How to wrap a piano for storage?

Moving to a new home doesn’t only include a bunch of cardboard boxes. While those are the easiest to carry and transport, you will likely have some items that are heavy and bulky and need special attention. Apart from your furniture, you might also have to transport a piano. Not only is it very heavy and awkwardly shaped, but it is usually very expensive. You definitely don’t want to damage it during a relocation process! If you hire piano movers Florida, you know that your piano will be in safe hands. These experts know what it takes to successfully move such an expensive instrument! Continue reading to learn how you can prepare and wrap a piano for storage, in case you need to use a storage unit when moving. 

brown upright piano with sheet music
It’s not that simple transporting and taking care of your piano when moving.

Good and bad options for storing your piano

When moving to a new place, renting storage Florida is always a good option. Whether it is only temporary, or you simply don’t have enough space in your new house, storage units are a great way to save some space. While there are some restrictions on what you can put inside a unit, your piano isn’t one of them. You can safely store it for however long you need! It’s not a good idea to store your piano in your garage or on your patio. These areas are not climate-controlled, and high moisture and temperatures can damage it very easily. Especially if you live in Florida!

Keeping your piano outside may seem like a viable option. However, you can never control the weather conditions. No matter how well you wrap it, moisture can still soak through and damage your piano. And we didn’t even begin to talk about pests and insects that can use it as a hiding place. Simply speaking, a climate-controlled storage unit is your best bet if you want to keep your piano safe.

grand piano with a chair
A climate-controlled storage unit is the best choice for your grand piano. Whether it is a precious family heirloom or simply your beloved instrument, you want to keep it safe in storage!

It’s quite important how you wrap your piano for storage

If you think it’s enough to put your piano in a good storage unit and leave it like that for a few months, you are wrong. There a few ways how you can protect it, even when it is in storage. First of all, you have to make sure you purchase proper materials for wrapping your instrument. Heavy-duty cloth blankets are something you should really invest in. They won’t only protect your piano during transport, but also from anything else in storage. If you want to keep it without any scratches, these blankets are a must!

Then, after you’ve covered your piano in these cloth layers, you have to ensure they stay on. The next item on your shopping list should be lots of shrink wrap. This will make sure the protective blankets stay on, and it will also protect the piano from other outside elements, such as dust and fingerprints. However, there is one catch. If you’re planning to keep your piano in storage for a longer period of time, then you might want to remove the shrink wrap once it is safe inside the unit. The wrap might be hard to remove after it sticks to the piano, and it can actually have the opposite effect of what you needed.

What you need to do before you store your piano

Let’s rewind a little bit. Before you even think about ways to wrap your piano for storage, you need to complete a few other tasks first. For instance, you should make sure the instrument is properly cleaned. When all the dust and grime is off, you will pack it for storage, and be sure that it’s going to stay in the same condition when you want to get it to your new home. We suggest you use special supplies when cleaning your piano keys. There is a difference between plastic, ivory, or wood keys – keep this in mind when purchasing a cleaning product. Also, you should oil your piano after you clean it. If it’s going to be sitting in storage for a while, you want to have it in good condition during this time.

piano keys close up
Cleaning your piano keys should be one of your tasks before you place it in storage.

After you’ve cleaned the keys and oiled all the pins, you can also polish the outside of the piano as well. There are few good options for polishing and it’s up to you to pick the one you want. Once you’ve properly cleaned your piano, then you can go back and wrap it properly for storage.

Hire a reputable piano mover to wrap your piano for storage

Relocating something as expensive and valuable as your piano should never be a one-man job. You should seek out a reputable moving company that knows how to handle this task. Remember, not all moving companies in Florida offer the same moving services! A professional team of movers will have adequate equipment and will know what it takes to safely transport your piano to the storage unit. Most of these movers will actually disassemble and wrap it for you, so you don’t have to worry if you did it right or not. In most cases, legs and pedals will be removed before you place your piano in storage. It is done to make sure they aren’t damaged during transport.

Apart from getting a professional crew to wrap your piano for storage, and making sure you’ve got the right unit, you should consider purchasing insurance for your instrument. Accidents can happen even when you’re doing everything right. From the piano falling to the climate-controlled unit not cooling the air enough, there are various things that can damage it. Be smart about moving your piano and it’ll be safe during your relocation process!