Do you know those cartoons with a group of friends at the top of some stairs, a piano held between the lot of them? One slip and the piano comes crashing down, keys all akimbo and a sad tune crunching its way out of the piano’s body…
That’s what we’re going to avoid today. The truth is, you can move a piano on your own or hire a man with a van in Christchurch, but one thing is true across the board: moving a piano requires patience and a lot of care.
So, Why is Moving a Piano So Hard?
Pianos strike a pretty inconvenient balance between being very heavy and very delicate. Even your standard upright piano can weigh as much as 360kg, while grand pianos can really tip the scales, topping out at over 450kg.
Not only are they heavy and delicate, but they’re also oddly shaped. The uneven weight distribution makes it hard to pick up a piano, let alone shift it, especially if you bring stairs or tight corners into the equation.
And then, there’s tuning. Pianos are insanely precise instruments, relying on the proper balance of tension in their strings to keep in tune. Any rough handling at all can knock them out of tune completely, or worse, damage the internal components enough to create some pretty expensive repairs for you.
So: heavy, delicate, oddly-shaped, and badly in need of a tune. Pianos present a unique challenge… but with the right tools and techniques, anyone can rise up to meet it.
What Do You Need to Move a Piano?
Before you get in touch with your inner mover and try your hand at piano removal, make sure you’ve got the right gear. Your standard professional man with a van in Christchurch would likely be carrying these around, but you might also have a few waiting in your garage. So, find what you can and purchase the rest.
The goal with moving a piano is to – ironically – move it as little as possible. You’ll need to keep it as still as possible while it’s being shifted, and pad it as much as you can to prevent any scratches and dents.
To shift a piano, we recommend grabbing:
- Heavy-duty straps, which help you keep a firm hold on the piano and provide extra support while you’re lifting.
- A furniture dolly, which helps you shift your piano without throwing out your back.
- Padding and blankets, to cover your piano and protect it from scratches.
- Plywood sheets, which can be a major help if you’re rolling a piano across an uneven surface.
- Strong helpers, as many as you can find! You’ll need at least four people who are comfortable with some heavy lifting, more if you’re dealing with a grand piano.
Once you’ve assembled all of that – and bribed your friends with the customary offering of pizza – it’s time to get to work.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Move Your Piano
Figure Out Your Path
Before you even lift a finger, map out the path you’ll take. Measure doorways, stairwells, and hallways to ensure the piano will fit through comfortably. Remove any obstacles, like rugs or furniture, to make sure you won’t trip over any stray pieces and ding the piano.
Secure Your Piano
Keep that piano wrapped as tight as you can to prevent things from swinging around. The best way to do this is to wrap the entire piano in blankets or padding, securing them with moving tape, and detaching what you can.
Lift with Care
Never lift a piano by its legs! Those are some of the most fragile parts, and if you want to tackle this the way a man with a van in Christchurch would, then your best bet is to grab the piano’s body. Get your mates to hold onto the base and sides, then secure your straps firmly before lifting.
Use a Dolly (If Possible)
If you can, slide a furniture dolly underneath very carefully. Make sure your piano is balanced before you begin rolling it slowly toward the exit.
Navigate Stairs
Here’s where things get tricky. If you’re moving the piano downstairs, position two people at the lower end to take most of the weight while the others help guide it down. Move one step at a time, keeping the piano upright and steady. Going up? You’ll need extra strength to lift the piano while maintaining balance.
Load Into the Vehicle
When loading the piano into a moving truck, keep it upright and positioned against the back wall for stability. Secure it with heavy-duty straps to prevent shifting during transit (we don’t want to get all the way to the vehicle only to damage the piano on the drive!).
Unload and Let it Settle
Once you’ve safely moved the piano into its new home, we have only one word to remember: settle! Absolutely, let your piano settle, and give it time to adjust to its new environment before tuning it so as not to stress the strings.
And with that, all we can say is: congratulations! You’ve officially completed one of the toughest moving jobs there is (you’re practically a professional). As you can see, moving a piano is not for the faint of heart, but you can tackle it with the right equipment and planning.
Whether you take the DIY approach or hire a professional man with a van in Christchurch, the key is to plan ahead, work as a team, and treat the piano with the care it deserves. Because, at the end of the day, nobody wants to hear that sad, off-key crunch at the bottom of the stairs.
Get help from a man with a van in Christchurch.
We’re Truck About, the team Christchurch property owners trust when they’re moving their most valuable items. Whether you’re shifting an upright piano from the second story or figuring out how to get that one huge antique piece of furniture out of the back of the house, our experts have got you covered.
Moving is our bread and butter, so when you’re wondering who to call to remove the risk when moving your beloved piano, there’s no question: call Truck About.
