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Moving a piano from your house is no small task. However, people who have the spirit and a couple of helping hands often take this task on, and they succeed too. You don’t necessarily need to call a professional to move a piano, if you have the right technique and tools with you, you can do it too.
It’s a common misconception that moving a piano is all about muscle power. That’s not true. The task is not just moving the piano, but moving it without it getting a scratch. A normal piano has more than 10.000 parts, another one of your worries is to make sure none of these parts go missing.
Moving something as big, heavy, and delicate as a piano without damaging it, is a challenge. With the right supplies, the right team, and the right technique, you can do it in the blink of an eye.
Here’s how to move a piano:
You must not move a piano unless you have a proper plan. As small as a piano might seem, even that can be difficult to maneuver around sharp corners and tricky doorways. Once you sit down and figure out exactly how and from where to move the piano, the actual task will get much easier. Your plan will also help you figure out how many people you might need to call and the supplies you’d need to purchase. Include everything in the plan, no matter how inconsequential it might seem. For instance, figure out which doorway to use, which side to turn first, who will be grabbing which side, who will be keeping pets and kids out of the way, etc.
Mapping out a path will be part of the plan. While mapping a path, you’d plan exactly which route the piano would take from your house to the new house. There are several alterations you might need to make along the way, such as removing doors, moving other heavier furniture out of the way, placing a ramp that is strong enough to carry the weight of the piano, etc.
The plan might include which doorway, staircase, and hallways to use. But this can only be accomplished through careful measurements of each entryway to ensure the piano can safely pass through these places without being damaged. Your piano has to be measured as well so that you can choose the right size of truck for its transport.
This might seem a tedious task and as a result, many do not take this first crucial step which can cost time and wasted energy. Measuring the piano and the passageways will ensure that you won’t get stuck anywhere before you even lift a finger. Trust us when we say that it is much more challenging when your piano is wedged in the doorway at an awkward angle and you can neither move it forward or backward than simply measuring the piano and all the exits and entry points.
Once you have a plan and the measurements, start protecting your surroundings. Move all the furniture out of the way carefully so they don’t hit the piano. Protect the floors to prevent scratches and make sure to keep the doors all the way open. If they don’t stay open by themselves then entrust someone with the task of holding the doors.
If you are dealing with extra-sharp corners and fear that they might nick the piano, you can use baby-proofing bumpers or just extra cushioning around those corners before the move. When you are moving a grand piano, make sure to take out the keyboard cover and secure it in a soft blanket, same goes for the ledge and any other parts that you can remove and secure, do it.
We have said it before, and we’ll say it again, you need extra hands for this task. At the very least, enlist three strong and smart individuals to help you along with the whole procedure. Remember, the piano is heavy, oddly shaped, and difficult to maneuver so do not involve anyone too young, sick, or weak.
You cannot perform the task of moving a piano on your own unless you have all the moving supplies. Remember the safety of your valuables and your helpers rely on these supplies, so make sure you only invest in high-quality products. If you are in New York, check out Bin It Movers and their broad range of high-end moving supplies.
Some of the must-have supplies you need are moving blankets for protection against scratches, rolls of tapes to secure blankets, a ramp suited to the weight and size of the piano, and potentially a strong dolly to move the piano. Other supplies you might need to move and remove the piano include:
Now that you have a plan, a map, all the supplies, and the right help, you can start the move. Once again, make sure everything is ready, secure, protected, and the path is clear, and then move the piano.
The reason why professionals can carry such heavy objects without injuring their backs is by using correct lifting techniques. Some of the most basic lifting techniques involve squatting down in a way that only your hips and knees are bent, keep your posture good, once you have grabbed hold of the piano; stand up slowly and straighten your knees and hips. Keep the piano as close to your body as possible, and make sure you have a wide base for support. When you start moving, make sure to move your feet to go forward, backward, or to turn, Do not twist your body!
Once your piano has reached the truck safely, make sure it is the first item loaded in there because it’s likely the largest. Once it is loaded, secure it with all the straps you bought from the supply store. You need to make sure these straps are of high quality and do not give out during transport. Trust professionals like Bin It Movers in New York, with your supplies.