Moving Piano’s Isn’t an Easy Task
For most people without a piano in their house, moving a piano sounds like an easy enough task. However, those who have moved pianos before know just how big a challenge it can be. Even to the experienced movers, this task can prove to be daunting and risky.
Piano moving is usually tricky because pianos are very heavy, with a grand piano weighing as much as 1200lbs. This makes them hard to lift. They are also delicate, and even the smallest of knocks or drops can lead to damage, which can be very expensive to fix.
For most people, hiring a moving company is their solution. However, some choose to do it themselves, even those who can’t afford a moving company.
The Preliminaries
Needless to say, the task of piano moving is one that can’t be handled by a single person. The first step is thus getting at least two people to assist you in moving or even more depending on the weight of your piano. A grand piano may require as many as six movers.
Another crucial requirement is a piano moving board. This is a secure base which eases the piano moving process significantly. They can hold your straps securely around your piano. They are then rolled onto a dolly, which makes the whole process easy and convenient.
You’ll also need to have a dolly for moving the piano. A four-wheel dolly is sufficient for this task. You’ll also need furniture straps to hold the piano in place.
To protect the piano from any internal or external damage, it is advisable to wrap the piano in a suitable cloth that will cover the whole piano and using tape to hold it in place.
The Process of Moving a Piano
The process of moving your piano begins by lifting it and placing it on the piano board and loading it onto the dolly. This is the most strenuous activity as it requires everyone to use every ounce of strength they have. This process requires not just the use of strength but also coordination between the movers. If one of the movers lifts after the others, he may end up banging the piano, thereby damaging it.
When the piano is lifted, one of the movers who is not lifting should slide the dolly underneath the piano. The piano must remain in an upright position during this stage, as tilting may lead to injury to the lifters or the piano itself.
The dolly makes the piano moving process very easy because it significantly reduces the weight of the piano. Once mounted on the dolly, the strength required is only a small fraction compared to moving it without. The strength is only used to control the movement.
In cases where the piano is being moved between rooms in the same house, ensure the room is cleared and the area it’s being moved to is clearly designated. The path to be used should be cleared of any obstacles that can tamper with the process. If there is a carpet on the floor, it is advisable to remove it beforehand for a more effortless movement of the dolly.
Inter-House Piano Moving
Moving from one house to another can be tedious for piano owners. However, with the right preparations, this process can be easy and stress-free. As with moving a piano between rooms, a piano board and a dolly is a necessity. Once safely mounted on the dolly, the moving process begins.
In cases where there exist one or two steps, then one can manage to maneuver with the help of the movers. However, if more than five steps are involved, one should seek a professional moving company.
Once the piano has been moved onto the moving truck, another important step of loading it onto the truck begins. While moving the piano on flat ground using a dolly is relatively easy as much of the weight of the piano is transferred onto the dolly, moving it up a ramp is quite different. Much of the piano’s weight is transferred onto the lower end of the ramp. With this in mind, in a group of four movers. Three should be on the lower side to support the weight, which is worsened by the weight of gravity, while one stays on the upper side of the ramp and pulls as he also dictates the direction. The lighter side of the piano should always go up first.
Once inside the truck, the piano should be unloaded from the dolly. This is important as moving the piano on a truck while on the dolly may cause some serious, sometimes even irreparable damage. This is because as the truck moves, the dolly moves as well, leading to the piano hitting the sides of the truck or colliding with the other items being moved.
When in the truck, the keyboard side of a piano should always face the truck’s wall. This ensures that in the unfortunate event that the piano gets accidentally scrapped, it only happens to the piano’s backside, which does not interfere with the piano’s finish or its sound quality. The keyboard side of a piano is protected by its pad from any scraping damage.
Loading Your Piano in a Truck
Once in the truck, a piano should always be securely strapped to the truck’s wall. Double strapping or even triple strapping is recommended. If one is moving other items, the piano should be the first item to be loaded onto the truck and the last to be offloaded. The same care applied during the loading process must be replicated during the offloading process to prevent any damage or injury.
After you get to their destination and sets the piano on its new spot, you are likely to notice that it’s out of tune following the movement. This is an expected development that occurs due to the distortion incurred during the moving process and the new conditions of the new environment. Unless some serious damage occurred during the moving process, then in a month or so, you should tune it, and it will be as good as it was before moving. In case your piano is still out of tune for longer than expected, it is advisable to have an expert’s opinion.
Daunting and stressful as piano moving has been known to be, if one follows the above recommendations, then the process will be easy, efficient and stress-free.
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