How To Move a Upright Piano

10/08/2016

How To Move A Upright Piano

Number of people needed

Two people at least.

Three people is recommended if going up or down a flight of steps for balancing.

Supplies needed

-2x floor dollies wooden or plastic rated for 1000lbs.
-20-30 Moving blankets
-Plastic wrap, medium size roll 18inches wide Four ratchet straps.
-a shoulder harness (optional)

Where to get tools and pricing

72x80 moving blankets, harbor freight, $5.99 to $8.99 each. Get 20 to 30 blankets.
-floor dollies, harbor freight, $15.95 each
-plastic wrap, Uhaul $16.96 a roll.
-ratchet straps (4/package), harbor freight 7.99 to 12.99
-700lb shoulder harness, Uhaul, $49.95.

Prep work before starting

If you have hardwood floors put blankets down over them if the piano is going to go over them to get out of the house. Also put blankets down on any steps that the piano will be going on.

How to move the upright piano

Step 1: Blanket wrap the piano

Prep the piano by wrapping the blankets around the top, sides and under the piano. Use at least four blankets, however eight blankets is best, and at least two should be under the piano so its legs don't break off if you have to slide it down stairs or up steps if you take the floor dollies off. Then plastic wrap it to hold the blankets to the piano.

Step 2: Place the piano on the floor dollies

Have one mover standing next to piano on the side of it and grab the handle in the back of piano and lift piano up while the other mover places one floor dolly under the side of the piano not in the middle . Repeat this step on the other side. The dollies should only be sticking out two to three inches out under the piano so the strongest side of the floor dollies has most of the piano weight on it.

See pic below

 

Step 3: Secure the piano on the floor dollies with the ratchet straps

Grab two Ratchet straps and strap one floor dolly to the piano going under the piano and  the top and put the crank of the ratchet strap on the back of the piano so it won't damage any visible areas of piano.

Do same thing to the other floor dolly use two ratchet straps to strap the floor dolly to the piano. 

Step 4: Move the piano outside

Now you can easily push your piano outside or to elevator. Make sure you're moving the piano over any blanketed areas that you created during your preparation. 

Using shoulder harness

When you get to the steps you can use the should harness with two movers and take one step at a time or just walk over the steps and lift piano up with shoulder harness.

No shoulder harness option 1

If piano is too heavy for the shoulder harness or you don't have one use the handle in the back of the piano. E One mover should stand on either side the piano placing their chest against the piano and grabbing the handle in the back. Slowly take one step at time . If you have a third mover and need help going down the steps have the other mover assist you.

Tip: you can take the floor dollies off before going down the stairs to make piano slide down the stairs easier.

No shoulder harness option 2

Create a sled out of the blankets on the stairs by laying six to ten moving blankets on the stairs and sliding the piano on it. The guy down the steps should grab the end of all the blankets pull them up while going down the steps so the piano doesn't move off the blankets and pull the blankets at same time.  The piano will actually slide down the steps very smoothly doing this. If you need help going down the steps have the other guy come help with going down slowly.

Tip: you can take the floor dollies off before going down the stairs to make piano slide down the stairs easier.

Going up stairs option 1

If you going up stairs do same thing as going down except the mover at top holds blankets up that are under the piano while going up the stairs creating a sled of blankets.  or if you need two movers to push the piano up plastic wrap the blankets that are under the piano to the side that is going up first on the stairs so it hold the blankets while going up and ratchet strap the blanket as well to the side that's holding the blankets up so that blankets stay up while moving up the stairs.

Tip: you can take the floor dollies off before going up the stairs to make piano slide up the stairs easier.

Going up stairs option 2 ( recommended only for three people ) 

Go up one step at a time with one person on each side of the piano holding the bar that is behind the piano in one hand and the other hand holding under the keyboard which a good grip. The third person is at the top helping to lift the piano up while other two guys push the piano up

Tip: you can take the floor dollies off before going up the stairs to make piano slide up the stairs easier.

Tip:You can also flip the piano on its side so there's a smooth surface to slide up or down the stairs. Just make sure the top of piano doesn't have a lip sticking out it might catch a stair, so make sure it's wrapped at least twice with blankets .

 

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