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Phinnie Zahareas is a contributing writer for USA TODAY Homefront. She works as a project manager and professional organizer for a moving company in Louisiana. She’s managed dozens of moving jobs — from tiny houses to sprawling office buildings — and aims to make relocations easier for everyone. In addition to her work in the moving industry, she holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of New Orleans. She still lives in New Orleans, where she walks her two spotted dogs along the Mississippi River every evening.
While you can move a piano on your own, hiring professionals is best for optimal safety and peace of mind.
For a DIY approach, you need three people, a furniture dolly, moving blankets, tape and straps.
Upright pianos can go directly on a dolly, but grand pianos require a grand piano board.
Moving a piano requires considerable strength, skill and specialized equipment. While it may seem feasible to move a piano alone or with the help of a few friends, pianos are delicate and heavy musical instruments that are prone to damage if not transported properly. Even with some DIY know-how and a handful of helpers, moving a piano without professional expertise increases the likelihood of accidents, injuries and damage to the instrument and property.
“We’ve been in business since 1958, and we move 1,300–1,500 pianos a year,” said John Wright, owner of Hall Piano in New Orleans. He explained that professional piano movers are worth the cost because they provide more than just transportation for your piano. They bring years of experience and insurance — in case something goes wrong.
Still, relocating an upright piano, baby grand piano or grand piano without professional aid is doable. If you’re considering a DIY approach to save cash, read our comprehensive guide first. We compiled essential steps, equipment lists and safety precautions to equip you for the task ahead.
Moving a piano alone is impossible due to the instrument’s size, weight and shape. “Grand pianos weigh 550 pounds, and uprights weigh 350–450 pounds,” said Wright. This makes it physically impossible for one person to lift or maneuver a piano safely. Additionally, pianos are bulky and often have irregular shapes, further complicating moving them solo.
However, moving a piano is possible with assistance from friends or family members. You can lift and transport the piano safely by distributing the weight among multiple individuals and coordinating efforts. Extra hands also allow for better control and maneuverability, especially when navigating narrow hallways or staircases.
Especially if you’re already hiring a professional moving company, consider hiring skilled piano movers to ensure optimal safety and protection for the instrument, your property and the individuals involved. Skilled professional movers possess the necessary training, experience and equipment to handle pianos safely, minimizing risks and ensuring a smooth and secure moving process.
Prioritize safety before you embark on the adventure of DIY piano moving. Moving a piano is no small task and requires careful planning and execution to prevent accidents, injuries and damage to your instrument. Here are some safety tips:
Moving a piano requires proper equipment tailored to the piano’s type and size. Here’s what you’ll need:
Nonslip gloves offer better grip and protect movers’ hands from injuries and splinters while lifting and maneuvering the piano.
Thick moving blankets or padding protect the piano’s finish from scratches and dents while in transit.
Use painter’s tape or nonabrasive tape to secure the top of upright pianos. Use packing tape when wrapping your piano with padding.
A sturdy four-wheeled furniture dolly with padded surfaces helps maneuver the piano to the moving truck. “The only laborious part is getting the piano on the dolly. Then you roll it wherever you need to go,” said Wright.
“For uprights, the piano goes right on the dolly, but for grands, you need the piano board,” said Wright. A grand piano board, also known as a piano skid board, is a long piece of wood that supports the piano’s weight on top of the furniture dolly and allows for smooth movement across floors and through doorways.
Use heavy-duty moving straps to secure the piano to the skid board and dolly. Once the piano is on the moving truck, you can repurpose the straps to secure the piano during transport to your new location.
Ready to get your beloved keys out the door? Here’s a step-by-step guide to moving your piano safely.
Uprights: Tape the top of the piano closed. Use painter’s or nonabrasive tape to avoid damaging the piano’s surface. If your piano has a keyboard locking mechanism, engage it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If it doesn’t have built-in locking mechanisms, use piano locks or straps to secure the keyboard lid. Wrap the pedals in cushioning such as Bubble Wrap.
Grands: Remove the music rack and set it aside, then remove the piano lid. Place accompanying screws and hinges in a small plastic bag labeled “lid” and set aside. Detach the lyre, which is the wooden bar connecting the piano pedals. Place accompanying screws in a small plastic bag labeled “lyre” and set aside. Wrap the pedals in cushioning. Lay the piano on its flat side on top of the piano board. Have one person support the piano while another removes the piano’s legs with a screwdriver. Place the screws in a plastic bag labeled “legs.” Have the third person wrap the piano lid, bench, music rack, legs and lyre.
Uprights: Wrap the entire piano in padding or moving blankets to protect it from bumps and scratches during transport. Secure the padding with packing tape, but do not tape the piano’s surface.
Grands: Wrap the entire piano, including the keys, with moving blankets. Wrap packing tape around the blankets to secure the padding. Use plastic wrap over the tape and blankets for extra protection during an interstate move.
Uprights: With one person on either side of the piano, lift the piano on the count of three. The third person should quickly position the four-wheeled furniture dolly under the piano. Once the dolly is in position, lower the piano onto it. Make sure the dolly is centered below the piano. Use moving straps to secure the piano to the dolly, ensuring it is stable and balanced before moving.
Grands: Secure the piano on the skid board with moving straps. With one person on either side of the piano, lift and tilt it to one side while a third person slides the furniture dolly under the piano board. Gently lower the piano board onto the furniture dolly. Wrap straps around the piano and skid board to secure the dolly before moving.
Roll the piano through the house to the truck. Use ramps or liftgates to load the piano into the truck, securing it against its wall with straps or tie-downs to prevent shifting during transit.
Reverse the packing and loading steps to unload the piano at your new home. Pianos often require tuning after being moved due to changes in string tension caused by transportation, fluctuations in temperature and humidity, and physical stress on internal components. After the piano has settled into its new location, hire a professional piano tuner to adjust the strings and restore its optimal sound.
If the prospect of moving a piano on your own seems daunting, or if you want to ensure the utmost care for your instrument, contract professional piano moving services. Pros have the specialized equipment and expertise to handle all piano types with precision and care. They can navigate tight spaces, a flight of stairs and other obstacles to ensure a smooth and stress-free local or long-distance move for your piano.
If you decide to proceed with a DIY approach, ensure you have all the necessary tools and supplies and prioritize safety for yourself and your piano.
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