Whether yours is brand-new or a beloved family heirloom, a piano is a cherished part of any family’s home. As such, it’s important to take great care if you’re moving it from one location to the next.

If you’re planning to relocate to a new property, you naturally want to take your piano with you! Yet, it’s important to make sure that the piano moving team you hire knows how to transport it safely and correctly.

Plan your piano move

With a job this big, it’s important to have a plan in place. Decide the exact date you need the piano moved, the total distance it needs to travel, and how a piano moving service fits into your overall moving budget.

While you’re planning, consider asking a neighbour, friend, or family member to keep any small children or pets on moving day. A piano can weigh hundreds and even thousands of pounds, so you’ll want to clear its path fully and make sure no one gets underfoot.

Measure and make a path

Your moving team will measure the piano when they arrive, but it can help to give them a solid idea of what they’re working with before the big day. The size of the instrument will determine the type of truck that the team will need, as well as how many people will be required to move it.

Measure the height, width, and depth of the piano to determine if it will fit through the doorways of your home. You may need to remove the doors from their jambs to allow a little more space.

Also, consider if there are any staircases or hallways that you’ll need to travel across and if there’s adequate clearance to do so. If you use a stair ramp to move the piano up or downstairs, it should be sturdy enough to bear the full weight of the piano.

Gather your supplies

Moving a piano is tough and strenuous work. It’s always best to leave this task in the hands of a professional moving team. However, if you want to do the work yourself, there are a few critical supplies you’ll need to have on hand.

These include:

You’ll need all of these supplies regardless of the type of piano you need to move. If you hire a piano moving company, they should bring all of these items when it’s time to transport the instrument.

Lifting techniques: general

There are a few different steps required to lift and move a piano safely and successfully. To avoid injuring yourself or others, follow these proper lifting techniques:

By following these tips, you can help make sure the piano move goes as smoothly as possible. Again, a professional mover is best-equipped to handle this type of job, as these experts are well-trained on how to keep themselves and your property safe.

Moving a grand piano

Are you lucky enough to own a beautiful grand or baby grand piano? If so, there are a few techniques to follow during the move.

Before you pick up the piano, carefully lower the top of its lid and secure it in place. Then, you’ll need to disassemble the pedal and legs from the piano. To keep them safe during the rest of the move, you can wrap them in moving pads or moving blankets, and secure the load with packing tape.

With that step finished, you can then wrap the entire piano in moving blankets, including the lid, keys, and all of its sides. Once the blankets are securely in place with packing tape, carefully lift the piano onto a skid. This is a demanding step that will require the help of multiple people.

Use tie-down straps to keep the piano firmly in place on the skid. As long as your pathway is clear, you should then be able to gently push the piano on the skid to move it into the truck.

Moving an upright piano

If you need to move an upright piano, then the process is slightly easier. Also known as vertical pianos, upright pianos are usually smaller than grand pianos and aren’t as heavy.

To move this instrument, first wrap the pedals and keys with a moving blanket, secured in place with packing tape. Then, wrap and secure the rest of the piano in blankets so there are no exposed sides or edges.

With every surface appropriately padded, your moving team can lift the upright piano onto an upright piano dolly. They can use the dolly to transport the piano into the truck.

Note that regardless of the type of piano you’re moving, it should be one of the first items in your moving truck. Your movers should use tie-down straps to keep it in place inside of the truck so it doesn’t move around during the drive.