Moving a piano is not for the inexperienced. These cherished instruments are often very valuable. Not only are they expensive, but they also often have sentimental meaning to their owners. Therefore, moving a piano over a long distance requires expertise. Hiring professional long-distance piano movers is essential to getting your piano to its new home in one piece.
A few years ago, a client contacted us desperate for help. He and his brother were tasked to help move their elderly grandmother from the home she had lived in for over 5 decades. Things were going well until it came time to move the treasured family heirloom, a piano. It was a vintage baby grand piano, passed down to their grandmother, from her father. It had been in their family for generations.
There was no way our long-distance piano moving company was going to let our client, or his grandmother, down. We put our long-distance piano movers through rigorous training in order to correctly move even the most precious pianos. Our pros were easily able to help out our client get this special keepsake to its new home, unscathed.
Read on to find out some of our best tips for moving a piano over a long distance.
Pianos are heavy
It may seem like an obvious statement, but pianos are super heavy and can be dangerous to move without proper training. Even the lightest pianos weigh as much as 450 lbs. If you are dealing with a mid-sized piano, it can be as much as 700 lbs. Baby grand pianos and larger upright pianos range from 550 lbs. to 700 lbs. A full concert grand piano can be 1000 to 1200 lbs. Think about how heavy that is!
If you make one wrong move, a person could be seriously hurt moving a piano accidentally tipping a piano can cause irreversible damage. It's always important when moving a piano over a long distance, you consider the momentous task at hand. Long-distance piano movers will always have a strategic plan before moving a piano over a long distance.
Piano Wheels Weren’t Meant for Moving
Pianos are often equipped with small wheels; however, one common mistake people make when moving a piano over a long distance is to assume that they can simply roll the piano to the moving truck. These tiny wheels were not designed to handle moving a piano far distances. They were designed to move a piano's position in a room as they are so heavy and can damage floors.
The only safe way to move a piano is to use a rubber-wheeled dolly. The reason for the rubber wheels is because of the sheer weight of these items. A professional long-distance moving company is equipped with these specialized dollies, so they do not damage client's floors. Hardwood flooring is especially susceptible to damage from moving heavy items. If you don't use the proper equipment to move pianos, you may end up damaging the floors and costing even more money than just hiring a proper long-distance piano moving company in the first place.
It’s All About Balance
Experts who are trained to move pianos have an understanding of the balance when moving a piano long-distance. Professional long-distance piano movers understand the inner workings of a piano. They know how to position themselves and where to safely grab the piano. They know how to lift the piano correctly and which particular place to hold it while doing so.
There are many methods to moving a piano however one of our preferred methods of long-distance piano movers involves 3 people. 2 people lift the piano, and the third person pushes the dolly under the piano and holds it in place. There needs to be good communication between these movers, as even a simple mistake can cause damage to a piano that can render it unusable. Once on a dolly, never leave the piano unattended as it can tip over or roll away and get damaged in the process.
The Path to Success
Getting a piano safely on a dolly is just the first step to moving a piano over a long distance. The next thing the long-distance piano movers need to do is get the piano safely to the truck. There are usually many obstacles in the way of getting a piano from a house or apartment to the moving truck.
Stairs, narrow hallways, uneven sidewalks, grass, gravel, or other terrains can make it a bumpy ride for the piano movers. You have to be on your game the entire time. One misstep can send the piano reeling into the unknown. One hard bump against a wall or heaven forbids, the piano slipping off the dolly, could mean game over for the piano.
These heavy instruments are as delicate as a flower on the inside. Moving a piano over a long distance is not to be taken lightly. Hiring a long-distance piano moving company can solve your piano moving problems.
On to The Truck
Once you get the piano to the truck, you must get the piano ON the truck. Seems simple, but you’d be surprised how complicated this step can be. It’s not as simple as rolling it up the ramp and then being on your way.
There is a proper method to move a piano up a truck ramp. We’ve heard several piano horror stories of amateurs somehow managing to get the piano to the truck and then halfway up the ramp, the piano gets loose, and you have a runaway piano on your hands. This could be both a funny and dangerous sight to see.
Again, because of the sheer mass of pianos, there is a lot of room for error at this stage. Ensuring the piano is properly blanketed to avoid any scrapes or scratches along the way is paramount to moving a piano over a long distance. Using ropes and ratchet straps becomes very helpful tools when getting a piano into the truck. Long-distance piano movers will have all the right equipment with them when they come to move your piano.
The key at this stage is to make sure the piano is strapped and cinched to the truck in some way. The piano should be so secured that there is essentially no movement at all. Do you think you can relax now you have the piano safely in the truck? Not so fast. Driving a truck with a piano in the back is also part of the skills that a long-distance piano moving company would teach their movers as part of their training.
Don’t forget you have to do the whole process in reverse to get your piano to its new home.
Best Advice for Moving A Piano
Truly, the best advice we can offer you is to hire professional long-distance piano movers to move your piano. Yes, it costs money to hire a long-distance piano moving company, but you really can’t put a price on your peace of mind. It’s not worth damaging your piano or getting injured in the process of trying to move a piano yourself.
There are many options out there. Check out reputable long-distance piano movers in your area such as Total Distance Solutions. Don't just trust anyone to move your piano over a long distance. Make sure you hit the right note and hire professional long-distance piano movers.
