People invest in grand pianos for a variety of reasons. The sound and quality. The beauty of the instrument. For the way it looks in your home. 

You can’t walk into a room with a grand piano and not be aware of its presence. It commands attention. 

Yet for as much as you love your piano, there are times when you’ll have to move it. 

Maybe you’re having new flooring installed, are renovating your home. 

Or maybe you’re moving to a new home, but it will be weeks or months before your piano has a new home. Storing it is the only option. 

But storing a grand piano isn’t an easy task. If only you could prop it up on its side. It would take far less room. 

Can you store a grand piano on its side? 

Moving a piano

Grand pianos are one of the largest items you will ever bring into your home. The only way to get it into your home is to prop it up on its side – it’s the only way it will ever make it through a door. 

What’s more important than turning it onto its side is to ensure it’s safe during the process. 

• Ensure nothing is inside that could damage the inner workings of the piano – pens, bobby pins, pencils, small toys. Anything that could damage the strings, soundboard, or other equipment. 
  
• Protect all edges of the piano during movement. Use blankets and bubble wrap to ensure all edges are safe. 
  
• Never roll a piano on rollers. Instead, make sure you have the appropriate workforce available to safely lift the piano throughout the moving process. 
  

Storing a piano

While it’s okay to move a grand piano on its side, storing it is another manner. When you tip a grand piano sideways, it puts pressure on the inner workings of the piano in a way that isn’t intended. For a short time – while moving it – your piano will adjust and be okay. But for an extended time period, it can start to cause damage. 

Your piano should be stored the right way, and that includes upright instead of on its side. It should also be placed in a temperature controlled space, rather than in a garage or storage unit without heat or air conditioning. It should also be covered to prevent a layer of dust.

And unless you have experience moving a piano, rely on the professionals instead. It’s one of the heaviest and bulkiest pieces inside your home. Despite its size, it’s also one of the most delicate. Leave it to the professionals to ensure your piano is ready to play when you move it back into place.