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How do you move a piano? Very carefully.

Okay, I’m being a little sarcastic, but moving a piano is a serious endeavor.

I’m a big advocate of hiring a professional mover to move a piano. Pianos are heavy and it’s easy to damage a piano while moving it. I’m speaking from experience. I own a Kimball piano my parents bought brand new for me when I was a child. That piano was a big deal to me after having played on an old “clunker” of a piano for several years. I played that new piano every day.

When I got married it was time to move the piano to my own home. My husband and his brothers moved it themselves. It wasn’t an easy job even with the moving dolly they used (pianos weigh several hundred pounds - grand pianos can weigh 1,500 pounds). The amateur move of my piano resulted in both of the piano legs being damaged (a common occurrence when people move a piano themselves) and some unplanned internal work (some pins needed repair and a string broke). I should have hired a piano mover. Then I wouldn’t have had those problems, but my husband and I thought we would save money by doing it ourselves. It was a lesson I should have remembered, but I was foolish a second time.

A few years ago my husband and I built a new house. When it came time to move the piano again, my husband was reluctant to hire someone to move it professionally because our pocketbook was already feeling empty from the expense of building the house (he called our new house a “money-sucking black hole.”) In his mind, moving it wasn’t a big deal. Our new house was less than two miles from our old one; and he had a dolly, a trailer, and a brother who was willing to help him.

Everything went okay until my husband turned into the driveway of our new home. The sharpness of the turn strained the ropes holding the piano on the trailer and they broke. The piano tipped over and sustained a lot of damage (the entire “guts” of the piano are ruined and the case is chipped and scratched). I haven’t had it fixed yet, but I have gotten an estimate. It’s going to take a lot of time and money to fix the piano. It needs to be totally rebuilt. Because of the labor involved, it would be cheaper to buy a new piano than have it fixed, but the piano has a lot of sentimental value to me so I will have it fixed. This is why I say, “Hire a professional!”

What does a professional piano mover do to ensure a safe and successful move? With upright pianos, they almost always strap the piano on a skid called a piano board. They also cover the piano with blankets to help protect it. The entire bundle is then typically put on a dolly and taken to its destination. If steps are involved, the piano is taken off the dolly and slid up or down the steps on the piano board.

Moving a grand piano is a little more involved. The lid, lid hinges, pedal lyre, and leg on the straight side of the piano are usually all removed. The piano is then put on the piano board, on its side, with the straight side down. The other legs of the piano are then removed. The piano is then covered with blankets, strapped to the board, and put on a dolly.

Some movers don’t like to move a piano up or down stairs. If it’s feasible, they prefer to hoist it to the appropriate floor via a window that’s big enough to accommodate the piano.

So what do you do if you just want to move your piano from one part of a room to another? First, decide if it’s really important to move it because there’s always the risk of damaging a piano even with a short move. Piano legs are the most likely thing to get damaged or broken.

Be very careful to avoid putting too much weight on the legs. Get a few strong people to help if the piano is an upright; and get at least 5 people if it’s a grand piano. With an upright or spinet, tilt the piano back a little to take the pressure off the front legs, but be careful not to tip it back too far and tip it over. With a grand piano, lift the piano up enough to get the pressure off the legs before you try to move it. It’s not necessary (and not recommended) to lift the piano off the floor entirely.

If you’re going to move a piano often, consider having it fitted with special casters that will allow you to move the piano fairly easily. Or, have the piano placed on a piano truck.

How you do you find a good piano mover if you’ve decided to not try and move it yourself? My suggestion is that you call your local piano store and ask them for recommendations. They should be able to give you the name or names of reputable movers in your area.

Okay, so you’ve decided you are definitely going to move your piano and you’ve decided on a method. Now you have to figure out where you’re going to put the piano. Where should it go?

Try to put your piano in an area of a room where there are little or no drafts, where it’s out of direct sunlight, and where the temperature and humidity are stable. This is because pianos are sensitive to humidity and temperature. Lots of temperature and humidity swings cause a piano to go out of tune faster than normal, can damage the wood case, and if they are severe they can even eventually cause structural failure.

Don’t place your piano over or next to a heat vent and avoid putting it close to a fireplace. Don’t put in front of a window because that’s typically a drafty place as well as one with direct sunlight. Try to find a room in your home or apartment that has consistently stable temperature and humidity. That is the best room for your piano.

If you can’t find a place in your apartment or home that is out of direct sunlight, free of drafts, and doesn’t have big temperature swings, you may want to consider having a climate control system installed in your piano.

Moving and placing your piano correctly will help ensure you have a lovely instrument to play for a long time rather than having what I now own - an oversized paperweight that needs to be dusted.

D Ruplinger is a featured writer for www.pianoscentral.com For more information about pianos, both new and used, visit www.pianoscentral.com.

Many do-it-yourselfers pride themselves in their handiwork, you
can just see their garages filled to the brim with tools for
those all around jobs. But ask any of them, installing roofs or
repairing them is an unexciting and trying job, but someone has
got to do it. When it comes to home protection against nature’s
elements, the roof is one of the most important aspects. A roof
with a leak or a hole can cause irreparable and immeasurable
damage and harm to your furniture and appliances and don’t
forget your carpeting and paint, all of these in just a matter
of a short time.

The roof of your house is an essential part of your home; they
provide protection from the rain, snow, sleet, hail, and the
sun’s light and heat. To fully do this, the roof must be sealed
tight against water and such. Roofs should be tough and durable,
yet they must be versatile enough to handle all kinds of weather
and any factor brought upon by the location of your home. It is
ideal that the roof be fire resistant. There are many kinds of
roof, differentiating in design, materials used and others.
Usually, a roof consists of the roofing material used for the
main cover, the frame where the will be attached, and other
aspects and components. Building or repairing a roof can be very
simple or very complex task, this will depend on the design and
finish of your roof.

Now here comes the question, can you afford to do it on your
own? Yes it’s cheaper when you slash the labor costs but if you
don’t have the necessary skills and know how, it might just cost
you more in the end. There are many factors to consider when
deciding upon it. Take a deep good look on your skills, tools
and the time you can afford, a roof needs to be finished right
away, you don’t want your house exposed to extreme weather
conditions and to burglars. Be sensible and reasonable about
your skills, it is better to downgrade it than upgrade it then
soon regret your decision. Building or repairing a roof needs
special tools, you can buy some but that would be impractical,
you may also rent them but if you damage them you’ll still have
to pay for them, remember if your not familiar with the tools
don’t use them or at least be cautious.

When it comes to building or repairing things, always be
careful. You are using dangerous tools and you may hurt
yourself, this is especially considered when doing roofs since
your high above the ground. Be patient when building or
repairing the roof. If you go too fast you may get confused and
end up with more mistakes, which may cost you more. Be wary of
your tools, follow the directions provided and make sure that
you unplug them when not in use or when changing blades or drill
bits. Wear eyes and ears protection always; wear protective
clothing and gears such as heavy soled boots. Make sure that
when you work on the roof, it is water free and not slippery,
clean up scraps and dirt so as not to slip on them. Do not force
yourself; in case a material is too heavy or slippery get some
assistance. Remember; plan ahead so you can be ready for
anything and everything.

Building something by yourself provides great pride and joy
after its completion, but take everything into consideration for
your own sake. When you have done your roof you could stand back
and admire it because you have just provided a roof for your
family.

The conservatory is a popular addition to homes around the world and in particular in colder climates. Conservatories began their existence in the 1700s as Dutch farmers looked to find ways of protecting their plants during the colder winter months. These early greenhouse structures evolved not only into the common garden greenhouse but also the conservatories we see today. The original concept in all probability did not have in mind the idea of creating a transitional space between the dwelling and the out of doors. Of course the initial idea behind those who created the first versions of conservatories was to provide a means to prolong the life of plants during the chill of the northern European winter months.

Today the equivalent commercial greenhouses are typically made of aluminium, whilst the manufacture of aluminium has been slow to progress. However, in recent years as technology has progressed, aluminium conservatories have become a serious rival to the PVCu conservatories so popular since the 1970s. The New Generation Aluminium conservatory has a strong slim frame which lends itself perfectly to the sleek lines and rectangular design of Edwardian conservatories.

The modern aluminium can compete against the major strengths of its PVCu rival and indeed the finishes are so advanced these days the timber conservatories are also threatened. A major consideration is security and this is one area that aluminium comes out on top over PVCu. Aluminium frames do not need the large expansion gaps that PVCu frames have and which can be a weak point vulnerable to a would be intruder.

In the main, aluminium conservatories are versatile, strong and durable as an extension to the home. The increasing popularity has meant that in recent years it is much easier to find a capable supplier and builder that can readily construct a versatile and durable aluminium conservatory. By working with the most reliable people in the task of designing and building an aluminium conservatory, it is possible to create a spectacular addition to the home that will solidly stand the test of time. Although it could be argued that a conservatories looks it best when made of timber, there can be no doubt that the aluminium version is preferable to the PVCu conservatories that became so popular towards the end of the twentieth century.

About the Author

Garry John has contributed to several home improvement sites including conservatories and blinds.