Tag Archives: moving a piano

How to Move a Piano – Tips for Moving a Piano

When you see professionals moving a piano, it can almost look easy. However, it’s not a simple task. If you want to ensure that your piano leaves and arrives in great condition you should take extra special care when moving it. It will always be best to hire a professional for any piano move but if you are forced to do so yourself, here are some tips:

All parts of the piano should be padded. This is to ensure that there are no parts of the piano (wood or metal) that will be hitting in the truck in case of movement.

Wrap the piano in shrink wrap. This is not necessary but it can help to ensure that the finish will not be damaged in any way. This is important with satin finish pianos because the finish is porous – meaning sweat from hands can actually damage the finish.

Use Leverage to Your Advantage. By placing pads beneath certain parts of the piano you can avoid having to constantly lift parts of the piano in order to remove the legs. The video provides a great example of this.

Use a Dolly and a Grand Board. Using a four wheel flat dolly can ensure that you won’t have to do any unnecessary lifting. Using a grand board – shown in the video – will help to cover the entire side of the piano and make sure it is securely resting on the dolly.

Remove the Legs and All Loose Parts. This will ensure that no parts of the piano are damaged by movement or other objects being transported in the truck.

Wrap the Piano in Blankets. Make sure that every part of the piano is wrapped and there are no parts that are exposed.

Secure the Piano to the Side of the Truck. Don’t let the piano slide around the truck. Secure it to the side of the truck using straps or another method that will ensure it doesn’t move.

If you want to undertake moving a piano it will definitely be a challenge. I would recommend having a good back, the proper equipment, a couple friends, and probably some pizza and beer. Better yet, hire professionals if you possibly can!

How Long Does it Take to Move a Piano Across the USA?

Moving a piano is a very complex process. It’s not as simple as boxing it up and sending it through the mail! A piano must be moved with the utmost care and consideration for the instrument. As a company that sells pianos all over the world, Living Pianos is very well versed in what it takes to get a piano moved across the country and around the world.

The biggest issue with moving a piano is hiring the right people. When it comes to moving a grand piano, you never want to hire a general purpose mover; you need to hire a professional piano mover. You might be able to have a general purpose mover take care of an upright piano, but even then, you are much better off hiring professionals who specialize in moving only pianos. When it comes to moving a grand piano, you need special equipment such as a grand board, straps, pads and the ability to attach the instrument to the side of the truck. You will also need to remove the legs and pedals. It’s much easier and safer to have a professional who knows how to take care of these things deal with it; hiring an amateur or trying to move the piano yourself could damage your piano.

The problem you will run into next is that there are a very limited amount of companies that move pianos across the USA. These companies have trucks crisscrossing the country all the time and you have to time their arrival in your area correctly in order to get the piano moved quickly. If one of their trucks is in NY and you live in CA it could take a long a time before they are back in your area. You can contact several piano movers to see who can move the piano quickest and for a reasonable price. This is why it’s extremely difficult to get a piano moved across the country on short notice – make sure you plan well ahead for a complicated move across multiple states.

In reality, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to move a piano across the country. It’s a tough task and something certainly left to professionals to handle. Plan ahead of time and never wait until the last minute to plan a piano move. If you need information or help with a piano move, you are welcome to call us here at Living Pianos.

I hope this was helpful and if you have any questions about this topic or any other please email us Info@LivingPianos.com for more information.