If you are moving a grand piano, it is critical to ask for help from at least two people. Grand pianos are very heavy and are not easy to transport by yourself. Moving a grand piano begins by taking apart all removable parts and padding those items in blankets or moving pads. While in transit, to protect a grand piano, pack it upright in the truck body to avoid damage from moving. In this article, we will explain how to move a grand piano in two parts, i.e Disassembling and Packing the Piano, and Moving the Piano to its destination.
Disassembling and Packing the Grand Piano
1. Remove the piano lid
Keep the screws and hinges in place when moving a piano lid. Remove one side at a time, lifting the lid up and away from the instrument’s body.
Sometimes, you might need to have 2-4 different screwdrivers with you and use them all together to determine which size of the screw will work.
Save all screws you remove from the piano and their corresponding hardware, like the lid hinges in a plastic bag for safekeeping. Also, label them appropriately to reassemble them quickly.
2. Wrap the lid in 3 or 4 moving pads
To prevent the piano’s lid from being scratched or broken during transit, cover it with moving pads. To ensure that they stay in place, use packing tape or two buckle straps to secure them firmly. Moving a piano requires sturdy and heavy pads that can be found at any moving supply store. If your budget does not accommodate the cost of buying them, blankets from around your home will work as well.
3. Remove the piano’s lyre
A piano’s lyre is the set of pieces of wood to which the pedals are attached. To remove it, kneel and unscrew it from the underside of the body. Set aside for now. To avoid confusion, label the screws and accompanying metal plates at all times. Include these in a plastic bag, marking it “lyre screws” to prevent any possible mix-ups with other items.
4. Set the piano on a piano board onto its side
Place a piano board about 3 feet in front of the keyboard. Please have someone help you pick up the grand piano and tilt it towards its flat side (not quite tipping it over). Set this side of the piano on top of the piano board, ensuring that none of the weight is bearing on any other stationery pieces such as its legs. Do this carefully. Don’t drop or damage anything. Move the piano slowly so you don’t break it. A piano board is a large, flat surface built to hold the side of a piano. It may have handles that have straps to which you can strap the body. You could also get this at any local moving store or larger music store.
5. Wrap the piano’s body with moving pads or blankets
To protect the wooden body of the piano, cover it with moving pads. If you are wrapping blankets rather than pads, line up a few standard-sized ones and wrap them around from front to back. Start from the instrument’s base and follow all its sides until you reach where the lyre will rest.
6. Strap the piano to the piano board
Use moving straps to strap each corner of the piano board (that is holding the flat side of the piano) and stretch them across the width of it. This will keep it from falling on its face while you move it out.
7. Remove all of the piano legs
Remove and pack all removable legs separately from underneath it. If there are slots in place to hold them, keep these slots as well. Do not lose this hardware! Label it appropriately (i.e., “legs”) so that you remember what belongs where when reassembling your piano.
8. Wrap piano pedals with plastic and bubble wraps
Wrap each pedal with a piece of plastic or bubble wrap. Both pedals and their levers are pretty fragile, so avoid bumping them around too much by surrounding them in padding. Using the plastic bags from your moving pads, wrap each pedal with a single bag and secure it with tape. For additional protection, attach a piece of padding between both pedals to reduce further any possible scratches or noise that might damage the wooden surface.
9. Wrap the lyre and piano legs in blankets
To make sure that the legs and lyre remain unscratched during the trip, wrap each piece with a blanket. Don’t just wrap the piano legs; do the same for its lyre to ensure that it stays in place. If you are worried about scratches on your own, use moving pads instead of blankets.
Moving the Grand Piano Piano
1. Set the wrapped piano on a dolly
Set the wrapped body piano on a sturdy dolly and make sure that all moving pads are in place. It’s recommended to use a heavy-duty wheeled tool such as a dolly rather than carrying it because its size will make it hard to balance.
A sturdy 4-wheeled dolly is necessary to move a large, heavy piano in one piece. Do not attempt to use the 2-wheeled dolly.
2. Roll the piano to a moving truck
Roll the piano body (wrapped in pads or blankets and on top of the piano board) towards a moving truck. Keep all parts adequately labeled to avoid confusion during reassembly.
Moving a grand piano is not something you should do by yourself, and if your piano needs to be moved downstairs, it’s best to lay plywood pads on the steps as you go.
See also: How to Move a Piano Upstairs or Down?
While this will reduce the risk of bruising the instrument’s finish or injury to its owner, keep in mind that pianos are heavy and can get very dangerous if you’re not careful.
3. Strap the piano firmly in place
Once you’ve placed the piano in the truck, strapping it into place is your top priority. To do this, use durable straps to tie down each corner. Once you’re sure that it won’t move while being transported (and check to make sure everything is still all right before closing the back of the truck), you can secure the back.
4. Hire a piano moving company to transport it
Hiring a piano moving company is the safest way to get your instrument to its destination, especially if you’re planning to go across state lines. There are many benefits to hiring these professionals, including insurance coverage, proper equipment, and uniformed workers who know how to handle it properly.
Moving an acoustic piano can weigh up to 700 lbs. As with any moving job, factors such as the piano’s weight, distance to be moved, and stairs to be navigated can all affect the cost. To save money on a professional piano mover, you should get quotes from several companies rather than just hiring the first one you come across.
5. Reassemble the piano as it was, in its original place, and enjoy!
Piano moving is a job that you should not take lightly. It requires loads of preparation before and after, including packing and unpacking. Although every precaution has been taken to make sure your pianos are safe during the move, accidents can happen, so make sure that your insurance covers accidental damage.
Making the right choices when hiring a moving company to transport your piano is crucial. If you’re planning on putting it in storage or are looking for a new home where it can take center stage, be sure to avoid large moving companies and go with an independent mover who has experience with pianos.
Once your piano has been safely moved to its new home, you can begin the long task of unpacking it and reassembling it. Whether you’re working with movers or doing it yourself, take your time (don’t rush!) to ensure that everything is put together perfectly.
Finally, don’t forget to contact your insurance company and file a claim for any damage caused when moving your piano!
Conclusion
If you plan to move your piano, it’s best to hire a moving service instead of trying to do the job yourself. When choosing which company to work with, make sure that they have experience working with pianos (not just other large items or antiques) and know how to handle them properly.
The key is getting the right gear to transport the piano and then having it strapped down securely in a way that will protect both the instrument and those working on it.
If your piano takes up most of your living room, planning is crucial. You’ll want to have plenty of boxes ready to unpack each piece and keep track of everything with labels so you can put the instrument back together with the way it was. This will also give you a chance to ensure that everything is in working order before bringing it out for some late-night playtime!
If your piano isn’t being moved far, a short move done by professionals can save you both money and headaches. Hiring movers gives you peace of mind knowing that your piano is in good hands!
