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The ‘Okay’ & ‘Heck No!’ Of Acoustic Piano In-Transit Storage

Its matters when you want to accommodate your grand or upright piano and desire the transition to be as seamless as possible to avoid damage. You can’t just wrap your piano in drapes, bubble wrap, and duct tape to ensure it will remain safe throughout the ordeal. To understand why storing your piano for transit is a huge deal, you must understand its anatomy.

Pianos, in general, have around 10,000 moving components, of which an average comprises 230 strings. There are hammers, tuners, paddles, keys, and of course, the lacquered finish to consider. That entails Piano Craft’s dos & don’ts of prepping your piano for storage.

The ‘Okays’

  • Always close & lock the lid over the keyboard no matter how far you move the piano. Be it the home in Alexandria, VA, or a concert hall, close the lid.
  • Never move your piano without an unmeasured whim. Grab a tape measure size up the hallways the floor levels; the piano should clear through the current housing.
  • Hire piano movers or specialists, and bring them up to speed on the instrument’s value, the care entailed, any existing damage or delicate parts.
  • Once the movers arrive and you’ve ensured they are the real deal, let them take over. In some instances, the piano is dismantled at strategic points, small parts bubble wrapped & boxed. The piano’s main body is secured inside a transit container with furniture straps & padding to protect the instrument’s body. This is okay for short-term storage.
  • Your piano requires breathable wrapping for long-term storage, so avoid plastic and use cloth-based wrapping to protect the piano.

The ‘Heck No!’

  • You can’t seriously be considering pushing your piano across the floor to a redesignated corner! Some pianos have decorative wheels that are seldom used for movement and could lock up from lack of maintenance; pushing harder could strain the legs, even break them.
  • Never place storage boxes or luggage on a piano in transit; it could potentially damage the piano’s acoustic lid.
  • Don’t interfere when the piano movers arrive; allow them to take charge and manage the wrapping & shifting, Trust the experts.
  • Your piano will require a temperature-regulated environment to remain in transit or storage for some time. Humidity & damp storage units are highly unfavorable storage environments and can severely damage the piano’s tuning system, acoustics & body.
  • Never use any drying agents inside the piano body before storage as too much dryness can strain the piano strings & wood body in storage. Avoid using mothballs & phenyls to repel insects; instead, store them in an infestation-free place. Keep all sorts of chemicals away in storage, and instead consult with our piano restorers to deal with any nitty-gritty upon unwrapping & assembly.

It doesn’t matter what type of piano you are moving, storing, or putting into transit – what matters is that you use the services of an experienced piano dealing company. At Piano Craft, we not only deal in new & used pianos ranging from grand, uprights, digitals, hybrids, & antiques, we also deal in restoration, tuning, & repair services in Alexandria, VA, for the enhanced longevity of your piano. 

Please observe diligent care with your piano shifts & storage, and keep Piano Craft in the loop. You may browse our inventory and avail excellent prices for your stunning debut on the musical platform!