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How to Move Piano

How to Move Piano: Large, delicate, weird shaped, and hefty keyboards are always some of the most tasking equipment to move when relocating. However, it is not impossible to move them when you have the right hacks at your disposal. 

Are you curious about how to move an upright piano or how heavy is a piano to move? This simple guide will make the moving process effortless. 

1 – Gather Transport Supplies

The first thing you need to know about how to safely move a piano is that you can’t haul them to the new house without securing them. Pianos are sensitive musical gears and will damage if not appropriately cared for, especially when on the road. The only means to ensure that these large instruments get the proper care and security they need to retain their appearance and musical function is to get the right hauling supplies that keep them from damage. 

Some essential supplies needed to transport your massive musical kit includes:

  • Work gloves: This piece of clothing protects your hands, especially your palm, from injuries and prevents them from being slippery.
  • Straps: they help you secure the piano on the piano board or dolly.
  • Dolly: This kit is mainly made to transport bulky keyboards to the moving van. They are built with four rubber wheels that prevent them from causing damage to the flooring of your home. 
  • Blankets: These are protective gears that keeps your keyboard surface looking new even during transit.  

2 – The transportation processes

Want to learn about how to easily move a piano or how to transport an upright piano? Pay close attention to these simple steps below to get the ball rolling. 

  • Take measurements before moving upright pianos

Before you think of hauling large keyboards to the mover’s van, first things first; measure its dimensions. This step is crucial because it determines whether or not you can effortlessly drag them out the doorway, staircase, and walkway. If you stay in Chicago, piano movers Chicago cost will strongly depend on this measurement because it determines the shipment weight and the right size van. 

An average upright piano will include the following dimensions:

  • Width: 58inches
  • Depth: 24inches
  • Height: 48 to 60inches

A size like this tells you just how large keyboards can be. However, while taking its dimensions, you don’t want to skip measuring the doorways, pathway, and staircase because it also determines the success of your move. 

  • Clear every doorway, pathway and staircase

After taking the measurements, the next thing you need to do is clear every path leading to the truck. There is every chance that your home is cluttered due to the packing process and the various size boxes sitting in one corner of your home. You don’t want to lift a 700lb keyboard only to trip with such a heavyweight on you. 

  • Remove piano accessories

No doubt, your large instrument will come with accessories that enhance its function and beautifies it. The simple fact is that they are accessories like earrings and chains you can remove. And like earrings, they can harm you if not removed cautiously. Before you decide to transport large keyboards, make sure to detach every piece of jewelry piece that can cause harm to your body. 

  • Wrap then up

Apart from removing accessories, you want to cover upright and grand keyboards before shipping them to your new home. Grand pianos will demand that you dismantle them before packaging while the opposite is expected for the upright ones. 

  • Lifting the piano on a trolley, fixing and moving

Since you are done preparing the keyboard for transportation, it’s time to fix them on the trolley and move. 

A trolley is equipment specially designed to help you lift and carry large musical gears so that they don’t fall and damage as you transport them. Position the trolley on the ground, then, fix your upright or grand piano sideways on the trolley. Get the moving strap and wrap it around the keyboard to properly secure them. 

  • Using a ramp

If you will plan to use a ramp, you need to know how to use it properly because although it looks simple, it can cause you to lose grip on the keyboard. While the dolly helps you lift the large equipment, a ramp helps roll it to the van. 

  • Securing the piano in the van

Once it’s time to place your large instrument in the truck, one thing you shouldn’t forget is that pianos are weighty and can damage anything you place under it. For this reason, they should be the fixed thing you load in the truck. Place them resting on the truck walls, then secure them with belts and ropes to prevent them from toppling on the road. 

3 – The moving advice

Now that you know how to safely move a piano with the right technique, you may feel you have everything in order. Well, chances are that you may make mistakes at some point. Here are some mistakes you need to avoid when transporting large musical instruments,

  • Avoid lifting piano without heavy lifting equipment

Remember; keyboards are heavy, and lifting them without equipment is dangerous. If you have an upright piano, you need to get a dolly for heavy-lifting. A piano board or skid board will work perfectly for grand keyboards. 

  • Avoid using piano rollers (if any)

This device is not made for long-distance hauls. They weaken and jam easily. Plus, they can also cause tears and scratches on your carpets and floors. 

  • Take measured steps

The last thing you want is to move fast only to bump into something and have your piano fall on you. Take each step at a time when transferring the keyboard. 

Conclusion

Pianos are extremely heavy and tricky to transport. If you do have this large equipment in your home and plan a long-distance move, we suggest engaging a staunch professionals to help with the transit than endanger yourself. 

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