How do you move a piano? Very scrupulously.
Ok, I’m being a little sarcastic, but moving a piano is a serious undertaking.
I’m a big advocate of hiring a professional mover to move a piano. Pianos are heavy and it’s not difficult to damage a piano while moving it. I’m talking from experience. I own a Kimball piano my folks purchased new for me when I was a kid. That piano was a big thing to me after having played on an old “clunker” of a piano for several years. I played that new piano each day.
When I got married it was time to move the piano to my own home. My partner and his bros moved it themselves. It wasn’t a simple job even with the moving dolly they used (pianos weigh several hundred pounds - grand pianos can weigh 1,500 pounds ). The beginner move of my piano ended in each of the piano legs being damaged (a common occurrence when people move a piano themselves) and some unplanned internal work (some pins required fix and a string broke ). I should have hired a piano mover. Then I wouldn’t have had those problems, but my partner and I thought we would save money by doing it ourselves. It was a lesson I should have recalled, but I was foolish a 2nd time.
A few years back my hubby and I built a new house. When it came time to move the piano again, my husband was disinclined to hire somebody to move it professionally because our pocketbook was feeling empty from the expense of building the house (he called our new house a “money-sucking black hole.” ) In his mind, moving it wasn’t a massive score. Our new house was less than two miles from our old one ; and he had a dolly, a trailer, and a brother who was willing to help him.
Everything went okay until my husband turned into the driveway of our new home. The sharpness of the turn strained the ropes holding the piano on the trailer and they broke. The piano tipped over and sustained a lot of damage (the entire “guts” of the piano are ruined and the case is chipped and scratched). I haven’t had it fixed yet, but I have gotten an estimation. It should take a lot of time and money to mend the piano. It must be totally rebuilt. Because of the labor involved, it would be less expensive to purchase a new piano than have it fixed, but the piano has lots of sentimental value to me so I will have it fixed. This is why I say, “Hire a professional!”
What does a professional piano mover do to guarantee a safe and successful move? With upright pianos, they almost always strap the piano on a skid called a piano board. They also cover the piano with blankets to help protect it. The complete bundle is then usually put on a dolly and brought to its destination. If steps are involved, the piano is taken off the dolly and declined up or down the steps on the piano board.
Moving a grand piano is a bit more involved. The lid, lid hinges, pedal lyre, and leg on the straight side of the piano are typically all removed. The piano is then put on the piano board, on its side, with the straight side down. The other legs of the piano are then removed. The piano is then covered with blankets, strapped to the board, and put on a dolly.
Some movers don’t love to move a piano up or down stairs. If it is possible, they prefer to hoist it to the suitable floor thru a window that is large enough to accommodate the piano.
So what do you do if you desire to move your piano from one part of a room to another? First, decide if it is truly vital to move it because there’s always the risk of damaging a piano even with a short move. Piano legs are the most likely thing to get broken or broken.
Be extraordinarily careful to avoid putting too much weight on the legs. Get a few strong people to help if the piano is an upright; and get at least 5 folks if it’s a grand piano. With an upright or spinet, tilt the piano back a little to take the pressure off the front legs, but watch out not to tip it back too far and tip it over. With a grand piano, lift the piano up enough to get the pressure off the legs before you attempt and move it. It’s not obligatory ( and not recommended) to lift the piano off the floor wholly.
If you are going to move a piano typically consider having it fitted with special casters that will enable you to move the piano without trouble. Or, have the piano placed on a piano van.
How you do you find a good piano mover if you’ve decided to not try and move it yourself? My proposal is that you call your local piano store and ask them for recommendations. They should be able to offer you the name or names of reputable movers in your area.
Ok, so you have decided you are really going to move your piano and you’ve decided on a strategy. Now you have to work out where you’re going to put the piano. Where should it go?
Try to put your piano in an area of a room where there are little or no drafts, where it’s out of direct sunlight, and where the temperature and humidity are stable. The reason is because pianos are sensitive to humidity and temperature. Plenty of temperature and humidity swings set off a piano to go out of tune faster than normal, can damage the wood case, and if they are grim they can even eventually
Don’t place your piano over or next to a heat vent and avoid putting it close to a fireplace. Don’t put in front of a window because that is sometimes a drafty place as well as one with direct sunlight. Try to discover a room in your home or flat which has solidly stable temperature and humidity. That is the best room for your piano.
If you cannot find a place in your flat or home that is out of direct daylight, freed from drafts, and doesn’t have giant temperature swings, you may want to consider having a climate control system installed in your piano.
Moving and placing your piano properly will help ensure you have a wonderful instrument to play for ages rather than having what I now own - an oversized paperweight that needs to be dusted.