It’s a real challenge to disassemble and pack a piano. Because it is a big object and it is very delicate and expensive you don’t want to make any damage to it. Especially if it’s a grand piano. Those are really heavy and can’t be m0ved in one piece. Ask a few friends to help you, since a grand piano is too heavy to move by yourself. Moving a grand piano begins with disassembling and safely packing all of the parts that can be removed from the body of the piano.
Here are the things you need:
- thick moving pads or blankets
- heavy-duty buckle straps
- screwdrivers
- zip lock bags
- packing tape
- a friend to help you
Disassembling a piano
Remove the piano lid. The large lid of the grand piano is attached by small screws and hinges on its longest side. Remove the screws and the hinges using the type and size of screwdriver that matches the screw heads so you don’t damage it. Lift the lid off of the piano, and set it aside. Make sure you put the parts that belong together, together. The best way to keep the small parts like screws safe is to put them in zip lock bags. Another tip is to label them just in case. Putting a sticker inside it or writing on the bag with a marker will do the job.
You can buy thick moving pads at any moving-supply store, and at many hardware stores. If you don’t have the budget or inclination to use moving pads, you can also use spare blankets from around your house. You will need these for your next step. It is important to wrap each piece individually so it doesn’t get damaged. If you are moving by yourself this step is very important and it should be done well. But if you are hiring piano movers NC, you won’t have to worry about it too much. Hiring piano movers is a great idea as they know much better how to do it.
Next step is to kneel down and unscrew the lyre from the underside of the body of the piano. Set the lyre aside for now. Have another person help you pick up the grand piano and tilt it towards its long, flat side. Set this side gently on top of the piano board. Never let the weight of the piano rest on the legs, as they can easily snap off. As you can already see, knowing how to disassemble and pack a piano can be a real challenge.
Piano Board
If you are moving the piano by yourself, you will need a piano board. It is basically a skateboard for your piano. It has wheels so you can move it easier. After you’ve wrapped the piano with moving pads or blankets, it’s time to put them on the piano board. This is when those heavy-duty buckles come into use. You can purchase buckle straps at any hardware or home-supply store. You need to use them in order to keep the piano steady while on the board. Secure the straps to the handles or indentations of the piano board. You will need someone to help you attach the straps and tighten them. This is definitely a job for two or more people as packing musical instruments for relocation isn’t easy, especially when the instrument is a grand piano.
Next step
Most grand pianos have 4 legs. The legs are attached to the bottom of the piano with screws or small bolts. Use either a screwdriver or an Allen wrench to remove the legs. Set them aside. Only remove the legs once you firmly strap the piano onto the piano board. Once the lyre is off of the piano, you need to take precautions to keep the pedals from being damaged in the move. Wrap each pedal with a section of protective plastic or a sheet of bubble wrap.
Wrap each leg individually in its own blanket or moving pad, and wrap the lyre individual as well. Make sure that the wood of each is entirely covered up, and then secure the blanket in place using a generous amount of packing tape.
Packing these parts will not only keep the piano from getting damaged, but it will also prevent damage to your home when moving.
Moving the piano
If you aren’t hiring any moving companies Cary NC, it’s a good idea to rent a truck. There is no way you can fit a whole piano inside a car so renting a truck is the best option for you.
Roll the piano to a moving truck. Move slowly, and have 2 or 3 people help you roll the piano. Keep the piano balanced and upright as you wheel it. If you need to move the piano downstairs, you could lay a piece of plywood on the stairs for the dolly to roll down. Keep the piano from tipping over or rolling on someone’s foot. Once you wheel the piano up the loading ramp into the moving truck, keep the piano in its vertical position. Then, use 3 or 4 buckle straps to secure the piano firmly to the wall of the moving truck. And you are done!
How important is it to disassemble and pack a piano?
Hopefully, by now, you realize how important is it to disassemble and pack a piano the right way for when you are moving. Just because it is big it doesn’t mean it isn’t delicate. It is also very expensive and if you are someone who plays the piano, you wouldn’t want anything to happen to it. And hopefully, you gathered some information on how to do it. These tips work for a baby grand piano too.
