If you have the need to move your favourite musical instrument then this advice from Intermove will be a great help for you. Oddly shaped, fragile, and heavy, pianos seem nearly impossible to move, but with few clever ways provided by our services you will do impossible. Whether you’re wondering how to move a piano to a suburban home or a six-floor walk-up, follow this Intermove advice and let us ease all of your piano moving stress in one simple guide.
Professional piano movers!
Although it is possible to move a piano on your own, Intermove highly recommends hiring piano movers. For an item as complicated and valuable as this, it’s best to leave it to the professionals. It’s easy to find a moving company that offers piano moving services at affordable rates, and many can even incorporate piano moving into a full household move. Pricing varies depending on the distance of the move with long-distance moves being the most expensive. You should note that if your move involves stairs, you can always expect to see the price rise depending on the numbers of the floor that need to be overtaken.
Piano movers – do or don, t!
Good professional piano movers like Intermove Bosnia are well-trained, licensed and insured, and can guarantee an easy and safe piano transport. They may even offer climate-controlled moving trucks to further protect your musical instrument as they have years of experience in the piano moving issues. By not hiring professional piano movers, you may save some money in the short-term, but you run the risk of injuring yourself and anyone that’s trying to help you, plus you could damage the piano and you will not have the insurance. Not an inexpensive fix! This is especially true in the case of grand pianos where disassembly and bigger transportation equipment is required. Risking a major mishap like don,t hire movers isn’t worth it. It,s always better to hire professionals like Intermove, and you can be sure that your piano will be handled in the most secure way.
Die-hard solo piano move!
But if you don,t have extra cash for the piano move, you will need to roll up your sleeves and learn how to move a piano yourself. Intermove is here to make sure that you die-hard move goes as smoothly as possible. Pay close attention to the following steps and you should be well on your way to becoming a capable piano mover. Pay close attention to these moving tips and your piano move will be conducted in a safe way but you are warn-it,s die-hard relocation business and that,s way Intermove can advise you if you want to do it yourself.
Step 1. Take precaution!
First of all it’s crucial that you carefully measure the dimensions of the piano as well as the path you’ll move it along before starting to move anything. Be sure to include hallways, doorways, and stairwells in your “things to measure” list to ensure that the piano will be transported easily and that it won,t be stuck between narrow passages. You don’t want to get stuck on the fourth floor of your walk-up and curse the day you decide to move.
It’s important to note that the logistics will likely vary depending on the size of your piano. For example, an upright piano has different dimensions and moving needs than a grand piano. The volumetric is different. Regardless, you should always measure your piano before you move to avoid hitting any roadblocks.
Step 2. Gather supplies!
You’ll want to protect both yourself and the instrument when moving. Scuffed walls, dented railings, scratched instruments, and pulled muscles can all be avoided with the right equipment. To protect yourself, your fellow piano movers, and the piano itself run out to the local store for the following items that are required in every piano relocation and especially for the die-hard solo action:
- Work gloves (Not the thin plastic ones, but thick than can protect your delicate piano fingers)
- Heavy-duty tape (The ticker tape you can find with the bars incorporate in them)
- Plastic wrap or dense cloth/blanket
- Four-wheel dolly
- Dolly straps
- Van/truck
- Ramp
- Weightlifting straps
- Moving straps
- Bruce Willis poster to tape it on your piano (For a constant reminder-it could be from anyone die hard movies except the 5th (Intermove doesn't,t like that one, and the 4th is in a close range of that))
You can find these items at most home improvement or hardware stores. Once you’ve gathered all of these materials, you are ready to become Atlas who doesn't,t have a world on his shoulders, but have a large piece of Piano.
3. Clear the way!
Before you get to move your piano, it’s crucial to remove any decorations or obstructions from your piano’s path of exit. The last thing you want to worry about as you lift a 700 lb piano (you will have Bruce Willis sweat, we guarantee from experience) is that potted plant in the corner tripping you up. It’s also a good idea to double-check that any children or pets are kept away from the piano way as you handle it.
While you’re clearing the path, consider how you can make your home safe from the piano’s move. Want to know how to move a piano without wrecking your walls? Cover the piano’s corners with baby-proof bumpers or extra towels to prevent scratches.
Make sure that the blanket or padding is thick enough that it’ll keep the piano protected from any bumps it might occur. (There is an old saying that if you bump the walls during piano move Bruce Willis will come to get you (also true from Intermove experience))
4. Recruit heavy lifters!
How many people does it take to move a piano? It takes at least four people to efficiently move a piano, with two to three people doing the heavy lifting, and the others guiding them to and from the moving truck or van (and everyone needs to curse at each other). You may need more, however, depending on the size of the piano and the complexity of the move. Either way, moving a piano is no easy task, so you’ll want some strong friends on your side as piano movers to make it happen. The bribe is always a good idea because we are not all Bruce Willis.
5. Wrap the piano!
Both upright and grand pianos must be wrapped before they’re moved. The process of wrapping is different for each one since a grand piano has to be disassembled before moving while an upright piano can be moved as-is. Here’s the low down on how to move each type of piano (be sure to have your padding, tape and your sweat ready).
Moving an upright piano:
It’s time to strap on your work gloves, watch a couple of die-hard movies and prepare the piano for its relocation. First of all, wrap the lid over the keyboard and secure with tape to ensure it does not open and closes along the way. Secondly, wrap the pedals with plastic wrap or a cloth and secure with tape. Lastly, wrap the front, back, and sides of the piano with a heavy cloth and secure with tape. Be sure to secure everything tightly, in a fixed manner, and layer on the padding to ensure optimal protection while moving your upright piano.
Moving a grand piano:
Grand pianos (and concert grands), monsters of the delicate music, need to be disassembled before a move, so be prepared for the additional preparation. Here are Intermove guidelines for a secure relocation of your big musical pet.
First of all, it is critical that you lower and secure the piano’s top lid with tape. After that, take a screwdriver and disassemble the piano’s pedals and legs. Be careful when lifting and lowering the piano, and ensure that members of your moving team support the piano’s side to keep it stable once the legs are removed. Then, protect the piano by wrapping all sides with moving blankets and securing them tightly with tape. Wrap the pedals and legs separately with moving blankets and secure with tape. Make sure your piano movers stick around after the move to help you reassemble your piano.
6. How to move the piano
Once your piano is completely protected, hoist it onto the dolly with weightlifting straps. Once the piano is centred on the dolly, secure it with straps or rope and move it along its cleared path of exit. If you’re moving it down a staircase, set up a ramp on the stairs to carefully (praying to the gods of the Die hard franchise) guide it downwards. Make sure your team of piano movers is going at a comfortable and slow pace in order to stabilize the piano. Finally, push the piano up the van or truck ramp and secure it up against the back wall with moving straps.
The piano should be put at the back of the moving truck next to the back wall—the wall that separates the truck’s interior cab from the cargo space. It will be one of the first pieces you pack and one of the last you unload at the new location.
Many piano movers suggest using wood planks to ensure a level of flooring for the piano since most truck spaces are not level. This helps relieve pressure on the casters and piano legs which will strain to stabilize during the move. If you use planks, lay them along the back wall.
- Lift the piano from the dolly onto the planks.
- Using the moving straps, secure the piano to the truck wall.
Check to make sure that the piano is unable to roll around or tip while the truck is moving
Follow this same sequence once you arrive at your destination (thank you, Bruce Willis, for your help) Before you move into your new home, makes sure you know exactly where the piano will go. It should be against a wall; preferably an inside wall where it will be protected from the cold and damp. Be sure to re-tune the piano and give it a good wipe down once you’re settled in, and you should be good to go.
Now you know how to move a piano. Remember that every piano move is different and the supplies and services you need will depend largely on the kind of piano you have, as well as where you are moving it to and from (and, of course, on how many die-hard movies did you watch, and what is your favourite).
Your best bet for the piano move is to call professional piano movers like Intermove and let them do the legwork (we watch all die-hard movies and the firs two is the best), but if you’re set on doing it yourself, we hope this guide is the next best thing for you.
Break a sweat!