Moving a piano is risky business. Not only are pianos valuable, they are also sentimental to their owners who have often had them for many years. Moving a piano is also a big job with weight, size and vulnerability being three of several factors that makes moving them so risky.
So, how does one go about moving a piano safely?
Hire the professionals
The obvious answer is to get someone who knows what they’re doing to do it for you. Pianos weigh a lot so they’re best left to the removalists who know how to lift a piano and move it without causing injury to themselves or damage to the instrument.
Despite how sturdy and strong a piano seems, they are a very delicate instrument. Pianos need to be protected with packaging materials, down to each individual pedal. But it’s not enough to simply protect the outside of a piano. Strong movement and contact with outside objects can cause damage to the strings and felt hammers inside the piano.
Prepare your piano for moving
Don’t try to move your piano on your own, even if it is on metal wheels. These wheels are only designed to help you move a piano a couple of inches, not to another room in the house. Close the lid of your piano and lock it with the key to prevent the lid from opening and exposing the keys during the move. Wrap your piano in furniture blankets to protect it from dents and scratches. Your removalist will have these if you don’t already.
Storing a piano
If you require storage for your piano, there are a couple of factors you need to consider. Pianos need to be kept at a constant and stable temperature and humidity level to maintain their condition. They should always be stored away from direct sunlight, vents and fireplaces, windows and outside walls.
Changes in temperature and humidity can cause your pianos soundboard to swell and shrink, having an immediate effect on its sound. Your piano also needs to be stored on a level surface and free from dust.
Call in the tuner
Once your piano has been moved, call in a tuner to tune the instrument for you as some of the strings may have loosened during the move. If the piano has been kept in storage and unused for an extended period of time it may also slip out of tune.
When you’re ready to move your piano, call in the Grace Fine Art team. Our teams are specialists in moving large and vulnerable effects. Our team of professionals use custom-made crates and high-quality packaging materials for moving and climate controlled facilities for storing your instrument. Speak to our consultants about moving your piano today.
