Pianos come in various shapes and sizes. Moving pianos can be quite challenging especially given the fact that people often refer to theirs as just a piano; which can make it tricky for the movers to plan for moving it.
From a moving standpoint, pianos are majorly categorized according to mobility and type. As such, this article will expound on just three broad categories of pianos:
- Grand pianos
- Upright pianos
- Keyboards
1. Grand Pianos
As the name suggests, grand pianos are, well… grand. They are large, regal, and imposing, and take up a vast amount of space.
They are also the most expensive kind of piano and are incredibly heavy (anywhere from 300 kg to 500 kg in weight). Usually made of hardwood, they have 88 keys and can be as large as 9 feet in length and at least 5 feet in width.
The baby grand piano is a slightly smaller version of the grand. But make no mistake, baby grands are still much larger and heavier than any other non-grand piano.
How to move a Grand Piano
Moving a grand piano requires lots of manpower, and the right tools and equipment.
Due to their sheer bulkiness, you have to ensure that there is enough clearance in the doorways and passageways that can allow a team of at least 5 people to pass with the piano.
Once you have everything ready, the process of moving a grand piano is pretty straightforward:
- Wrap the piano in moving blankets or corrugated cardboard (if the piano is moving internationally). Your piano movers should have these with them.
- Load the piano on a dolly and secure it with straps. If you can’t find a big enough dolly, pad the piano’s legs with mover blankets so it can be easily dragged from its original position without damaging the floor or its legs.
- Load the piano in a moving truck – ideally one with a tail lift, as it makes this whole process easier.
- Reverse the process at the destination.
2. Upright Pianos
Upright pianos are the most common type of acoustic pianos. They are compact enough to be fit in a discreet corner of a living room, and still powerful enough to compete with grand pianos in terms of tone quality and loudness.
Most upright pianos are about 5 feet in height, 5 feet in width, with height being the largest differentiator between most. They are also usually cheaper than grands, and at about 220 kg, similarly not as heavy.
How to move an Upright Piano
Moving an upright piano is much easier than moving a grand piano.
While you don’t need as much manpower, you will still need the same tools and materials for moving an upright piano. Here’s the process:
- Place the piano in an open area where it can be easily wrapped without interference.
- Wrap the upright piano in moving blankets or corrugated cardboard if moving internationally – like in the video above.
- Load the piano on a dolly. If you don’t have one, most upright pianos can be lifted by a team of 4-6 people comfortably.
- Load the piano in a moving truck – ideally one with a tail lift, as it makes this whole process easier.
- Reverse the process at the destination.
3. Electronic Keyboards
Electronic keyboards are the most affordable types of pianos. Unlike the other two categories, they are powered by electricity and the number of keys each possesses varies depending on the size of the keyboard.
They vary in quality, with some being very light while others try to replicate the weight and feel of acoustic pianos. Keyboards have a range of features: digital display screens, control knobs, input/output jacks and even backup music assistance, all depending on the price and quality of the piano.
Some keyboards can make a variety of sounds apart from the strings of a piano. They never need to be tuned, and some have computer interactive abilities.
How to move an Electronic Keyboard Piano
Moving an electronic keyboard is much easier than moving an upright or grand piano. Because of their size, most keyboards are portable, and usually don’t need more than one person to carry them.
For the most part, moving an electronic keyboard only requires that it be wrapped in a single mover blanket and loaded onto a vehicle. Alternatively, you can use its original packaging box.
Ensure that you pack the keyboard’s power cord and other accessories together with the keyboard for easy tracking at the destination.
Best piano movers in Kenya
Irrespective of your piano type – we’ve got your back 😊
Whether you are moving it around the house, within Kenya, across borders, or relocating internationally. We have years of experience doing so moving pianos to many countries throughout the world.
Piano moving insurance
Moving pianos is not like moving any other household item in your house. Some pianos cost a fortune – probably even more than their owner’s cars. Needless to say, if damaged, repairing them is pretty expensive.
As piano moving experts, we highly recommend that you take up insurance when moving your piano. For your own peace of mind, you shouldn’t have your piano moved by a company that is not insured and does not have a Goods-In-Transit insurance policy for your piano.
Contact us for a quick and safe move by the top piano movers in Kenya.
