Knowing how to move a piano safely will minimize the risks and dangers that come with that challenging moving task. These musical instruments are very heavy and very large. Also, don’t forget that pianos may look like sturdy instruments, but in reality, they are very fragile and can easily be broken during their relocation.
Beneath the hardwood, there are finely-tuned felt-covered hammers, strings, keys, pedals, and other complex mechanisms. So, looks can be deceiving when it comes to pianos. Every piano moving step must be taken with caution.
For the sake of your health and that of your musical instrument, read carefully these tips on how to move a piano before you dive into this complicated relocation task. Don’t take any unnecessary risks and stay safe in all stages of the moving process.
Table of Contents
- Step 1. Decide – Piano movers or a DIY move
- Step 2. Determine the kind of your piano
- Step 3. Get the necessary moving tools and supplies
- Step 4. Recruit the perfect piano moving team
- Step 5. Prepare the piano for moving
- Step 6. Begin the piano moving operation
- Are you sure about this DIY piano move?
- How much does it cost to move a piano?
- How to move a piano within a home?
Step 1. Decide – Piano movers or a DIY move
The first step in this lengthy and hard process is to choose whether to move your piano by yourself or hire the services of a piano moving company. This decision will determine the further steps you will have to take. Keep in mind that choosing piano movers is the better of the two options.
Piano moving companies will have the experience, the knowledge, and the tools needed for the stress-free relocation of your musical instrument. Some very unique piano moving techniques have been developed over the last 100 years that greatly ease the daunting task of moving pianos. Even with full knowledge of how to move pianos, moving one carries with it a lot of responsibility both for the safety of the movers and that of the musical instrument.
Before deciding which company to use, get as many moving quotes as you can so that you can choose the best one. When you talk to the movers, ask them specific questions such as whether they have moved a piano like yours before. You may want to explore other options like what will be the price for professional movers to move the piano for you-long-distance, locally, to a storage facility, or even up the stairs.
Step 2. Determine the kind of your piano
There are three major types of pianos – Upright (Vertical) pianos, Grand pianos, and Electric (Digital) pianos. It’s important to know the difference because there are pianos of different sizes and weight.
Electric pianos
The biggest difference between an acoustic piano (Upright or Grand) and an electric piano is the way sounds are generated. When you press keys on an acoustic piano, hammers strike the strings and vibrations are transmitted to the soundboard which increases the sounds by a lot. The digital piano has no strings and when a key is pressed, digitally recorded sounds are executed from its speakers.
With this type of pianos people usually don’t need the help of a moving company because they are not as heavy as the other ones. A digital piano with a full-size mechanical keyboard, amp, and speakers will weigh around 100-300 pounds. You can just ask a friend to come and help you with it. No special equipment or tools are needed to move an electric piano. A good mood and a trustworthy friend will do this job perfectly.
Upright pianos
In this kind of pianos, the strings are positioned vertically to make the musical instrument more compact, which allows the piano to be played in a limited space such as a small apartment. There are four different types of vertical pianos:
- Spinet pianos – this is the smallest type of upright pianos. It is usually below 40 inches tall, around 60 inches of width and weighs about 200-300 pounds.
- Console pianos – their height ranges from 40 to 43 inches and the weight is the same as that of the spinet pianos.
- Studio pianos – they are a little bigger than the previous two types of upright pianos. Their length is the same, the height is from 45 to 48 inches and the weight can go up to 400 pounds.
- Classic full-size upright pianos – this is the biggest of all of the vertical piano types. The height of such a piano can be from 47 to 60 inches and the weight can reach 900 pounds.
Some of the best manufactures that make upright pianos are Blüthner, Bechstein, and Steinway & Sons.
On the pictures below are shown the two biggest upright pianos ever made. All large ones like them have high backs. Their height tops out at 60 inches with each of their weight hitting 800+ lbs. Here is more info on moving upright pianos.
Grand pianos
They are the largest and most expensive of all of the piano types. The height of these horizontal pianos can go from 53 to 108 inches or even more depending on the company that makes them.
- Petite Grand pianos – their weight is usually under 500 pounds at a height from 48 to 59 inches.
- Baby Grand pianos – one of the most popular grand pianos because of the sound quality and affordable price. It is slightly bigger than the previous one with a height of 59 to 66 inches and a weight of over 500 pounds. Check out our article on How to move a baby grand piano to learn the right way for relocating this type of pianos.
- Medium Grand pianos – they are the next step when we go up the ladder with the different sizes of grand pianos. They have a height of 67 to 76 inches and a weight of around 600-700 pounds.
- Ballroom Grand pianos – they are slightly heavier than the parlor grand pianos with a height of 77 to 89 inches
- Concert Grand pianos – now we are at the top of the mountain when regarding the size of a piano. This is the largest of all of the grand pianos with a height of 90 to over 108 inches and a weight that can reach more than 1,000 pounds.
Most of the weight in every piano comes from the solid harp made of cast iron which holds the strings together. When looking for grand pianos, you can rely on the experience and trustworthiness of companies such as Bösendorfer, Mason and Hamlin and Schimmel.
Liberace‘s piano was specially made for him. It was a monstrous 144 inches long grand piano weighing 1,500 pounds. He had it particularly constructed for him because of his knowledge that the longer the grand piano is the better the base notes will sound during play because the base notes utilize wound strings and not straight strings. Wound strings resonate better and better at longer and longer lengths.
The other big difference between upright pianos and grand pianos, besides the weight and size, is the price. The price range of upright pianos is from $2,000 to $8,500, while that of grand pianos is from $10,000 to $150,000.
Step 3. Get the necessary moving tools and supplies
To ensure the safety of the piano and all of the people that will be involved in the moving process, obtain everything you are going to need before the beginning of the relocation. This way, moving the piano will be easier and less dangerous.
- A 4-wheel moving dolly or a piano skid board – depending on the size and weight of your piano, you might have to use two 4-wheel moving dollies to distribute the weight properly.
- A moving truck – make sure that the truck you choose to rent has a ramp for loading and unloading because if it doesn’t, there is no safe way to get the piano into the truck and then get it out of it.
- Moving blankets – you are going to need them for the protection of your piano so that you can avoid scratches or even more severe damage to your musical instrument.
- Furniture straps – they will give you a much better grip on the musical instrument and are going to make moving this (in some scenarios nearly half of a ton) weight a lot easier. Another thing you can use them for is to secure the piano from moving in the truck while it is being transported to its new location.
- High-quality work gloves – for the protection of your fingers and hands.
Keep in mind that you and the friends that will be helping you with this challenging task must wear appropriate clothes and shoes. Choose outfits and footwear that won’t restrict any of your movements. Also, don’t wear anything that can get stuck in the piano. Things such as long jewelry pieces can cause big problems if they hook onto something while the piano is being moved.
Step 4. Recruit the perfect piano moving team
For this tricky mission, you are going to need the assistance of at least 3 of your loyal and trustworthy friends. Even for small pianos, the minimum manpower requirement is 4 helpers. If you have on your hands a bigger one such as the concert grand piano, don’t attempt this task with fewer than 6 people.
The friends you ask for help don’t have to be fitness enthusiasts, but they have to be in good shape with no back pain or any other injuries. One wrong move could be fatal both for the musical instrument and the people who carry it.
Step 5. Prepare the piano for moving
The first step in this preparation process is to close the lid of the piano so that the fragile keys are protected. If there is a way to lock it, it is best to do it so that it won’t open in the truck while it is being transported to the new location. If there is no lock on the lid, find another way to secure it. Wrapping it tightly with a stretch wrap is a good idea to prevent it from opening.
The second step is to wrap the entire piano with moving blankets so that the interior and exterior are protected from any accidents and its perfect condition is preserved. You can use furniture straps, ropes, and tape to ensure that the moving blankets won’t be moving from their places.
The final step in this preparation is removing the metal casters from the bottom of the piano. By doing this, the balancing of this huge musical instrument on the 4-wheel moving dolly will be easier. Keep in mind that the piano should not be moved more than a few inches on them and if possible, there shouldn’t be any movement at all. They are only for decoration purposes.
Never try to push your musical instrument on them.
Step 6. Begin the piano moving operation
- Plan the entire path from the current location of your piano to the moving truck.
- Clear the route. Make sure you remove as many of the obstacles on this route as possible such as plants on which you might trip while carrying this heavy load. Also, check for wet or slippery spots on the floors and if you can’t fix them, move with caution when you reach them.
- Take measurements of both the musical instrument and the places it needs to fit through.
- Every person involved in the piano moving process must know their job so that everyone is aware of what they will be doing when the relocation begins.
- Plan an emergency signal to prevent any accidents from happening.
- Someone must be on a lookout at all times and give guidance for a safe pass through obstacles.
- Lift the piano on the 4-wheel moving dolly. When you are getting it off the floor, begin this movement from a squatting position to prevent any back injuries and so that your legs will do all of the work. Once all of the helpers are in place, do a “1-2-3” count so that everyone is ready for the lift. While the piano is in the air, slide one or two dollies underneath it and don’t forget to balance it correctly. Secure the musical instrument with furniture straps and ropes on the moving dolly.
- Rent a ramp if you have a lot of stairs. When you reach the stairs with the moving dolly, there must be 2 people in front of the piano and 2 people in the back. Also, don’t forget the spotter. If you have a lot of stairs, leaving this risky task to professional piano movers might be a better idea than risking an injury or damaging the musical instrument.
- Once you have wheeled the piano to the moving truck, you will have to begin loading it. Carefully push the dolly on to the loading ramp and support the piano all the way through. Keep in mind that the upper side is lighter than the other, so distribute more people on the heavier side. When the musical instrument has reached the inside of the moving truck, wheel it to the back of it and safely secure it with furniture straps and ropes so that it is immobilized.
- After you have reached your new home, carefully unload the piano from the moving truck and find the perfect place for it. Your musical instrument might be out of tune, but that is normal and you don’t have to panic. This is just a result of all of the moving and changes in the environment.
- The ideal spot for your piano is in a room with steady temperature and humidity. Also, place it against an inside wall which is not exposed to direct sunlight. A big difference in the humidity level between the two locations will change the piano’s soundboard which will change the tension on the strings. The best solution to this problem is to let the piano adjust to the new environment for a month and then have it tuned.
Are you sure about this DIY piano move?
After reading all of the steps that you have to go through with this DIY piano move, are you still up for the task? As we have mentioned before, moving a musical instrument of such a size and weight is not a job for everyone.
This is one of the most challenging and dangerous things you will ever do. If you want a stress-free and safe relocation of your piano, hire professional piano movers to do it for you. This way, you and your piano will arrive safely at your new home with no complications. The piano movers will have the right tools, techniques, and experience to move your piano in the best possible way.
How much does it cost to move a piano?
The price of moving a piano is formed by a few factors:
- The size and weight of the piano.
- The type of piano – for instance, grand pianos are more expensive to move due to their unique shape when compared to upright pianos.
- The obstacles they have to go through– for example, movers may charge you extra for moving a piano along a staircase – $5-$10 per step or $40-$100 per staircase.
- The moving distance – usually, the charge for a local move is about $1.50-$2.50 per mile and $2.50-$10 per mile for a long-distance move.
Based on the factors above, the average price for moving a piano is $200-$400 for local moves and $1,000-$2,000 for long-distance moves. Keep in mind that there could be additional moving costs such as special packing, insurance, storage, and others which will make the total sum bigger.
How to move a piano within a home?
Just because you are moving your piano only between rooms within your house doesn’t mean you have to be less careful or that you can just move the musical instrument on its metal casters. Even small movements such as across the room must be done with the same caution and attention as if you were moving your piano to another house.
You are going to face the same risks. Small well-planed steps are the key to the successful and safe relocation of your musical instrument. You should never underestimate the huge weight and size of your piano. With the right tools and with your trustworthy friends by your side, you will have no problem with the task at hand.
How to move a piano upstairs?
Moving a piano upstairs or downstairs can be very dangerous and one wrong step can be catastrophic both for the moving crew and the musical instrument. You should seriously consider hiring well-trained piano movers for this relocation especially if it involves going up and down a flight of stairs.
First of all, take measurements of both the piano and the staircase to make sure it will fit through. Look for any tight spots or turns on the piano’s path and devise a plan on how to go through them before you start moving your piano on the staircase.
The next step is placing a ramp on the stairs on which you can roll the piano with ease so that you won’t have to lift it. As an extra security measure, you can place moving pads at the bottom of the stairs and ramps.
Once you reach the flight of stairs, two people must be a few stairs in front of the piano and two people should be at the back of it. Those who are in front will guide the piano moving process and even a better scenario will be having a 5th person who will act as a spotter to prevent any mistakes.
Don’t rush the entire process and take every step with caution. The piano must be secured with straps at all times so that you can have a better grip on it and prevent it from slipping away.
How to move a piano downstairs?
If you have the opposite situation which is moving a piano downstairs, you can use the same techniques and tools as mentioned above.
Also, take breaks for resting whenever someone needs them because it is better to slow down the process than risk someone getting hurt by dropping the musical instrument.
How to move a piano across the room?
Even a small shift such as moving the piano across the room can’t be done on its metal casters. Make sure you remove all the carpets and pieces of furniture in the path of the relocation to avoid any unnecessary dangers.
If you have to move your piano through a room with a hardwood floor, the safest way to do that without scratching anything is by using a 4-wheel moving dolly. With the help of 3 of your friends, you need to lift the musical instrument on the dolly and then move it to its new location.
