Pianos are beautiful and, at the same time, both expensive and heavy instruments, which makes them difficult things to relocate. If you want to learn how to move a piano scratch-free and stress-free without hiring Orange County movers, we have the perfect guide for you. In this article, we’ll teach what’s the best way to move a piano depending on which type of instrument you own.
Can You Move a Piano by Yourself?
Moving a piano yourself is a challenging task for sure. However, it is a doable one with the help of some good relocation hacks. You need to know a few things if you want to learn how to move a piano yourself. First of all, you cannot be the only one moving it. You are going to require some assistance. If not from professional movers in Orange County, CA, then from your friends, family, or partner. Secondly, if you want to move efficiently, you’ll require all the proper tools for packing up and relocating it via truck. That means that a relocation to-do list is in order, as well as a very neatly organized relocation expenses checklist.
You’ll have to buy some materials, and depending on the type of instrument you are relocating, the amount and kind might warry. Don’t get overwhelmed just yet. We get it, we know a move can cause quite a bit of relocation stress, which is why, as the professionals we are, we did the needed research for you. So let’s get to it – it’s time to answer the question that has been around as long as instruments themselves: how do you move a piano in your house?
Always Take Elementary Preparation for Moving a Piano Before You Begin the Relocation
Dealing with an instrument, especially such a massive one, is not the same as packing plates. Yes, they are both fragile items, but in entirely different ways. Besides, when you are boxing up dishes, there’s not a great chance you can ruin the room you are boxing them up in – when moving this instrument, you could destroy the whole place. This is a big item we are talking about, one that can demolish floors, walls, stairs, and the like. If you want to get the deposit from your previous home back, you have to keep those intact.
Clear the Path in the Instrument’s Way
You can also ruin the instrument through contact with its surroundings, which you will want to avoid. The best way to do this is to measure up the instrument and the spaces you have to navigate through when relocating it. This means to measure up every doorway and hallway, as well as to find out what weight your stairs can take. You should cover the rooms you are to go through with plastic to make certain no walls, stairs, or floors get scratched.
Ensure Your Pets Are Safe and Sound Before You Begin the Task at Hand
If you are to move with a pet, it’s a good idea to have a friend take care of them before you even begin. A cat or a dog will undoubtedly be highly interested in shifting and disassembling the instrument, which can be dangerous. You don’t want your pet around for the process because they might get hurt. It’s a good idea to have your furry companion stay with a close friend or a family member for the whole process. You can pick them up once you are settled in your new apartment.
Essential Supplies You Will Need for This Task
For each item you pack, there are some essential boxing-up materials that you must have. However, when boxing up books, you will probably require less of them than when boxing up a hefty instrument. Here are the materials needed to box up your piano properly:
- Plastic covers to protect the space – Although you can use blankets for this, it’s better to spend some money on plastic covers that don’t shift around. If you are to lift the instrument yourself and not with movers in Orange County, California, because you are on a budget, use carpets to cover the space.
- Padding for protecting the instrument’s legs – While the object itself should have leg floor protection anyhow, but for relocating through hallways and stairs, you should get some that are from a softer material such as felt, rather than those of wood, to be certain no floors get scratched.
- Tape to secure the covers – Especially if you use blankets for cover, you should secure them with tape to not fall when you lift the instrument. This endeavor can be a real safety hazard, so please make certain that safety is on point.
- Belts and straps to secure the object – You don’t want your instrument to fall, so use belts and straps so it’s tightly secured.
- Dolly for transportation to the truck – This item is excellent for relocating a bulky instrument like this. If you are wondering what type of dolly is needed to move a piano, the answer is that you should get a special four-wheeled one. These can also be rented, so you don’t have to buy one. If you are not certain how to use a dolly, here is a video that will show you.
How Do You Transport an Upright Piano?
As you probably can tell, each instrument is different in its way and thus requires a special way of dealing with it. When it comes to moving an upright piano, relocating it has its own rules. So let’s get to cracking those so that you can be certain that you know how to move an upright piano.
Don’t Be Stingy With the Covering Materials
When it comes to this type of instrument, the first thing to know is that in the majority of cases, you won’t have to dismantle any part of it, including its legs as well as pedals. It’s enough just to have your floor-covering materials as well as the padding for the instrument’s legs.
Since this type of instrument is not as large as a grand one, and you are not dismantling it, before taking it out, wrap it entirely with blankets or other covering material, and fasten those. It is essential that you do this to cover the pedals and keys you are not removing. You will be securing the material with straps and belts, or even tape. It all depends on which covering material you are using.
Make Sure You Are Lifting the Instrument Properly and Taking Safety Precautions
The next step is to place it on the dolly. This is a crucial part of the required equipment to move the instrument with the least muscle power successfully. However, keep in mind that you will still need at least two people, but the more, the merrier. Ensure that the instrument is positioned correctly, so its weight is evenly distributed and no side is predominant compared to the others. This is a crucial step to ensure your task is executed flawlessly and no one gets hurt in the process.
When lifting it, be careful about how your body is positioned. You want your knees to be bent, so you are not carrying the whole weight with your back. And really, don’t be shy and ask for help. Contact your friends who go to the gym regularly, except being used to lifting heavy items and having the muscle power for it, they probably know how to do it correctly, so you don’t have to watch out for them. Trust us, it’s no use to move to one of the best places in Orange County, CA, if you are going to spend weeks in bed, treating hernia, or worrying about a friend who got injured.
How to Move a Grand Piano?
When it comes to relocating pianos, moving a grand piano is definitely a bit trickier than the previous one. However – you’ll be able to get it to the truck with our guide. In this case, there will be some disassembling, but that is not what you want to start with. When dealing with a grand one, the first step is to lower the top lid and fasten it with tape. You can also remove it entirely, but that is a bit of extra work which, to be frank, requires a more advanced skillset.
Take Serious Safety Precautions When Disassembling Your Instrument
Now, let’s get to disassembling those pianos. You will want to remove each pedal as well as each leg, one by one. Once again, you will require a helping hand here. You really have to be careful so the delicate instrument doesn’t collapse on one of the sides while removing its footing – it will damage the instrument, and let’s not even think about how big of a safety hazard this can be.
Afterward, it’s more of the same. You will want to wrap both the instrument and its removed components with blankets or similar covering material. Don’t forget to place the screws in a lidded jar. You don’t want to lose them before you get the chance to get your instrument back in one piece. Now that the limbs and the body are separated, be sure to cover the keys and the lid (or lack of it) with blankets. Use a skid board to move the heavy body.
After You’ve Put the Instrument Back Together, It’s Time for Tuning
If you follow the aforementioned steps, your instrument has reached the truck and its final location safely. What now? The thing is, you’ll have to assemble it. The crucial thing is that you check if your jar with screws is with you since such tiny items are often among the commonly forgotten things to pack. Once you’ve assembled it back together, you’ll have to retune it before you can play it once more since relocating the instrument requires a lot of shifting around, which can make it go out of time.
However, retunning it instantly would be a waste of time. As you do, the instrument also needs to acclimate after the move. On average, it will take around five days before it’s ready to be tuned. Because it needs to get used to new moisture levels, it will most likely go out of tune once more before getting back to its regular tuning schedule.
How to Move a Piano the Easiest? With the Help of Orange County CA Movers
If you read our guide, and it seems like relocating pianos is too much for you, it’s time to call your local movers in Orange County, CA, to help you get your instrument to your next place of residence in one of the safest cities in OC. With our company, you won’t have to worry about relocation scams because we are undoubtedly the best movers in Orange County, CA – and our steller reviews can prove this.
We will assist you with boxing your belongings with our packing services and move them all if you get our residential relocation services. If you are relocating your office, we also provide commercial relocation services that guarantee a safe and smooth move. And if you are on a budget, don’t worry. We are affordable movers in Orange County, CA. With us, nothing will get broken – neither your bank nor your instrument. Contact us, we will be with you in no time to provide a free quote or any relocation help you might need. And you can just sit back and enjoy your moving away party.