Professional Piano Removals
Moving awkward objects can be challenging, no matter how strong you are. They’re tough to grip, tricky to lift, and a pain to manoeuvre through tight spaces. Among the trickiest are Pianos movers. They’re notorious for being heavy, uncooperative, and downright awkward. If you’re wondering how to move a piano, whether it’s an upright or a baby grand, we’ve got your back. Check out our step-by-step guide on How To Move Piano to make this complex task a whole lot easier.
A Step-by-Step How To Move Piano Guide to Ensure a Perfect Transition
1.Enlisting Help for Moving a Piano
Moving a piano is no easy feat, and it’s wise to seek assistance. For reliable piano moving Perth needs, consider reaching out for professional assistance. Whether you opt for professional help or choose the DIY route, having a team is crucial due to the challenges pianos present:
- Weighty Challenge: Pianos are heavy; even a small upright one can tip the scales at 140kg to 180kg, while larger uprights go beyond 360kg. A general guideline is having one helper for every 50kg of piano weight.
- Bulky Dimensions: Pianos aren’t just heavy; they’re also bulky. Even the smallest piano is around 1.5m wide and 1m high. Grand pianos, especially, can span up to 3m in width.
- Fragile Nature: Despite their appearance, pianos are fragile. The delicate components like strings, pedals, hammers, and keys are prone to breakage.
Given these challenges, moving a piano solo is not recommended. It’s advisable to have at least one strong partner, but for added safety, involving a minimum of four able-bodied individuals is highly recommended. Teamwork ensures a smoother process and reduces the risk of damage to the instrument.
2.Gathering Essential Materials for Piano Moving
Before tackling the task of moving a piano, ensure you have the right materials ready. Here’s a checklist of quality packing and moving supplies:
- Heavy-Duty Moving Blankets: These are crucial for shielding your piano from bumps, scratches, and dents during transit.
- Heavy Duty Packing Tape, Ropes, or Straps: Use these to securely fasten the moving blankets around your piano, ensuring added protection.
- Furniture Straps: Equip yourself with these to enhance your grip while maneuvering the piano by hand, minimizing the risk of accidents.
- Moving Dolly: An absolute necessity, invest in a dolly with four heavy-duty wheels to facilitate the smooth movement of your piano.
- Moving Vehicle: Ideally, choose a vehicle with a hydraulic lift. If not available, ensure the truck has a loading ramp. This makes the process of getting your piano onto the truck much easier, preventing potential breakage and damage. Opting for a lift or ramp is not only convenient but also safer for your back.
3.Preparing Your Piano for a Smooth Move
Properly preparing your piano is essential for a successful move. Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure your piano is ready:
- Close and Secure the Piano Lid: Keep the delicate piano keys safe by closing and securing the lid. If there’s no lock, consider using tape, but be cautious of sticky residue from certain packing tapes.
- Remove Wheels or Casters: Avoid using the decorative metal wheels on the piano’s base for moving. They’re designed for room maneuvering, not the journey onto a removal truck.
- Lay Music Stands Flat: Flatten any music stands and secure them against the piano’s side. Be mindful of potential sticky residue when using certain packing tapes.
- Wrap in Heavy-Duty Moving Blankets: Shield your piano from scuffs and marks during transit by wrapping it entirely in heavy-duty moving blankets. Cover every part of the piano to provide maximum protection.
- Secure Blankets with Tape, Ropes, or Straps: Once the piano is wrapped, secure the blankets tightly using packing tape, ropes, or straps. This extra layer ensures the blankets stay in place, providing continuous protection throughout the move.
As we proceed ahead in this step-by-step guide on How To Move Piano, you will feel it’s simple and easy to organise a piano move.
4.Creating a Smooth Moving Plan
Moving a piano demands careful planning to avoid unnecessary challenges. Here’s a simplified guide to crafting your moving plan:
- Measure Your Piano: Use a tape measure to record the height, width, and length of your piano.
- Assess Passageways: Measure doorways and hallways your piano will traverse. Account for all dimensions to prevent any snags.
- Clear Obstacles: Remove any hindrances along your planned route. Take doors off their hinges if needed.
- Truck Loading (if applicable): Ensure truck doors are wide open. Deploy any necessary ramps or hydraulic lifts for a seamless loading process.
- Communicate Responsibilities: Convey the moving plan to your team. Outline each member’s responsibilities, from the chosen route to door-handling duties.
5.Safely Loading Your Piano onto the Moving Truck
Successfully moving a piano onto a truck depends on the type of piano you’re handling. Here are simplified steps for different types:
How To Move Piano: Small Upright Piano:
- Lift the piano firmly with assistance from able-bodied helpers.
- Walk the piano gradually to the moving truck, ensuring it stays upright to protect its delicate internal mechanisms.
- Take breaks every few meters to rest and reset your grip.
- At the truck, two strong individuals pull the piano up, while others assist in guiding it up the ramp. Never position anyone behind the piano to avoid potential rolling accidents.
How To Move Piano: Large Upright Piano or Baby Grand Piano:
- Place a moving dolly at one end of the piano.
- Ensure at least two people are at the dolly end to support the piano’s weight and maintain its upright position on the dolly.
- Gently lean the piano onto the dolly, avoiding backward leans due to the piano’s weight.
- Keep the piano in its natural, upright position while using the dolly to roll it towards the truck.
- Remove the dolly to lift the piano through a doorway, then place it back on the dolly.
- At the truck, two strong individuals pull the piano up, while others assist in guiding it up the ramp. Avoid having anyone behind the piano to prevent potential accidents.
These steps may not be suitable for all pianos, especially if they are exceptionally large or need to navigate stairs or narrow spaces.
6.Securing Your Piano Inside the Moving Truck and Unloading Safely
Ensuring the safe transport and unloading of your piano involves crucial steps:
Secure Inside the Moving Truck:
- After safely placing the piano in an easily accessible location within the truck, ensure it remains upright.
- Use heavy-duty straps or ropes to tightly secure the piano to the truck, preventing any movement. Any shifting poses a risk to delicate internal mechanisms like strings and hammers during transit.
Priority Unloading Safely:
- Upon reaching your address of relocation, prioritize unloading the piano first. Being one of the most delicate and valuable items, it’s crucial to minimize the risk of damage during the unloading process.
- Move the piano straight to its new home, avoiding leaving it outside, where moisture, heat, or direct sunlight could damage it.
Following these steps, detailed in our guide on “How To Move Piano,” ensures a successful and secure relocation of your cherished piano.