No matter how strong you are, moving awkward objects can be a challenge. They are hard to get a grip on and thus lift, hard to maneuver, and hard to manipulate through small doorways and low ceilings. Pianos are notorious for being one of the most dreaded items to move. They are the epitome of awkward. They are heavy. And they are uncooperative, always content it seems to stay where they’ve been parked. RL Relocation in Costa Mesa and Orange County offers piano moving services as part of our specialty moves. We understand the difficulty and hassle moving a piano can be. Below, we offer up tips on how to move a piano safely and effectively. Contact us today for all of your moving needs.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO MOVE A PIANO
- Plan the move thoroughly. A piano is a big item that is hard to fit through doorways and around hallways. Before you even touch your piano, map out the route you want to take out of your home all the way to its final resting place. You’ll want to take note of where the trouble points will be such as stairs or tight corners, and form a moving plan.
- Prep your piano. Most pianos are the highlight of rooms and hold special sentimental nostalgia. Perhaps it’s the piano your grandmother played or the one you’ve been playing since you were a child. You’ll want to protect it thoroughly for the moving process. You’ll need furniture straps to secure the piano while moving as well as furniture dollies to help roll your piano. You’ll want to wrap the body of the piano preferably with blankets (although bubble wrap will suffice) and tape those secure on (although not to) the piano. Make sure the lid of the piano is closed and locked and use blankets to stuff inside the piano to protect the keys. If the lid does not lock, tape a blanket over it as well for protection and so it doesn’t open during the moving process. If at all possible, remove the legs during transport as well.
- Gather your friends. This is where a bribe of pizza and beers afterwards will lead to a plethora of volunteers. You’ll need at minimum four people to move a piano — two for the actual lifting and two to guide you down the stairs, around corners, and into the moving truck. If you can get more, great. Piano moving will be easier the more people you have to assist you and a cheerleading team is also not a bad idea to encourage you when you get frustrated — which is almost a guarantee when moving a piano.
- Safety. Pianos are heavy and can slip easily from your grip. One wrong move and a toe is smashed or worse — the piano tips over, which not only damages the piano, but could also damage the piano movers themselves. Communication will be key, and make sure everyone is on the same page with the piano moving plan.
- Moving the piano. When piano moving, it’s all about maintaining the balance of the piano, which usually has an uneven weight distribution. The goal with piano moving is to try to roll it as much as possible. You’ll want to lift the piano on to dollies with rollers in order to do this. If a stairwell is involved, a ramp is the safer and easier way to maneuver the piano down. Go over bumps slowly and place the piano up against a wall as deep in the moving truck as possible. If you are moving other items, stack boxes against the piano. The goal is once the piano is in place for it not to shift during transport.
DIY piano moves, while possible, are not recommended. RL Relocation understands the hardships of piano moving. You need the right equipment and the right knowledge in order to move a piano effectively, concisely, efficiently, and without damage to either your home or the piano. Having the right truck helps as well. We’ve seen too many DIY piano moves with the piano finangled into the back of a pickup truck that ends up smashed. Having the appropriate sized truck makes your piano move safe and easy.
RL Relocation in Costa Mesa specializes in not only piano moves, but also in residential moves, commercial moves, and long distance moves. As a full-service mover, we’ll pack up your items for you, transport them to your new home, and unpack as well. We offer custom-build crating services to pack up your precious items, such as sculptures, to ensure a safe transport. We offer loading services as well, such as loading up a Pod or a storage unit. With all of our moves, we haul away the trash as well for you, such as boxes and bubble wrap.
RL Relocation is the best moving company, serving Costa Mesa, Orange County, and the surrounding areas. Give us a call today to book your local or cross country move today!
