You take a comfortable position on the chair. Open the piano lid. And enjoy the deep and playful sound born by the touch of your fingers. ‘That’s how the haven sounds,’ you think and immerse yourself with the melody.
You are on top of the world when you play the piano, and you are not ready to say goodbye to it as you move.
But, as it turns out, transporting piano is not that simple. This mission is not for the faint-hearted as it requires serious manpower and effort. The weight of an average piano is around 750 pounds, and it’s really bulky, so moving it without special skills and knowledge is a dangerous endeavor.
In view of that, the best way to move a piano is to hire experienced and skilled movers from the ABA moving company. All our movers are well-trained, licensed and insured, and can guarantee safe piano transporting. But this solution can be out of your budget, or you might not have time to wait till a piano moving company will come your way and do the heavy lifting for you. So, can you move a piano yourself? Sure, but with the help of your friends, of course.
As you wonder how to move a piano yourself, let us lend you a helping hand and provide you with valuable tips. We’ll give you hints on how to safely move a piano, even when you’ve got to overcome steep stairs or narrow hallways. Spoiler: this is going to be tough, but we bet you’ll tackle that.
Before the Move
So, you’ve decided to roll up your sleeves and move a piano with your efforts. Before you learn practical tips on how to move a piano by yourself, you’ve got to be prepared.
You will need the right equipment to carry the hefty musical instrument. You should also make certain the piano fits every step of the way. Especially, when you’ve got to get through narrow hallways and stairs. Of course, you won’t be able to do all the job on your own, so encouraging your family members or friends to help you is something that you should keep in mind as well.
But that’s not all. Here is more information on how to move a baby grand piano with less hassle and problems.
Opt for The Appropriate Moving Supplies and Equipment
We have bad news for you if you are not as tough as Hulk, who can lift a piano with one finger. You will need a lot of additional equipment and tools to relocate the musical instrument safely. The basic toolkit includes:
- Work gloves;
- Plastic wrap or cloth;
- Cardboard pads;
- Tape;
- Heavy-duty dolly;
- Dolly straps;
- Weightlifting straps;
- Van ramp;
- Van or truck.
Work gloves will protect your hands from pins or bruises when you will be lifting a piano. The last thing you want to happen during the transportation is to scratch or damage your precious instrument in any other way, so plenty of plastic wraps, clothes, and blankets will come in handy. You will secure the protective wraps with several rolls of tape. You will need a dolly that would facilitate the process of moving an upright piano. Securing the piano with straps during the move will ensure the instrument gets to the truck or van in pristine condition.
Moving a grand piano can be more complicated due to its size and structure. You will need to disassemble the item and then tilt it on cardboard pads or special piano boards for safe transportation. You won’t do without a screwdriver as well to disassemble legs.
If you do not have a van or truck, you should rent the pickup and delivery service as soon as possible. In this way, you will be sure that you get the best price for the service and work with a trusted carrier. At ABA Moving, we are licensed to carry local and long-distance moves. So, whether you need to relocate your piano just around the corner or to another state, we have you covered.
Measure piano, doorways, staircases, and hallways
As you learn how to move piano, heed our advice – carefully measure the piano dimensions and any place you’ll be moving the piano through along the whole path.
First, measure the piano’s dimensions. This will help you carefully plan and carry the whole transporting process. Usually, an upright piano comes in height between 43.3” or 53”, with a width of 59”, and a depth of 23.6”. In any case, you do not want to get stuck on the sixth floor of your walk-up with the heavy instrument. You should plan the logistics based on the size of the piano. For example, moving upright piano can slightly differ from the moving needs of a grand piano (we’ll cover this in a while). Anyway, ALWAYS measure the piano before moving a piano yourself to avoid hitting any roadblocks.
Also, thoroughly measure all doorways, staircases, and hallways. This will help you assess how easily you’ll be able to maneuver the piano and piano board. It would be a wise decision to remove furniture that might stand in the way. Cover sharp edges in tight places with towels, clothes, or other soft materials to prevent scratching the instrument.
Enlist as many helpers as possible
No man is an island, and you know that. That is why you will need assistance when moving a piano. You can involve your family members, friends, colleagues, or hire heavy lifters when you can’t gather enough people.
It takes at least four people to move piano, but you may need more depending on the size of the instrument and complexity of the move. Mind that this task is not for softies, so make certain you’ve recruited involved strong friends or movers.
How Do You Move a Piano?
As you plan moving piano with your own resources, here is what you should bear in mind. The process of moving a baby grand piano and upright piano has some dissimilarities. Below you’ll find the low down on how to move a piano depending on its type.
But let us share the common tips first:
- Clear the path so that nothing disturbs a moving team during the tedious piano relocation process.
- Remove all the decorations from the piano
- Get a lot of blankets and tape at hand.
How to Move an Upright Piano
We’ve got good news for you. Due to the shape of the upright piano, it is not a big pain to handle. However, some tricks would hint you how to transport an upright piano safely.
First of all, you should protect the piano pedals and keys with blankets. Don’t forget to secure them with tape. Then, cover the front, back, and sides of the instruments with blankets or other protective materials.
As you’ve fully wrapped your upright piano, it’s time to hoist it onto the dolly. Put on your gloves and invite your friends (or a piano mover) to help. As you lift the piano, make sure there are strong pairs of arms on all sides of the instrument. This will ensure no one gets injured and obtains support from other folks when needed.
Once the piano is on the dolly, it’s time to carry it to the truck. That’s how to move upright piano carefully and safely.
How to Move a Grand Piano
There are numerous ways of moving a grand piano, but all of them involve disassembling the unit first. That’s how it is done.
First, lower and secure the top lid. Disassemble the pedals and legs using a screwdriver. As you take the piano’s legs away, make certain your moving team is in place to prevent the side of the piano from falling.
Then, wrap the lid and sides of the piano with blankets and secure them with tape. We recommend wrapping the legs and pedals in separate blankets for enhanced security. In this way, you will be sure that those parts won’t be damaged.
After all grand piano parts are wrapped, carefully tilt the piano onto the piano board. You will want to secure it with straps to prevent it from hitting the floor on your way to the truck.
Prefer to Hire Professional Movers?
Does it sound like a tall order for you, and are you looking for an easier solution? You’ve come to the right place. As qualified and trained piano movers, we know how to transport piano even in the most pressing conditions and tight places.
The ABA Moving company has the right people to match your piano moving needs. Whether you are moving an upright or grand piano, we’ll get the job done the right way. Our piano movers have the right experience and tools to transport your instrument from or to a house, condo, or multi-story housing. We will handle the piano even when there are steep stairs or narrow hallways on the way.
From providing you with the packing supplies to handling the logistics, we will make certain you worry about nothing during the piano move process.
Reach us today to schedule your perfect piano move at the most convenient time.
