A piano is one of the heaviest and most delicate things in most homes. Uprights commonly weigh 300 to 500 pounds, and grand pianos can run well past that, with the weight concentrated in a cast-iron plate and a finely tuned action that does not like bumps, tilting or temperature swings. Here is what it takes to move a piano safely, what you can do to prepare, and when to call Kansas City piano movers.
Measure Before You Lift
Measure the piano's height, width and depth, then measure every doorway, hallway, stair turn and landing on the way out and the way in. Kansas City has plenty of older homes in Brookside, Waldo and the Northeast with narrow stairs and tight turns, and plenty of downtown lofts that rely on freight elevators. Knowing the tightest point in advance tells you whether a door has to come off its hinges or a grand needs its legs removed.
Protect the Instrument
Close and lock the fallboard over the keys so it cannot swing open. Wrap the piano in thick moving blankets and secure them with stretch wrap or straps, never tape directly on the finish. For a grand piano, the legs and pedal lyre are removed, the body is turned on its straight side onto a padded piano board, and the whole unit is strapped down before it moves an inch.
Use the Right Equipment
Pianos are moved on heavy-duty dollies and piano boards, with straps that let a crew control the weight on stairs and ramps. Furniture dollies from a rental store are not built for a load that is tall, heavy and top-heavy at the same time. On stairs, a crew of three or four works the piano down one step at a time, with one person always below the load.
Plan the Truck Ride
In the truck, the piano is loaded against a wall, padded on every side and strapped so it cannot shift or tip. Uprights ride upright, while grands ride on their side on the piano board. Keep the trip as short and smooth as possible, and avoid leaving a piano in a hot or freezing truck for long periods.
After the Move: Let It Settle
Even a perfect move can knock a piano slightly out of tune, because temperature and humidity change between homes. Most technicians suggest waiting a couple of weeks for the instrument to adjust to its new room before scheduling a tuning. Place it away from heating vents, fireplaces and exterior doors.
Can You Move a Piano Yourself?
Rolling a piano across a level floor in the same room is a reasonable do-it-yourself task. Taking one down stairs, through a narrow door or onto a truck is where pianos get damaged and people get hurt. The cost of a professional piano move is usually small compared with repairing a cracked soundboard, a broken leg or a damaged floor.
Our Kansas City piano movers bring the boards, straps and padding, and they move uprights, spinets and grands across the metro every week. If the piano is part of a bigger move, the same crew can handle the rest of the house with our local moving service, or take it out of state with our long-distance movers.
Piano Moving Checklist
- Measure the piano and every door, hall and stair on both routes.
- Lock the fallboard and wrap the piano in blankets, never taping the finish.
- Remove grand piano legs and lyre and use a padded piano board.
- Strap the piano upright or on its side in the truck.
- Wait about two weeks before tuning in the new home.
Book Your Piano Move
Moving a piano in Kansas City, Overland Park or anywhere in the metro? Request a free quote or call (816) 433-2929 and tell us the piano type and the stairs on both ends.
