How to Move a Piano on a Dolly

An upright piano is one of the heaviest pieces of furniture in any house, but a piano can be moved safely and securely with some good strong friends and a piano dolly. A piano dolly is a flat platform with four heavy-duty rotating wheels usually made of wood, heavy plastic, or even steel, and covered with some sort of soft padding to protect the furniture being moved on it. They can be rented at most moving stores or can be purchased at many home improvement and hardware stores.

Things You'll Need

• Piano dolly
• Strong friends (preferably 3 or 4)

Instructions

Moving Your Piano

1. Prepare the route along which you will be moving the piano. Clear other furniture, toys, decorations, rugs, or anything else that might trip someone or obstruct the piano.

2. Pull the piano away from any wall or other furniture. Most pianos have small wheels and are fairly easy to move a short distance. Be careful not to pull on the front support legs. They tend to break easily if pulled on. You need a minimum of 3 to 4 feet of space to use a piano dolly.

3. Tip the piano backward so that it is at a 30 to 45 degree angle. Make sure you have two people behind the piano to keep it from tipping over. A third person should hold the piano dolly at the same angle and slide it underneath, roughly in the middle of the piano. Keep the pedals clear of the dolly. No weight from the piano should rest on the pedals.

   An alternative to this is to lift it from the end, but this takes much more strength, requires lifting the piano higher, and can stress the piano's support structure.

4. Lift the piano back upright onto the dolly. With one person holding the dolly to keep it from rolling, have the others shift the piano around so that it is centered and stable on the dolly

5. Run two straps underneath the dolly and around the piano and secure them. Place blankets or pads underneath any buckles, hooks, or metal parts to protect the piano from being scratched.

6. Roll the piano to its destination. Slight bumps and door sills can be easily negotiated with slight lifting and shifting the weight of the piano on the dolly.

7. Reverse the process to remove the piano from the dolly.

Tips & Warnings

• A piano dolly cannot be used on stairs but can negotiate door sills, rough spots, and even steep ramps. You do not want to be moving the piano and then have to stop and go find a ramp or change your route.

• Upright pianos are very top heavy and become even more so when raised onto a piano dolly. Station a helper on each side to help stabilize the piano.

Resources

• Various Styles of Piano Dollies
• Steve's Piano Service Moving Instructions
• Movers Guidelines for piano moving