Learn To Play Guitar Course

Click For More On Learn To Play Guitar Course!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

How To Move A Piano Properly

By Matthew Mccorkle

How does one move a piano? Very carefully.

Okay, I'm being a tiny harsh, but moving a piano is a serious undertaking.

I'm a large disciple of hiring a professional mover to move a piano. Pianos are heavy and it is simple to damage a piano while moving it. I am talking from experience. I own a Kimball piano my oldsters purchased new for me when I was a child. That piano was a big deal to me after having played on an old "clunker" of a piano for many years. I played that new piano each day.

When I got married it was time to move the piano to my own home. My husband and his siblings moved it themselves. It wasn't a simple job even with the moving dolly they used ( pianos weigh several hundred pounds - grand pianos can weigh 1,500 pounds ). The amateur move of my piano resulted in both of the piano legs being damaged ( a common occurrence when folks move a piano themselves ) and some unplanned internal work ( some pins required fix and a string broke ). I should have hired a piano mover. Then I wouldn't have had those issues, but my partner and I thought we would save money by doing it ourselves. It absolutely was a lesson I should have recollected, but I was dumb a second time.

A few years back my partner and I made a new house. When it came time to move the piano again, my man was reluctant to hire someone to move it professionally because our pocketbook was feeling empty from the cost of building the house ( he called our new house a "money-sucking black hole.") In his mind, moving it wasn't a big deal. Our new house was less than two miles from our old one ; and he had a dolly, a trailer, and a brother who was prepared to help him.

Everything went O.K till my partner turned into the driveway of our new home. The sharpness of the turn strained the ropes holding the piano on the trailer and they broke. The piano tipped over and sustained a lot of damage (the entire "guts" of the piano are ruined and the case is chipped and scratched ). I haven't had it fixed yet, but I have gotten an estimation. It should take a lot of time and cash mend the piano. It must be totally rebuilt. Due to the labor involved, it would be cheaper to get a new piano than have it fixed, but the piano has plenty of sentimental value to me so I will have it fixed. This is why I say, "Hire a professional!"

What does a professional piano mover do to ensure a safe and successful move? With upright pianos, they always strap the piano on a skid called a piano board. They also cover the piano with blankets to help protect it. The entire bundle is then often put on a dolly and brought to its destination. If steps are involved, the piano is taken off the dolly and slipped up or down the steps on the piano board.

Moving a grand piano is a bit more involved. The lid, lid hinges, pedal lyre, and leg on the straight side of the piano are typically all removed. The piano is then put on the piano board, on its side, with the straight side down. The other legs of the piano are then removed. The piano is then covered with blankets, strapped to the board, and put on a dolly.

Some movers do not love to move a piano up or down stairs. If it's feasible, they prefer to hoist it to the acceptable floor thru a window that is large enough to accommodate the piano.

So what do you do if you desire to move your piano from one part of a room to another? First, decide if it's really important to move it because there's always the risk of damaging a piano even with a short move. Piano legs are the most likely thing to get damaged or broken.

Be very careful to elude putting too much weight on the legs. Get some robust folk to help if the piano is an upright; and get at least 5 people if it's a grand piano. With an upright or spinet, tilt the piano back a little to take the pressure off the front legs, but watch out not to tip it back too far and tip it over. With a grand piano, lift the piano up enough to get the pressure off the legs before you attempt and move it. It is not necessary (and not commended ) to lift the piano off the floor entirely.

If you're going to move a piano usually consider having it fitted with special casters that will allow you to move the piano simply. Or, have the piano placed on a piano wagon.

How you do you find a good piano mover if you've decided to not try and move it yourself? My suggestion is that you call your local piano store and ask them for suggestions. They'll be able to give you the name or names of credible movers in your area.

Ok, so you have decided you are definitely going to move your piano and you've decided on a method. Now you have to figure out where you're going to put the piano. Where should it go?

Try to put your piano in an area of a room where there are little or no drafts, drafts, where it's out of direct daylight, and where the temperature and humidity are stable. The reason being because pianos are delicate to humidity and temperature. Plenty of temperature and humidity swings result in a piano to go out of tune quicker than ordinary, can damage the wood case, and if they are severe they can even eventually cause structural failure.

Don't place your piano over or next to a heat vent and duck placing it close to a fireplace. Don't put in front of a window because that's typically a drafty place as well as one with direct sunlight. Try to get a room in your house or apartment that has consistently stable temperature and humidity. That is the best room for your piano.

If you can't find a place in your loft or home that is out of direct daylight, freed from drafts, and doesn't have giant temperature swings, you may wish to consider having a climate control system installed in your piano.

Moving and placing your piano correctly will help ensure you have a wonderful instrument to play for ages instead of having what I now own - an outsized paperweight that should be dusted. - 18758

About the Author:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home