A piano is among the heaviest and most delicate pieces in a home, and almost all of its weight sits in a cast-iron plate inside. Done wrong, a piano damages floors, backs and the instrument itself. This guide explains how professionals do it so that you can prepare the path and ask the right questions.
How an upright piano is moved
An upright is padded on all sides, set on a piano dolly or skid board and strapped so the keys and top lid stay closed. The crew moves it in a single piece, with a spotter at each step and extra hands on stairs.
The keyboard lid is locked or taped so it cannot open. Loose items such as lamps and photos come off the top before the crew arrives.
- Clear the path and measure doorways and turns.
- Remove items from the top and lock the keyboard lid.
- Wrap the piano in padded blankets and strap them.
- Tip the piano onto a padded skid, using a dolly.
- Carry, ramp and load it onto the truck against a wall, strapped in place.
How a grand or baby grand is moved
A grand piano is taken apart for transit. The lid and music desk come off, the pedal lyre and the legs are removed and the body is tipped on its side onto a padded board.
The crew wraps the body, straps it to the board and loads it on its side along the wall of the truck. At the new home, the process runs in reverse, and the legs go back on before the piano is set upright.
Prepare the path
Measure every door, hallway and turn, and tell your estimator about stairs, steps and tight landings. Remove rugs, open doors fully and protect floors.
Mention pianos at your in-home estimate so that the right crew and equipment are scheduled. A flight of stairs or a narrow turn changes the plan.
Tuning and settling
A piano usually needs a tuning after a move, because the change in handling and in humidity moves the strings. Let it settle in its new room for a few weeks before calling a technician.
Place the piano on an interior wall, away from heating vents, direct sun and drafty windows. Reno's dry winter air is hard on pianos, and a room humidifier helps.
Pianos and organs
O'Brien's piano and organ moving covers uprights, grands and organs. For other heavy items that need the same kind of care, see how pool tables are moved. The federal rules on bulky articles are in 49 CFR Part 375, and your written estimate lists any charge for a piano.