Are you planning on moving a piano from your existing home to a new home during an upcoming move?
It’s going to be a lot more difficult than you might think.
It doesn’t matter what type of piano you own. From basic spinet pianos to baby grand pianos, they all offer unique challenges that will make it tough to get them from point A to point B.
Learning how to transport a piano ahead of time will make the process slightly easier on you and your family.
You won’t have to worry about doing damage to your piano or injuring yourself while lifting your piano when you know what to expect prior to your move.
Let’s take a look at how to transport a piano the right way from start to finish.
Begin by Getting Your Hands on the Right Moving Equipment
To transport a piano, you’re going to need more than just your bare hands. You’re going to need certain moving equipment to help get the job done.
Heavy-duty moving straps will make the job easier for you and whoever is helping you move (more on that in a minute!) get a good grip on your piano so that you can pick it up.
A furniture dolly will also help you push the piano towards your moving truck.
Speaking of a moving truck, you should obtain one that is plenty big enough to fit your piano.
You don’t want to use a truck that’s going to force you to lay your piano down on its side or contort it in some other way to make it fit.
You should also invest in straps that you can use to tie the piano down once you get it up on your moving truck.
They should be strong enough to hold your piano in place so that it doesn’t move around a lot while you’re driving to your new home.
Cover Your Piano up With Moving Blankets
Outside of all the moving equipment we just mentioned, you’re also going to want to purchase or rent moving blankets when you’re figuring out how to transport a piano.
They’re going to play a key role in protecting the surface of your piano.
Throw the moving blankets over the entire piano and tape them down without putting the tape directly onto your piano.
This will keep your moving blankets in place so that they don’t slide around or even fall off your piano.
Your moving blankets will stop your piano from getting scratched up while you’re placing it into the back of your moving truck.
They’ll also provide your piano with all the protection it needs when you’re driving it around.
Protect Your Piano’s Keys at All Costs
The keys on your piano are some of the most important parts on the instrument.
If your piano’s keys are damaged while you’re moving your piano, it’s going to be devastating.
You should, therefore, close the lid for your piano’s keys and lock it, if possible.
If you’re not able to lock the lid, you should stick a moving blanket on top of it so that it’s not able to open up.
This should keep your keys safe and sound.
Get Help Picking up Your Piano
Pianos can weigh anywhere from a few hundred pounds to up over 1,000 pounds, depending on what kind of piano you’re talking about.
It’s why you should not, under any circumstances, attempt to move a piano by yourself.
In fact, you’re going to need to put together a small team to help you move.
You should have at least four or five strong people ready to move a piano.
You may even want to consider hiring a moving company that specializes in moving pianos to lend a hand.
They’ll be able to show you exactly how to transport a piano without doing any unnecessary damage to the inside or outside of it.
Secure Your Piano in Your Moving Truck
Regardless of whether you pick up a piano with help from a few friends or bring a moving company on board to do it, you should be able to get the piano into the back of your moving truck.
From there, you might be tempted to drive off to your piano’s final destination.
But before you do, you should always secure your piano so that it isn’t able to slide around as you drive.
Use straps to hold your piano in place in the back of your truck.
If the piano happens to have casters on it, make sure they’re locked so that they don’t make it more difficult than it has to be to keep your piano secure.
Drive Your Moving Truck Slow When You Have a Piano in It
When you’re driving a moving truck around with a big piano in the back of it, you shouldn’t drive very fast at all.
Even if the piano is completely secure, speed could cause it to topple over if you’re not careful.
Take your time while heading over to your new home with your piano.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry when transporting something that heavy.
Once you arrive at your new home, reverse the process we just laid out to move the piano into your home.
You may want to have the piano tuned after you and your family are settled in so that it sounds great again when you play it.
Knowing How to Transport a Piano Will Keep It Safe
Far too often, homeowners make the mistake of trying to move a piano without putting any thought into it.
They try to figure things out on the fly and sometimes end up paying the price for it.
Learn how to transport a piano the right way before moving a piano, and you’ll find that it’ll go so much smoother than it would otherwise.
You’ll be able to move your piano into your new home in no time when you follow the tips we’ve presented here.
Need help moving other items found in your home? Read the articles on our blog for additional moving tips.