Except for small spinets, a piano is almost always carefully positioned on a customized skid called a piano board. Once the piano is situated, the instrument is covered in padded blankets and strapped to the board. Moving a piano over a level surface of any distance requires that the piano board is carried on a wheeled dolly and rolled to the vehicle or stairway. There, the dolly is removed and the piano board is slid in a very slow and controlled fashion up or down the stairs by the team of movers.
A grand piano is typically moved on its side, straight side down. First, the lid and the pedal lyre are removed. The leg at the straight side of the piano is likewise removed, and the instrument is slowly leveraged onto the piano board. When moving the piano, the lid hinges are removed because they overhang the case side and can damage the case when the piano is put on its side. At other times, the hinges simply overhang the edge of the piano board. The remaining two legs are disassembled; the piano is covered with blankets and then strapped to the board. At this point, a grand piano can actually slide through narrow openings.
If there is any question whether the piano will fit its new location or not, the piano mover may visit the moving site prior to moving day to assess the difficulty of the job. If the piano doesn't fit in its intended location, the customer will have to pay for its delivery back to its point of departure, to an alternate destination, or to storage. It is important to ascertain whether a window is too small or a stairway has a low overhang or whether corners are too tight to move the piano.
How do you move a piano above the first story of a building? Many movers prefer to hoist or rig it rather than move it up or downstairs. Moving a piano by stairs is more dangerous, both to the piano and to the movers as compared to hoisting it through an upper-story window. Most movers will consent to move by stairs when only one flight is involved or there is no other alternative, such as a freight elevator.
The next time you require piano moving and tuning services, you know who to call. At Move It Piano Service, your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you have any questions about our piano moving services, do not hesitate to contact us. We also offer an impressive selection of quality pianos for sale.
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