Moving a Piano
Aug 12, 2023 07:46:16 #
A few weeks ago, a local guy was desperate to get rid of a piano. If I didn't accept it, it was going to the town dump. Now that it's in my garage, I have to figure out how to get it into the house. Looking online, this relatively small piano weighs between 300 - 500 pounds. I don't think it will be possible to bring it in through the nearest door because the fireplace hearth is in the way. When we got a piano about fifty years ago, we brought it in through the front door, but I had to remove the railing on the stairs.
When he told me the dimensions, I realized that it would probably fit inside my Honda Fit. It would require Superman to lift it and insert it into the car.
The alternative is to insulate and heat the garage and leave it where it is. Maybe I'll get a gym membership and bring it inside next year.
When he told me the dimensions, I realized that it would probably fit inside my Honda Fit. It would require Superman to lift it and insert it into the car.
The alternative is to insulate and heat the garage and leave it where it is. Maybe I'll get a gym membership and bring it inside next year.
Aug 12, 2023 09:03:54 #
Moving a piano is all about having the right tools and technique. As part of my job at a piano company in Texas I had to deliver all sizes of pianos and organs to pretty much all across the state. Most people don’t realize that you can move a piano on its end and by letting the ground help you so that you are not having to lift the entire weight of the instrument along with a good set of piano dollies, an instrument can be put almost anywhere as long as the door is wide enough. Using the right technique I’ve loaded upright pianos onto pickups by myself. It’s mostly technique.
Aug 12, 2023 09:07:56 #
Texas George wrote:
Moving a piano is all about having the right tools... (show quote)
Thanks. I have a good dolly with large wheels. I also have lots of padding to wrap around it. I can vaguely remember bringing our original piano in through the front door.
This one is a Baldwin, and a local friend is named Baldwin, from that piano family.
Aug 12, 2023 09:29:12 #
Get a saw...legs...and a very short stool. 
Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Might not be...I would look to see how the legs are attached...you might get lucky.
But in a pinch...if you know your way around wood...cut the legs...you can easily make a nice wood wrap around on the cuts that will join the legs solid enough.
Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Might not be...I would look to see how the legs are attached...you might get lucky.
But in a pinch...if you know your way around wood...cut the legs...you can easily make a nice wood wrap around on the cuts that will join the legs solid enough.
Aug 12, 2023 09:36:49 #
Canisdirus wrote:
Get a saw...legs...and a very short stool.
Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Might not be...I would look to see how the legs are attached...you might get lucky.
But in a pinch...if you know your way around wood...cut the legs...you can easily make a nice wood wrap around on the cuts that will join the legs solid enough.
Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Might not be...I would look to see how the legs are attached...you might get lucky.
But in a pinch...if you know your way around wood...cut the legs...you can easily make a nice wood wrap around on the cuts that will join the legs solid enough.
Yeah, great idea to save weight. Removing the two removable legs would cut 2 lb off the 500 lb piano. Actually, I will remove them if possible since it will get rid of two obstacles.
Aug 12, 2023 09:37:39 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Yeah, great idea to save weight. Removing the two removable legs would cut 2 lb off the 500 lb piano. Actually, I will remove them if possible since it will get rid of two obstacles.
I assumed you had to take the railings off previously because of the legs.
Aug 12, 2023 09:38:51 #
Canisdirus wrote:
I assumed you had to take the railings off previously because of the legs.
I think the railing had to come down just because of the size of the piano - the width.
Aug 12, 2023 09:46:16 #
You can usually get access to the nuts holding the legs on by taking the cheek blocks out on each end. I rarely had to do that when moving one unless the leg had been damaged by dragging the piano across carpet without taking the weight off the legs. As I said earlier, a good set of piano dollys work wonders.
Aug 12, 2023 13:10:23 #
Re:piano
They are easy to take apart and reassemble inside your house unless it’s a baby grand.
They are easy to take apart and reassemble inside your house unless it’s a baby grand.
Aug 12, 2023 13:37:11 #
Guyserman
Loc: Benton, AR
jerryc41 wrote:
A few weeks ago, a local guy was desperate to get ... (show quote)
Was it Laurel and Hardy that were always moving pianos? Give them a call.
Aug 12, 2023 14:24:37 #
It was actually easier sometimes to deliver a grand than the old uprights that were made in the 40’s.
Aug 12, 2023 14:37:54 #
therwol
Loc: USA
jerryc41 wrote:
A few weeks ago, a local guy was desperate to get ... (show quote)
Lift it up onto your roof and shove it down one of the plumbing vents. Oh wait, that was yesterday's problem. Never mind.
Aug 12, 2023 14:56:27 #
They should donate it. There are schools and churches that might want it, or they'd know someone who would want it. Heck, even a bar or restaurant might have use where patrons can fiddle with it.
Aug 12, 2023 15:13:54 #
josquin1
Loc: Massachusetts
Hire a piano mover. They work miracles. THey can take out a window and it will then go in. I've seen 9 foot grands moved into 2nd and 3rd floor apartments like this. I had a 7' 6" grand moved into my apt like that and it weighed many more lbs.
Aug 12, 2023 15:45:02 #
I received a stand up piano made in or around 1914 and we had about 8 or ten high school kids and a few furniture dollies.we place in on a flat bed trailer and took it into my garage .going downhill off my trailer was a breeze.the piano probably was about 1,500 to 1,800 lbs.we couldn't give it away at our garage sale.(it needed some work) it had a date inside where someone had wrote the date of repairs.1929.we needed 2 come alongs to place it onto the guy that took it of my hands.
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