Do You Really Need a Piano Mover?

The short answer is, yes, you do! I’m going to show you a couple of ways to possibly get around it. First of all, it depends on how big the piano is. If it’s a spinet piano and you have a pickup truck as well as some strong people plus a ramp, sure you can go for it. Be sure that you know how to properly secure a piano in a truck with straps as well as being able to wrap it in moving blankets properly. I would recommend this for pianos that are not expensive. The reality is, moving a piano is a very specialized skill. I have a video on the subject you can reference to see how it is done. https://livingpianos.com/general/how-to-move-a-piano-tips-for-moving-a-piano

When you see professional movers move a grand piano, they make it look easy because they know how to use leverage properly. There are also tools you need such as a skid board. Even with uprights, you want to put them on a flat board as well as a dolly. There are upright dollies that you can rent that strap around the piano. The thing is, pianos are extraordinarily heavy. I would not recommend for anyone who has ever had any back problems to move any piano under any circumstances, even moving a piano from one part of a room to another. You can do damage if you don’t know how to lift properly even if you have a strong back.

The secret is lifting with your knees. Never lift with your back and always lift with your legs while keeping your back straight or you can do damage almost instantly with a piano.

Even a spinet weighs several hundred pounds. It’s just not worth saving a few hundred bucks to risk destroying your back. So how can you possibly get around it? Fortunately, there is a way! If you have a move, particularly a long distance move, you can hire local movers on each end to load it onto a U-Haul or into a truck. You can avoid the expense of the mover going the entire trip, and that could save you quite a bit of money. You will need to rent or borrow the proper equipment to move a piano such as a skid board and 4 wheel, flat dolly made specifically for grand pianos. Grand pianos are moved on their flat side, and the skid board adds stability and protection for the piano.

My recommendation to you is to use a professional piano mover who specializes in moving only pianos. If you want to do it yourself with an upright, you must have strong people, a dolly and a truck with a ramp as well as the other essential supplies to protect your piano. Avoid moving a valuable piano yourself since anything can happen. For a fine piano, at least get professional piano movers to load and unload the piano on both ends. I hope this helps and thanks for joining us! Robert@LivingPianos.com