A piano is one of the most valuable and delicate things in most homes, and also one of the hardest to move. Whether it is an upright that has been in the family for decades or a grand piano at the center of your living room, moving it wrong can mean a cracked cabinet, a damaged soundboard, or an instrument knocked badly out of tune. Here is how to prepare your piano for a move, and why this is one job where calling a specialist really pays off.
Do Not Try to Move It Yourself
Let us start with the honest truth, a piano is not a two-person job, and it is not a job for a regular moving crew either. A single upright can weigh 300 to 500 pounds, and a grand can exceed 1,000. The weight is distributed unevenly, the shape is awkward, and the inside is a finely tuned instrument under enormous string tension. Every year people are injured and pianos are ruined trying to move them without the right equipment and experience. This is the one item where doing it yourself is almost never worth the risk.
What You Can Do to Prepare
While the actual move should be left to professionals, there are a few things you can do ahead of time to make it go smoothly.
- Close and secure the lid and key cover. This protects the keys and internal parts during the move.
- Clear the path. Make sure the route out of the room and the home is clear of furniture, rugs, and obstacles. Do the same at the new location.
- Measure doorways and tight turns if you are concerned about fit, and mention any narrow spots or stairs to your movers ahead of time.
- Do not remove parts yourself. Leave disassembly, like removing the legs and lyre on a grand, to the movers who know how to do it correctly.
- Plan for climate. If your piano will be in a truck for a while, know that temperature and humidity changes are normal and are the main reason a piano needs tuning after a move.
Why Piano Moving Takes a Specialist
Professional piano movers bring equipment built specifically for the job, a piano board or skid, heavy padding, specialized straps, and dollies designed for the load. Just as important, they bring experience. Reading a tight staircase, balancing a grand on a board, protecting both the instrument and your floors and walls, these are skills that come from having done it many times. A general mover simply is not equipped for it.
Plan for Tuning After the Move
Here is something many people do not expect, your piano will very likely need tuning after it moves, and that is normal. It is usually not the move itself but the change in environment, the new home’s temperature and humidity are different from the old one. Most piano technicians recommend letting the piano settle for a few weeks in its new home before tuning, so it can adjust to its new surroundings.
Trust Your Piano to Specialists
At Betton Moving Company, we have moved Houston’s pianos since 1985, everything from spinets and uprights to baby grands and concert grands. We have the equipment, the trained crews, and four decades of experience protecting instruments and homes on every move. If you have a piano to move anywhere in the greater Houston area, learn more about our piano moving service or call (281) 531-6683 for a free quote.