How to move a piano?
Discussion
We got given an upright and I went to see it originally and it took me seconds to decide that there was no way at all I was going to try it. There is some very serious weight in there. Must be 400kg or so.
There is also the fact that our house is raised up higher than the drive and there are two flights of stone steps to get up.
In the end it was an easy decision to pay a specialist firm £140 to collect it and bring it in; they reversed their lorry to the bottom of the steps and used their tail lift to roll the piano onto the "landing" between flights. It was then just a question of big blokes and a variety of rollers and dollies to get it in.
Money very well spent IMO. Even with a lot of help I'd not have managed.
There is also the fact that our house is raised up higher than the drive and there are two flights of stone steps to get up.
In the end it was an easy decision to pay a specialist firm £140 to collect it and bring it in; they reversed their lorry to the bottom of the steps and used their tail lift to roll the piano onto the "landing" between flights. It was then just a question of big blokes and a variety of rollers and dollies to get it in.
Money very well spent IMO. Even with a lot of help I'd not have managed.
A piano dolly is the piece of kit of choice. As others have said, avoid using a trailer. I've moved the piano within the house using rollers (think Ancent Egypt) and heavy lino, for sliding. A piano can tear a fitted carpet ridiculously easily.
On uprights, you can usually do some stripping down to make the piano lighter...
The fascia comes off - lift the top lid and look down inside for locking turnbuckles. Then pull the fascia out at the top and lift it off.
The key cover and the part it's hinged on should come off.Watch yer fingers.
The lower fascia (kneeboard) can usually be pulled forward at its upper edge then lifted up and out.
The action (hammers, etc) is usually held in with knurled nuts at the top corners. The bottom of the action usually has bell-ended brackts that sit in metal cups. Handle with care (bits break off easily) and note how the pedal rods fit on the levers (often steel pins through felt-lined holes).
Budget for a re-tune. Iron-framed pianos tend to suffer less but both iron and wood framed pianos will lose tune when moved. Let the instrument become accustomed to its new home for a week or so before calling in the piano tuner.
Remember, pianos are very heavy, and harder to play when you've a hernia
Good luck!!!
On uprights, you can usually do some stripping down to make the piano lighter...
The fascia comes off - lift the top lid and look down inside for locking turnbuckles. Then pull the fascia out at the top and lift it off.
The key cover and the part it's hinged on should come off.Watch yer fingers.
The lower fascia (kneeboard) can usually be pulled forward at its upper edge then lifted up and out.
The action (hammers, etc) is usually held in with knurled nuts at the top corners. The bottom of the action usually has bell-ended brackts that sit in metal cups. Handle with care (bits break off easily) and note how the pedal rods fit on the levers (often steel pins through felt-lined holes).
Budget for a re-tune. Iron-framed pianos tend to suffer less but both iron and wood framed pianos will lose tune when moved. Let the instrument become accustomed to its new home for a week or so before calling in the piano tuner.
Remember, pianos are very heavy, and harder to play when you've a hernia
Good luck!!!
davhill said:
A piano dolly is the piece of kit of choice. As others have said, avoid using a trailer. I've moved the piano within the house using rollers (think Ancent Egypt) and heavy lino, for sliding. A piano can tear a fitted carpet ridiculously easily.
On uprights, you can usually do some stripping down to make the piano lighter...
The fascia comes off - lift the top lid and look down inside for locking turnbuckles. Then pull the fascia out at the top and lift it off.
The key cover and the part it's hinged on should come off.Watch yer fingers.
The lower fascia (kneeboard) can usually be pulled forward at its upper edge then lifted up and out.
The action (hammers, etc) is usually held in with knurled nuts at the top corners. The bottom of the action usually has bell-ended brackts that sit in metal cups. Handle with care (bits break off easily) and note how the pedal rods fit on the levers (often steel pins through felt-lined holes).
Budget for a re-tune. Iron-framed pianos tend to suffer less but both iron and wood framed pianos will lose tune when moved. Let the instrument become accustomed to its new home for a week or so before calling in the piano tuner.
Remember, pianos are very heavy, and harder to play when you've a hernia
Good luck!!!
This, re when to get it tuned. A pianist friend of mine said a grand can take 4-6 weeks to settle in a new resting place so you may even want to give it a couple of weeks on your upright before havng it tuned to make sure it stays that way a good while. Unless honky tonk is your thing?On uprights, you can usually do some stripping down to make the piano lighter...
The fascia comes off - lift the top lid and look down inside for locking turnbuckles. Then pull the fascia out at the top and lift it off.
The key cover and the part it's hinged on should come off.Watch yer fingers.
The lower fascia (kneeboard) can usually be pulled forward at its upper edge then lifted up and out.
The action (hammers, etc) is usually held in with knurled nuts at the top corners. The bottom of the action usually has bell-ended brackts that sit in metal cups. Handle with care (bits break off easily) and note how the pedal rods fit on the levers (often steel pins through felt-lined holes).
Budget for a re-tune. Iron-framed pianos tend to suffer less but both iron and wood framed pianos will lose tune when moved. Let the instrument become accustomed to its new home for a week or so before calling in the piano tuner.
Remember, pianos are very heavy, and harder to play when you've a hernia
Good luck!!!
mad4amanda said:
If you think a piano is heavy try moving a Pianola!
Pah! Rubbish! A pianola - it's got "ola" on the end, so it must be smaller. Like a piano for dwarves. We're not stupid on here you know 
Chicken Chaser said:
Just buy an electric one?
That (along with horrible tiny roomed moderen houses) is probably why people are giving away/smashing up lovely old pianos.Dog Star said:
That (along with horrible tiny roomed moderen houses) is probably why people are giving away/smashing up lovely old pianos.
Modern life is rubbish. If I had the space for an old Joanna, I'd love it but as I dont, I have to consider an alternative. I actually started in the 80s with a Yamaha Organ which was the same size as a Piano! They didnt age well though, so I bought a keyboard instead. Now thinking about buying a Clavinova
SlidingSideways said:
When we've had to move ours, we ended up just paying someone to do it. They have all the kit needed and have done it many times before, which seemed preferable to cocking it up myself.
This. This, this this. Professional piano movers. Especially if it has sentimental value.FredClogs said:
My folks got rid of their piano last year, I wanted it but realised I neither had the room or motivation to get involved moving it, beautiful old thing it was and apparently worth nothing, my dad contacted all sorts of people an offered it free to everyone but with no takers, apparently most old pianos aren't worth anything at all, ended up being smashed up in the house and taken down the tip, the iron frame got weighed in by a neighbor - such as shame.
That really is sad, anyone with the same problem should try their local schools. That's where my old piano is going and they are really grateful.Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff