Can you lay down an upright piano to move it?

If necessary, it's possible to move pianos lying down as long as all moving parts are properly secured. Transporting upright pianos in an upright position is usually the easier option. However, when moving a grand piano or baby grand piano, it may be necessary to lay them on their side due to their shape and size.

Do you need to use moving blankets when moving a piano?

You don't necessarily have to use moving blankets, but wrapping your piano in some sort of protective covering is important. Without this step, there will be nothing to protect your instrument from scratches or dents during transport.

Why is it essential to have help when moving a piano?

Pianos are not only bulky but also very heavy. An average upright piano can weigh anywhere from 300 to 500 pounds, and the weight of some grand pianos can go well over 1000 pounds! When attempting to move a piano on your own, you risk damaging the instrument and injuring yourself. Hiring professional movers is a much safer and easier option.

How can you protect your piano from damage during transport?

To avoid damaging your piano, make sure it's properly prepared for transport, completely covered with moving blankets and secured with logistic straps so that it does not move or fall inside the moving van.

How do you move a piano down or up the stairs?

The process of moving a piano becomes significantly more complicated if there is at least one flight of stairs involved. You should use moving straps when carrying heavy objects. You can also use a stair ramp to avoid having to carry the piano or simply hire a professional piano mover who knows how to move pianos upstairs or down the stairs safely.

How to move a piano

Even though pianos are big and heavy, they are also quite fragile and easy to damage during transport. This makes moving them tricky, and if possible, it's best to leave this job to professional movers. However, if you want to tackle the piano moving on your own, you need to have the right equipment and a good plan. Read on to learn more about the dos and don'ts of the piano moving process to transport your musical instrument without damaging it!

Can You Move a Piano by Yourself?

While it's possible to move a piano without hiring a moving company, finding at least two or three helpers is necessary. Pianos come in different types and sizes, but even a smaller instrument is still too heavy to lift on your own. Having help with the heavy lifting will make the job both easier and safer.

Given the piano's weight, if there's no one to give you a hand, we recommend hiring a professional moving company. Especially if you're moving to another country. International moves are stressful and time-consuming enough on their own, even without having to worry about the intricacies of transporting a piano. We have the necessary tools and knowledge to move heavy objects to your new location safely and without delay.

Helpful Tips for Moving a Piano

Gather Moving Equipment

First, you need to make sure that you have the necessary tools and supplies to move and secure your piano. These include:

moving blankets (if you don't have any, you can also use towels or blankets to cover the instrument, but they have to be thick enough to provide sufficient protection and prevent scratches and dents),
packing tape, stretch wrap or cord to keep the moving blankets in place,
moving straps and logistic straps,
work gloves.

Depending on the type of piano you want to move, you will also need special equipment designed for moving pianos: a piano board to move grand pianos or a piano dolly to move an upright piano.

And finally, you should make sure that you have appropriate clothing to wear on the day, e.g. shoes that will let you stand firmly on your feet.

Measure Doorways and Clear Out the Path

The last thing you want when moving your piano is to have to stop because you run into an obstacle on your way, e.g. a doorway that is too small for the instrument to fit through. To avoid such situations, it's important to plan the route from the room the piano is in to the removal van in advance. This will give you enough time to measure all the doorways, hallways and staircases and choose the optimal path to take.

Make sure to inform all your helpers of the route to avoid misunderstandings and unnecessary stops.

Knowing the exact moving route beforehand has one more advantage. It gives you time to prepare it! You can remove all obstacles and potential tripping hazards, such as furniture, rugs, plant pots, etc.

Prepare Your Piano for Moving

The process of preparing a piano for moving will be different depending on the type of piano you have. It's important to follow the right steps for your instrument because without taking the necessary precautions, it can get damaged quite easily.

How to Move an Upright Piano

Close and lock the keyboard cover. If you don't have the key or the lid doesn't have a lock, you can use packing tape instead to stop it from opening.
Cover the entire body of your piano with moving or furniture blankets (or any other type of suitable covering) and secure it with packing tape, stretch wrap or cords.
Along with your helpers, lift the piano and place it on the dolly. Lifting the instrument will be easier if you use moving straps.
Attach the piano securely to the dolly with straps.

Load the Piano Into the Moving Van

After preparing and securing the piano, moving it safely to the removal van is all that's left. Follow the pre-planned route and remember to be careful. Even when using a piano board or dolly, accidents are still possible. Take your time and make sure to keep the instrument in the right position the entire time to stop it from tilting and falling over.

Once your piano is safely in the van, secure it with straps to prevent it from moving during transport.

How to Transport a Piano Safely

Can you lay down an upright piano to move it? If necessary, it's possible to move pianos lying down as long as all moving parts are properly secured. Transporting upright pianos in an upright position is usually the easier option. However, when moving a grand piano or baby grand piano, it may be necessary to lay them on their side due to their shape and size.
Do you need to use moving blankets when moving a piano? You don't necessarily have to use moving blankets, but wrapping your piano in some sort of protective covering is important. Without this step, there will be nothing to protect your instrument from scratches or dents during transport.
Why is it essential to have help when moving a piano? Pianos are not only bulky but also very heavy. An average upright piano can weigh anywhere from 300 to 500 pounds, and the weight of some grand pianos can go well over 1000 pounds! When attempting to move a piano on your own, you risk damaging the instrument and injuring yourself. Hiring professional movers is a much safer and easier option.
How can you protect your piano from damage during transport? To avoid damaging your piano, make sure it's properly prepared for transport, completely covered with moving blankets and secured with logistic straps so that it does not move or fall inside the moving van.
How do you move a piano down or up the stairs? The process of moving a piano becomes significantly more complicated if there is at least one flight of stairs involved. You should use moving straps when carrying heavy objects. You can also use a stair ramp to avoid having to carry the piano or simply hire a professional piano mover who knows how to move pianos upstairs or down the stairs safely.

Consider Hiring Professional Piano Movers

As you can see, even though it's possible to move a piano without professional help, it's definitely not an easy task. Whether you want to move only your piano or transport other belongings along with it, hiring a moving team with experience is the easiest and quickest option! Contact us and learn more about our UK-Germany removal services! Let us know what you need, and we'll do our best to make your move stress-free!