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Safely transport your piano with a dolly and a few friends
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An upright piano can weigh anywhere from 300 to 900 pounds (136.1 to 408.2 kilograms). While it’s a good idea to call in the pros to handle something so heavy and valuable, it’s possible to move your upright safely with a sturdy dolly, protective moving blankets, and plenty of moving straps or bungee cords (and a couple of helpful friends, too). In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to prepare and protect your piano and home, lift and load the piano safely, and secure the piano inside your moving truck for a smooth ride.
Things You Should Know
- Secure the lid to the keyboard, wrap the pedals in bubble wrap, and cover the piano in moving blankets to protect both it and your walls.
- Using a team of 4 people, lift the piano onto a 4-wheel dolly and secure it with moving straps. Move it slowly, using metal ramps to cover any stairs on your route.
- Secure the piano snug against the back wall of the moving truck with moving straps and place other furniture in front of it to prevent it from sliding around.
Steps
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Measure the dimensions of the piano, doorways, halls, and exit. To make sure your piano will fit along its path to the exit in one piece, measure the height, width, and length of the piano and compare it to the dimensions of any doorways, halls, staircases, or other obstacles it must go through. If necessary, remove doors from their frames to create enough room for the piano to pass through. [1] X Research source
- A typical upright piano is about 49 in (125 cm) tall, 59 in (150 cm) long, and 24 in (60 cm) deep.
- If the piano is too large to get out of your house in one piece, hire professional piano movers with experience in moving and disassembling pianos (if necessary) to ensure the safety of your instrument (regular movers don’t typically handle pianos). A local piano move may cost as little as $150, with the national average being $406. [2] X Research source
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Assemble a moving team of at least 4 people in average shape. Call up friends, neighbors, and relatives and ask them if they'd be willing to help you move the piano. At minimum, aim for a group of 4 people in at least average physical shape who are willing to spend one to two hours helping you with the move. The more helpers the better—5 people in average physical shape will be more effective than 3 people in above-average shape. [3] X Research source
- Do not ask for help from anyone who has a history of back, leg, hip, or arm injuries.
- Keep children and pets out of the way of the piano’s moving path to avoid injury or damage to the piano.
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Wear loose clothing, work gloves, and close-toed shoes with treaded soles. Take some time to select an outfit that is comfortable and loose enough to be flexible (for example, pants that are too tight could tear as you squat to lift the piano). Wear athletic shoes or work boots with treaded soles that grip both floors and outdoor surfaces well. Put on a pair of work gloves with rubber-treated palms to help you get a better grip on the piano, too. [4] X Research source
- Don't wear long jewelry, such as necklaces or bracelets, or excessively baggy clothing that could get caught in tight spaces while moving.
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Cover up the keyboard and pedals. To protect the keys from damage during travel, put the lid down over the keyboard and lock it into place. [5] X Research source If the lid does not have a lock, secure it with some tape that won't remove the wood's paint or stain, such as masking tape or electrical tape.
- Wrap the piano’s pedals with protective bubble wrap and tape the wrap in place. The pedals are located at the bottom of the piano in front of the base.
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Protect the piano with moving blankets . Have at least 2 movers shift the piano back from the wall about 6 inches (15.2 cm) by pulling out the front legs. Using masking tape, electrical tape, bungee cords , or moving straps , secure moving blankets or other padded fabric to cover all painted and lacquered surfaces of the piano. The blankets will shield the piano from getting dented and scratched on the way to the moving truck and during the drive to your destination. [6] X Research source
- Make sure every corner is covered, too. This will protect the walls along your moving route from getting scratched or damaged.
- Choose blankets or another padded material that’s thick enough to prevent scratches, but not so heavy or bulky that it will make moving the piano more difficult.
- Some upright pianos have cylindrical moving handles attached to the outer frame of the back side. Be careful not to cover these with blankets, since you'll need to access them when it's time to lift the piano.
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Clear a path to the exit. Move aside any furniture or rugs that will get in the way of the piano as you roll it toward the exit door. If the door does not stay open on its own, have a mover or an extra helper hold it for you or use a door stopper or hook to prop it open. Make sure any children are supervised during the move and are clear of the exit path. [7] X Research source
- Rolling a heavy upright piano can dent wood floors and crack tiles. You may need to put some type of protection on the floor, such as plywood, to roll the piano over.
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Set up moving ramps to cover any stairs on the path to the exit. If you'll need to carry the piano down any porch steps, use a metal stair ramp . [8] X Research source These can be rented from moving companies, sometimes from the same company you may be renting a moving van from. Put all ramps, including the moving van's loading ramp, in place before starting the move.
- To find a stair ramp, look up “Moving Equipment Rental” in a telephone directory or online search.
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Position the movers and a dolly around the piano to prepare to lift it. Use a 4-wheel dolly with rubber padding on top that is at least half the length of the piano. Center the dolly underneath the piano about 2 inches (5 cm) from the pedals. Position one mover at each end of the piano, and one in front to help steady the piano onto the dolly. A fourth mover can act as a “spotter” who points out potential collisions with walls or furniture and holds open doors if needed. [9] X Research source
- Use a dolly even if your upright piano has wheels or moving casters. These are meant to reposition the piano on a stage or floor, but cannot withstand a long-distance move.
- Avoid using a carpeted dolly, since the piano can slip forward and tip with these. Use a rubber capped dolly instead.
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Grip the piano underneath the keyboard and by the handles on the back. Have the movers on either end of the piano grip the corners underneath the ends of the keyboard with their left hand, and the handle behind the piano with their right hand. The person in the front of the piano should stand just behind the dolly and grip underneath the keyboard. [10] X Research source
- If there are no handles on the back side of the piano, grip the horizontal board near the middle or top of the frame instead. If it’s near the top of the frame, push upward with your palm to lift.
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Lift the piano onto the dolly. Have the movers on each end of the piano begin lifting from a squatting position. This will allow their legs to do most of the lifting and prevent back strain. [11] X Research source Do a “1-2-3” count, and then lift the piano high enough to clear the height of the dolly. The person in front of the piano will support and guide the piano only once it is lifted, backing up and helping the other two to place the base of the piano squarely centered onto the dolly.
- Take care never to support the weight of the piano on one or both of its thin front legs. This can be avoided by tilting the piano slightly back when lifting it.
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Secure the piano to the dolly with moving straps. Using moving straps (or rope if you don’t have straps), tie the piano down to the dolly. Pass the straps or rope underneath the dolly and over the top of the piano, and tighten the strap ratchet or tie the rope knot at the piano's back side. Leave enough tension so that when one end of the piano is lifted, the dolly moves with it. [12] X Research source
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Roll the piano slowly and carefully to the exit. Have the movers at each end of the piano guide it slowly through the residence to the threshold of the exit. Be careful to stabilize the piano while going over any bumps or dips in the ground. The person who was lifting at the front of the piano can now help the “spotter” with guiding the piano. [13] X Research source
- Be mindful not to knock the piano into the wall while turning corners. Choose to roll it through a flat route with wide doorways and as few turns as possible, even if it’s not the most direct route to the exit.
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Lift the piano up and over the threshold of the exit. At the exit's threshold, lift the lead end of the piano slightly and push from the back end until the dolly's first pair of wheels clears the bump. Then, have the mover on the side that is still inside the residence lift their end slightly, while the person on the lead end pulls slowly backward until the second pair of wheels clears the bump. [14] X Research source
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Guide the piano down the stair ramp. If you have front or back porch steps and are using a ramp, position two movers at the front end of the piano and one at the back. The two movers at the front will catch its weight as you roll it down the ramp, and the person at the back end will guide it downwards from the top of the ramp. [15] X Research source
- Proceed slowly on the ramp, taking small steps as you push and pull the piano down onto the pavement.
- If you must lift your piano up or down one step, loop a moving strap under the leading end of the dolly, behind the wheels, and use it to tip the dolly up or down while someone else holds onto the piano for guidance. This takes the weight off the movers and utilizes the dolly as a lever for getting the piano past the step.
- Have spotters look out for cracks or separations in the pavement as you roll the piano to the truck ramp. A bumpy road can cause damage to the piano's internal mechanism, throwing off its tuning. Avoid these if possible, pushing the dolly slowly over them if they’re unavoidable.
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Push the piano up the truck ramp. Position the two strongest movers at the back end of the piano, another at the lead end, and one alongside the ramp at the back side of the piano. As the movers at the back end push the piano up the ramp, the person at the lead end guides the front end up into the truck. The person at the side of the ramp is there to stabilize the piano in case it starts to tilt back perpendicularly to the ramp. [16] X Research source
- If the piano begins to veer to one side as you push it up the ramp, stop immediately and reposition the front end of the dolly before continuing.
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Secure the piano against the back wall of the truck. Using moving straps, fasten the piano lengthwise to the support bars or rails along the truck's interior wall. Make sure the straps are tightened to the point that the piano can't be shifted more than 1 inch (2.5 cm). Arrange other furniture in front of the piano to help secure it in place. [17] X Research source
- If you can spare the dolly, leave it strapped to the piano to save time when you unload. If you need it for other furniture, lift the piano off the dolly in the same manner you lifted it on, then gently lower it to the floor of the truck and position it against a wall to be secured.
- Consider placing extra moving blankets on the floor underneath the piano (if you remove it from the dolly) and against the wall of the truck for extra protection.
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Roll the piano out of the truck. Once at your destination, undo the straps that were securing the piano to the truck wall. At the top of the truck ramp, position two movers at the lead end of the piano, one at the back end, and one alongside the ramp at the back side of the piano. Slowly guide the piano down the ramp. [18] X Research source
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Move it into the new space. Plan where you’ll place the piano before you unload—ideally against an inside wall and away from direct sunlight. [19] X Research source Use a stair ramp again if the residence has a high porch, and push the piano up the ramp with two movers at the back end, and one at the lead end guiding it up the ramp. Then slowly lift the dolly wheels one pair at a time over the threshold of the entrance.
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Set the piano into place. Carefully move the piano through the new residence to its intended location. Remove the straps or rope that were securing it to the dolly, then push it back against the wall. With one mover on each end of the piano, and a third holding the dolly, lift the piano from a squatting position off the dolly. Have the person holding the dolly then pull it back and clear of the piano. The movers at each end can then lower the piano very slowly to the ground. [20] X Research source
- Pianos can fall out of tune when they are moved because of the jostling and changes in temperature. Tune your piano after it is set up again so it’s in good playing condition right away.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do you move a piano upstairs?Community AnswerHire a professional piano mover, since this is tricky and potentially very dangerous.
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QuestionHow do you move a piano down steep stairs?Community AnswerIt is recommended that you hire a professional piano mover to do this for you.
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QuestionCan I move a piano in an open trailer if I wrap it in blankets and plastic?Community AnswerYes. As long as it doesn't get wet or damp, you should be fine. You need to make sure to secure the piano, too.
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Tips
- For your safety and to prevent damaging the piano, hire professional movers if you cannot find enough people to help you or don’t have the proper equipment to move it safely.Thanks
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Warnings
- Some pianos may have a built-in "piano board" on their bottom side. In this case, be aware that the piano will want to tip forward toward the keyboard.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- At least four movers
- 4-wheel dolly
- Moving blankets
- Masking or electrical tap
- Bubble wrap
- Bungee cords or moving straps
- Portable metal ramp for stairs
- Work gloves
- Close-toed shoes with good traction
- Loose, comfortable clothing
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about pianos, check out our in-depth interview with Amy Nicole Levine .
References
- ↑ https://www.fantastic-removals.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-a-piano/
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-to-move-a-piano/
- ↑ http://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/piano-moving
- ↑ http://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/piano-moving
- ↑ https://www.fantastic-removals.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-a-piano/
- ↑ https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/piano-moving/
- ↑ https://allforturntables.com/2023/07/04/how-to-move-an-upright-piano-with-a-dolly/
- ↑ https://www.fantastic-removals.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-a-piano/
- ↑ http://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/piano-moving
- ↑ https://www.moving.com/tips/how-to-move-a-piano-up-stairs-or-down/
- ↑ https://www.miamiherald.com/money/how-to-move-a-piano-without-professional-movers/
- ↑ https://www.fantastic-removals.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-a-piano/
- ↑ https://allforturntables.com/2023/07/04/how-to-move-an-upright-piano-with-a-dolly/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/NHat0kScC-8?t=131
- ↑ https://www.fantastic-removals.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-a-piano/
- ↑ https://www.fantastic-removals.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-a-piano/
- ↑ https://www.fantastic-removals.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-a-piano/
- ↑ https://www.moving.com/tips/how-to-move-a-piano-up-stairs-or-down/
- ↑ https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/piano-moving/
- ↑ https://www.miamiherald.com/money/how-to-move-a-piano-without-professional-movers/
About This Article
Article Summary
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To move an upright piano, you'll need at least 4 people to help you since pianos can weigh anywhere from 300 to 900 pounds. Before you get started, cover up the piano with moving blankets to protect it from damage. Then, when you're ready, lift the piano onto a 4-wheel dolly and secure it with moving straps or rope. Finally, roll the piano to wherever you're moving it to, using a ramp if you need to move it up or down a set of stairs. To learn how to secure a piano inside of a moving truck and safely move it to its new destination, scroll down!
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