How to Move a Piano

Did you know that the piano that Liberace played on was custom made for him, weighed 1500 pounds and was approximately 12 feet long? Imagine the pain and effort that would have gone into moving a piano of those gargantuan measurements. Moving a piano is task best left to professionals especially if you are stuck in a conundrum about moving it to another city. The smallest of grand pianos which are approximately 55 inches long, weigh about 500 - 600 pounds. Large upright pianos are about 60 inches high and always weigh more than 800 pounds. While these musical instruments are heavy, they are also extremely delicate and need quite a lot of care while being moved. So in case you are planning to move a piano yourself, then be ready to be very careful while doing so.

Learn to Move a Piano

If you do not want to use professional help and are planning to move a piano with the help of friends, then there are some things that you need to procure before actually moving the piano. Firstly you need to ensure that everyone wears work gloves, which will protect your hands from being scratched and also ensure that if your hands get slippery then the piano does not slide. It is also important that you obtain plastic covers to wrap and pack the piano before actually moving it. This ensures that the piano surface does not get scratched or scuffed while being moved. Also try to obtain a dolly which will help you move the piano with limited effort. While tempting avoid rolling the piano on the casters that they have as most casters are decorative and not for functional purposes, and may actually end up scuffing your flooring. Also please make sure that none of the people taking part in the process of moving a piano suffer from any back problems. Now let us take a look at the process of how to move a grand piano.

• You need at least four people to be able to move a piano with as little effort as possible. Have two people at each end of the piano.
• Before actually moving the piano, ensure that the lid of the piano is put down and locked.
• Place the piano on the dolly that you have procured. This will ensure that the tuning of the piano is not affected and the piano music stays as rhythmic as ever. While doing this, remember to lift the piano and roll it smoothly. While doing this always hold on to the handle of the piano. This is very important.
• Once your piano is placed on the dolly, you are ready to roll it to the place you need to shift it to. While doing this be careful while climbing over thresholds and doors.
• If you are figuring out how to move a piano upstairs, the best way to do so is buy using a big piece of ply as a temporary ramp.

Now that you know how to move a piano, you could give it a try if you want to but it is still advisable to hire a professional as then there will be no fears of harming yourself or the piano. While hiring professional movers though, always ensure that they have insurance because you would want to ensure that any damages are covered. Also always ensure that they don't remove the keyboard so that it will fit through small spaces.