Moving A Piano Carefully
How does one move a piano? Very carefully.
Okay, I'm being a tiny harsh, but moving a piano is a serious endeavor.
I am a gigantic disciple of hiring a professional mover to move a piano. Pianos are heavy and it is simple to damage a piano while moving it. I'm talking from experience. I own a Kimball piano my folks purchased new for me when I used to be a child. That piano was a big deal to me after having played on an old "clunker" of a piano for several years. I played that new piano every day.
When I got married it was time to move the piano to my personal home. My partner and his brothers moved it themselves. It wasn't an easy job even with the moving dolly they used (pianos weigh many hundred pounds - grand pianos can weigh 1,500 pounds). The beginner move of my piano ended in each of the piano legs being damaged ( a standard occurrence when people move a piano themselves ) and some unplanned internal work (some pins needed repair and a string broke ). I should have employed a piano mover. Then I wouldn't have had those issues, but my husband and I thought we might save money by doing it ourselves. It seemed to be a lesson I should have remembered, but I was foolish a 2nd time.
A few years ago my partner and I constructed a new house. When it came time to move the piano again, my partner was disinclined to hire someone to move it professionally because our pocketbook was feeling empty from the cost of building the house (he called our new house a "money-sucking black hole.") In his mind, moving it wasn't a big score. Our new house was less than 2 miles from our old one ; and he had a dolly, a trailer, and a brother who was ready to help him.
Everything went O.K till my partner turned into the driveway of our new home. The sharpness of the turn strained the ropes holding the piano on the trailer and they broke. The piano tipped over and sustained a lot of damage (the entire "guts" of the piano are ruined and the case is chipped and scratched ). I haven't had it fixed yet, but I have gotten an estimation. It should take plenty of time and cash fix the piano. It needs to be completely reconstructed. Due to the labor involved, it would be cheaper to buy a new piano than have it fixed, but the piano has plenty of soppy worth to me so I'm going to have it fixed. This is why I say, "Hire a professional!"
What does a professional piano mover do to ensure a safe and successful move? With upright pianos, they nearly always strap the piano on a skid called a piano board. They also cover the piano with blankets to help protect it. The complete bundle is then typically put on a dolly and brought to its destination. If steps are involved, the piano is taken off the dolly and slipped up or down the steps on the piano board.
Moving a grand piano is a bit more concerned. The lid, lid hinges, pedal lyre, and leg on the straight side of the piano are usually all removed. The piano is then put on the piano board, on its side, with the straight side down. The other legs of the piano are then removed. The piano is then covered with blankets, strapped to the board, and put on a dolly.
Some movers don't love to move a piano up or down stairs. If it's feasible, they like to hoist it to the acceptable floor via a window that is large enough to accommodate the piano.
So what do you do if you simply wish to move your piano from one part of a room to another? First, decide if it's really important to move it because there's always the chance of damaging a piano even with a short move. Piano legs are the most probable thing to get broken or broken.
Be very careful to avoid putting too much weight on the legs. Get a few strong folk to help if the piano is an upright ; and get at least 5 people if it is a grand piano. With an upright or spinet, tilt the piano back a little to take the pressure off the front legs, but take care not to tip it back too far and tip it over. With a grand piano, lift the piano up enough to get the pressure off the legs before you attempt to move it. It's not necessary (and not commended ) to lift the piano off the floor completely.
If you are going to move a piano frequently, consider having it fitted with special casters that will allow you to move the piano fairly easily. Or, have the piano placed on a piano van.
How you do you find a good piano mover if you've decided to not try and move it yourself? My suggestion is that you call your local piano store and ask them for recommendations. They should be able to offer you the name or names of credible movers in your neighborhood.
Okay, so you have decided you are really going to move your piano and you have selected a technique. Now you have to work out where you're going to put the piano. Where should it go?
Try to put your piano in an area of a room where there are little or no drafts, where it's out of direct daylight, and where the temperature and humidity are stable. The reason is because pianos are sensitive to humidity and temperature. Lots of temperature and humidity swings set off a piano to go out of tune quicker than ordinary, can damage the wood case, and if they are serious they can even eventually cause structural failure.
Don't place your piano over or next to a heat vent and duck placing it close to a fireplace. Don't put in front of a window because that is sometimes a drafty place as well as one with direct sunlight. Try to discover a room in your home or flat which has doggedly stable temperature and humidity. That is the best room for your piano.
If you cannot find a place in your flat or home that is out of direct daylight, freed from drafts, and does not have giant temperature swings, you may want to consider having a climate control system installed in your piano.
Moving and placing your piano correctly will help ensure you have a beautiful instrument to play for ages rather than having what I now own - an oversized paperweight that should be dusted. - 18762
Okay, I'm being a tiny harsh, but moving a piano is a serious endeavor.
I am a gigantic disciple of hiring a professional mover to move a piano. Pianos are heavy and it is simple to damage a piano while moving it. I'm talking from experience. I own a Kimball piano my folks purchased new for me when I used to be a child. That piano was a big deal to me after having played on an old "clunker" of a piano for several years. I played that new piano every day.
When I got married it was time to move the piano to my personal home. My partner and his brothers moved it themselves. It wasn't an easy job even with the moving dolly they used (pianos weigh many hundred pounds - grand pianos can weigh 1,500 pounds). The beginner move of my piano ended in each of the piano legs being damaged ( a standard occurrence when people move a piano themselves ) and some unplanned internal work (some pins needed repair and a string broke ). I should have employed a piano mover. Then I wouldn't have had those issues, but my husband and I thought we might save money by doing it ourselves. It seemed to be a lesson I should have remembered, but I was foolish a 2nd time.
A few years ago my partner and I constructed a new house. When it came time to move the piano again, my partner was disinclined to hire someone to move it professionally because our pocketbook was feeling empty from the cost of building the house (he called our new house a "money-sucking black hole.") In his mind, moving it wasn't a big score. Our new house was less than 2 miles from our old one ; and he had a dolly, a trailer, and a brother who was ready to help him.
Everything went O.K till my partner turned into the driveway of our new home. The sharpness of the turn strained the ropes holding the piano on the trailer and they broke. The piano tipped over and sustained a lot of damage (the entire "guts" of the piano are ruined and the case is chipped and scratched ). I haven't had it fixed yet, but I have gotten an estimation. It should take plenty of time and cash fix the piano. It needs to be completely reconstructed. Due to the labor involved, it would be cheaper to buy a new piano than have it fixed, but the piano has plenty of soppy worth to me so I'm going to have it fixed. This is why I say, "Hire a professional!"
What does a professional piano mover do to ensure a safe and successful move? With upright pianos, they nearly always strap the piano on a skid called a piano board. They also cover the piano with blankets to help protect it. The complete bundle is then typically put on a dolly and brought to its destination. If steps are involved, the piano is taken off the dolly and slipped up or down the steps on the piano board.
Moving a grand piano is a bit more concerned. The lid, lid hinges, pedal lyre, and leg on the straight side of the piano are usually all removed. The piano is then put on the piano board, on its side, with the straight side down. The other legs of the piano are then removed. The piano is then covered with blankets, strapped to the board, and put on a dolly.
Some movers don't love to move a piano up or down stairs. If it's feasible, they like to hoist it to the acceptable floor via a window that is large enough to accommodate the piano.
So what do you do if you simply wish to move your piano from one part of a room to another? First, decide if it's really important to move it because there's always the chance of damaging a piano even with a short move. Piano legs are the most probable thing to get broken or broken.
Be very careful to avoid putting too much weight on the legs. Get a few strong folk to help if the piano is an upright ; and get at least 5 people if it is a grand piano. With an upright or spinet, tilt the piano back a little to take the pressure off the front legs, but take care not to tip it back too far and tip it over. With a grand piano, lift the piano up enough to get the pressure off the legs before you attempt to move it. It's not necessary (and not commended ) to lift the piano off the floor completely.
If you are going to move a piano frequently, consider having it fitted with special casters that will allow you to move the piano fairly easily. Or, have the piano placed on a piano van.
How you do you find a good piano mover if you've decided to not try and move it yourself? My suggestion is that you call your local piano store and ask them for recommendations. They should be able to offer you the name or names of credible movers in your neighborhood.
Okay, so you have decided you are really going to move your piano and you have selected a technique. Now you have to work out where you're going to put the piano. Where should it go?
Try to put your piano in an area of a room where there are little or no drafts, where it's out of direct daylight, and where the temperature and humidity are stable. The reason is because pianos are sensitive to humidity and temperature. Lots of temperature and humidity swings set off a piano to go out of tune quicker than ordinary, can damage the wood case, and if they are serious they can even eventually cause structural failure.
Don't place your piano over or next to a heat vent and duck placing it close to a fireplace. Don't put in front of a window because that is sometimes a drafty place as well as one with direct sunlight. Try to discover a room in your home or flat which has doggedly stable temperature and humidity. That is the best room for your piano.
If you cannot find a place in your flat or home that is out of direct daylight, freed from drafts, and does not have giant temperature swings, you may want to consider having a climate control system installed in your piano.
Moving and placing your piano correctly will help ensure you have a beautiful instrument to play for ages rather than having what I now own - an oversized paperweight that should be dusted. - 18762
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