What type of dolly is needed to move a piano?

What type of dolly is needed to move a piano?

For an upright piano: You will need piano dollies. For a grand piano: You will need a special piece of equipment called a piano board or piano skid board to move a grand piano. Piano dollies: A piano dolly is a trolley used to transport upright pianos. It is important to use as wheels on the legs of the piano are purely decorative and will not support the weight of a piano. Piano dolly straps: These will strap the dolly to the piano and ensure it is held securely. Remember, pianos are not only heavy, but they’re also awkward. Uprights carry all their weight in the top half, and their legs and feet can be fragile, so you’re going to need a few extra hands to help. Plan on at least four people to properly and safely move the average upright piano. A classic upright piano typically weighs between 500 and 800 pounds. It usually takes at least four people to move an upright piano.

What size dolly do I need to move a piano?

Remember, you are lifting a delicate mechanism that weighs 300-900 lbs. approximately eight inches up off the ground and gravity is going to be working against you as you do it. Pianos should always be placed on top of a special 4-wheel piano dolly either on their feet (the piano’s bottom) or on one of their sides. The average weight of an upright piano: 527 lbs or 239.043 kg. You will notice that a lot of people claim that upright pianos weigh around 300 lbs. Upright piano – 300 to 500 pounds. Baby grand piano – 500 to 650 pounds. Grand piano – 700 to 1,200 pounds. Moving a piano on its back or on its side does not harm a piano. A piano can be moved, tilted, or rotated without doing it damage. Damage to a piano occurs when it is dropped, or bumped, or when foreign objects are inside the piano when moving. Before moving a piano yourself, take in mind that it is a dangerous task and think about calling for help. It’s highly recommended to call a professional mover if you think you won’t be able to move the piano by yourself, even though the removals service prices are not low for piano removals. Important! An upright piano, where the strings are vertically arranged, can generally be moved by a handful of people—you might only need two people to move a small spinet or console, while a larger studio or classic upright piano might require three or four people.

Can you dolly a piano?

You can load the legs and pedals on a hand truck to make moving easier and more efficient. Next, with one person on each side of the piano, lift the piano on its side and slide it onto the dolly. Make sure everyone is still holding their side of the piano as you secure it to the dolly with tie down straps. It takes at least four people to efficiently move a piano, with two to three people doing the heavy lifting, and the others guiding them to and from the moving truck or van. You may need more, however, depending on the size of the piano and the complexity of the move. Upright pianos are smaller than grand pianos and have piano casters (wheels), making them easier to move than grand pianos. Now, you’re probably wondering Can you put a piano on its side to move it? As a matter of fact, you can. Moving on its side or back won’t harm your instrument. It can be rotated or tilted without doing damage.

How much weight can a piano dolly hold?

Baby grand pianos are 4 foot 6 inches to 6 foot 6 inches long and they can weigh between 500 and 800 lbs. But longer grand pianos weigh much more and should always be moved by professionals because the piano dollies have about an 800 – 900 lb. weight restriction. Even the smallest console pianos can still weight 300 – 400 pounds. Larger pianos can weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds. This presents an extreme challenge for any mover because most items are much lighter. Movers that are prepared will have some specialized equipment with them to make moving the piano more doable. Grand pianos are much heavier and well, grand, so they require more materials and equipment. These behemoths generally can cost anywhere from $200 to $1,500 to move locally. Moving a grand piano long distance can be closer to $2,000 or even as high as $5,000 or more. Common dollies are generally rated around 600 to 800 pounds. Heavy duty models are generally available with ratings up to 1,200 pounds. Regardless of the type of dolly used, it’s important not to exceed the weight limit as this may damage the dolly and be a safety hazard for anyone operating the machine.

How do professionals move a piano?

Upright piano moving Cover the piano keys and pedals with bubble wrap to protect them from damage. Close the piano lid and wrap a foam packing sheet or old towel over it. Secure the foam or towel in place with tape. Drape the piano in moving blankets, again securing with tape. It doesn’t take a lot of movement to knock a piano out of tune, which is the least damaging thing to expect when moving it. Inexperienced movers often cause significant damage to the piano’s inner workings, which can cost quite a bit of money to repair. Now, you’re probably wondering Can you put a piano on its side to move it? As a matter of fact, you can. Moving on its side or back won’t harm your instrument. It can be rotated or tilted without doing damage. Avoid placing a piano in front of a window Direct sunlight and exposure to temperature fluctuations or wind can damage your piano’s finish, dry out the soundboard, and cause it to go out of tune more quickly.

Can you move a piano without piano movers?

Given a piano’s value, the instrument must be handled with the utmost care, making professional movers all the more necessary. However, if hiring professional movers isn’t in your budget or timetable, it is possible to move most pianos with the help of friends. A stable piano can withstand being moved from one spot to another, even one home to another, without needing to be tuned immediately. If a piano becomes noticeably out of tune being moved a short distance, it is a good idea to have it inspected by a qualified piano technician. Yes, you can move a piano using furniture sliders. These are almost the same as piano sliders. They protect your piano, especially the legs since they bear all the weight of a piece of a piano. Furniture sliders are there to take up that extra strain, allowing it to move above a few inches off the floor. When you’ve moved or when you’ve purchased a new piano, it’s recommended that you wait at least 3 weeks to allow the strings to settle before tuning your piano. A piano needs time to adjust to changes in tension from temperature and humidity fluctuations during the move and in its new environment.