So you’re moving a piano in San Antonio. Move out day may be coming ‘round the corner and the pressure is on to pack it up and out without a hitch. As you might expect, there are plenty of ways to ruin a perfectly good piano en route, and many other ways to ensure the move proceeds as planned. That’s why this list of tips exists. Because whether this is your first rodeo or you’ve hauled around extremely heavy, bulky, expensive, sentimental, and fragile items before, there are plenty of things to keep in mind. Here’s to doing all that you need to ensure that everything goes exceedingly well.
1. Keep Weight (and Shape) Top of Mind
Pianos aren’t just heavy instruments. They’re exceptionally top-heavy, with delicate, sensitive legs. One wrong move and you could easily lose one of them, so it’s best to strike a literal balance when moving them. Keep in mind where the weight goes while you’re moving it and where the legs are when you lay it down. Try to keep the weight as even on all sides as possible, and lift it high enough that you won’t damage the fragile parts underneath. It also helps to triple check to ensure there’s nothing in the way that could potentially break it en route.
Pro tip: Professional piano movers in San Antonio will often recommend detaching the legs, pedals and other accessories of your piano before moving it. If you can do this with your piano, it's more than worth the hassle of reinstalling them to avoid breaking them during the moving process.
2. Bring As Many Hands As Possible
Whether a baby grand or a concert grand, pianos are exceptionally heavy beasts. You’ll need at least 4 amigos to lift one—2-3 to do the heavy lifting (depending on the size) and 2 to guide you around corners along the way. You should also consider inviting over a few more of your friends in case the first few members of your moving crew run out of steam.
Pro-tip: It goes without saying that wearing comfortable clothes and properly tied sneakers can make or break your move. There’s nothing worse than losing a piano because someone got tangled in their own laces.
3. Prep Your Piano & Plan Ahead
Piano movers in San Antonio know a few things about prepping and planning a piano move ahead of schedule. That’s because in addition to keyboards bearing lots of weight and requiring many hands, they also require specialized equipment to properly move them across a room, down a flight of stairs, and into a van. You’ll need heavy-duty furniture straps for safe and efficient lifting that doesn’t break your back, and, perhaps, a few furniture dollies for rolling your piano across the floor. You might also consider a heavy blanket to wrap around the body and dodge potential dents, as well as some heavy duty tape to secure them.
You’ll also want to plan move-out-day far in advance. Check the local weather forecast to pick the best day for your piano’s departure. Obviously, it helps to avoid rain and dust-storms, where possible, as well as any of the potentially blisteringly humid summer days that Texas is known for. Outside of wrecking your piano’s tuning, high heat can damage your piano’s soundboard while water damage can ruin its sound and finish. If possible, shoot for a day that has between 50% and 70% humidity, and that has a bright blue sky with minimal clouds.
4. Secure It En-Route
As any professional piano mover in San Antonio will tell you, you’ll want to keep your piano snug in the van or truck it’s in during the move. An unsecured piano can cause it to slide, or fall on its side, on the road. Being careful about where and how you transport it can avoid this.
Just like with moving the piano, you’ll want to distribute the load evenly—ensuring that the piano itself is even, and not leaning too heavily on any one side, even when strapped in. If possible, see if you can dismantle the piano legs from the piano itself, as this can help lower the center of gravity and make it easier (and safer) to load, transport, and unload. Also, keep in mind that accelerating too quickly (or braking too harshly) can also cause the piano to move while en route. Drive safe, slowly, and cautiously to keep your piano grounded along the way.
5. Work With A Professional Piano Mover In San Antonio
As you can tell by now, moving a piano is no easy feat. It requires the foresight to know what the potential obstacles are and the know-how to do it right, the first time. It also requires a combination of hand-eye coordination skills and teamwork, proper moving, loading, and unloading technique, and the insight to know what’s the right call and what isn’t.
If you’re unsure about any of the aforementioned steps or need assistance with your piano move, don’t hesitate to give Austin Van and Storage a call today. Our professional San Antonio piano movers have the expertise to safely move your piano to your desired location, and can work with you to ensure it’s as hassle-free as possible. Contact us now to get a quote or to learn more about our first class moving services.
