might be shorter than what you expect too. So if you want to move a piano, make sure that you measure all these things first before moving it around.

● Experience movers

Moving a piano is an art and requires that the movers have experience in moving pianos. They should know how to take care of the piano during the process, protect it from getting damaged, and move it on different surfaces while maintaining its weight balance.

● Wrapping

When moving a piano, you must remove the casters so that the piano is more stable. The first step is to close the keyword lid and lock it well. This will prevent it from opening during the move. The keys are fragile, so they need to be covered.

When wrapping the piano, ensure the keyboard lid is closed if it does not lock. Keep it closed without using tape as it will damage the wood. Then, wrap the piano with a blanket or other padding material before moving it. This will prevent any damage from getting done to the wood or strings. Also, secure the blanket using packing tape, ensuring the corners are secured. Keep the tape away from the piano’s surface.

● Tools for moving a piano

A piano dolly is the most helpful tool. It’s an essential tool that allows movers to move your piano without causing any scratches or damage on the surface. Also, they can use cargo straps, claw buckles, and stair rollers.

How to Move a Grand Piano and an Upright Piano

● Grand Piano

The first step to preparing a grand piano for a move is to lower the top lid, disassemble the pedals and legs, wrap all sides with moving blankets, and secure them tightly with tape. Watch when your movers lift and lower the piano since it has no legs.

It’s crucial to remove all the legs from a grand piano since they are the most prone to breaking, and if you try to lift them using these elements, the weight balance can shift rapidly. This can result in a leg snapping. This might also be exceedingly dangerous for anybody underneath the instrument.

● Upright Piano

If you plan to move an upright piano, wrap the lid over the keyboard and tape it down. Wrap the pedals with plastic wrap or cloth, fasten them down with tape, and wrap the sides with pads and tape them down as well. Secure everything tightly and ensure the best protection when moving your piano.

After Moving a Piano

The piano sounds different after moving it. This is because the strings need to settle down and stop bouncing around before they can sound properly. The vibrations from moving the piano can cause changes in the soundboard and strings. It doesn’t mean that you have to tune it. First, give it time to settle down before you start playing on it again, but if it doesn’t work, it may need tuning again.

Why Should You Hire Professional Piano Movers?

Professional piano movers are skilled in lifting, carrying, and securely moving these instruments. Allowing them to do the task keeps the piano owner from getting hurt while moving it and provides them confidence that the instrument is in proper hands. They can move the piano across challenging surfaces, such as a set of stairs, safely and securely. Additionally, piano movers have liability insurance that will pay to fix or replace the piano if it is damaged.

Costs of Moving a Piano

You will need to consider several factors when looking for piano movers and requesting a quote. First, select the type of piano, accurately measure the size of it, and provide information about the model and its details. Plus, determine the moving distance – the greater the distance, the more the moving charges. Stairs are also considered the most difficult duty because they might be dangerous. So you may be charged an additional fee for this task.

Top Helpers

If you are looking for reliable and professional piano movers in your area, TopHelpers has the solution. At TopHelpers, we provide a variety of services such as packing, moving, storage, and transportation. We will always find the best local movers in your area, with the best services and affordable prices according to your needs and budget. They will take good care of your instrument and transport it safely to your new place. Don’t risk your piano and let us help you find the best movers at competitive prices. Contact us for more information!