# How to Move a Grand Piano in Chicago Without Damage > Step-by-step guide to moving a grand piano in Chicago, Evanston, and Naperville — disassembly, wrapping, stair vs. elevator vs. crane, and when to tune after the move. - Type: post - URL: https://moonmovers.net/blog/how-to-move-a-grand-piano-in-chicago-without-damage/ - Updated: 2026-09-15T17:07:02+00:00 ## About this page Step-by-step guide to moving a grand piano in Chicago, Evanston, and Naperville — disassembly, wrapping, stair vs. elevator vs. crane, and when to tune after the move. ## Key facts - Phone: +1 (708) 815-4747 - Email: info@moonmovers.net - Location: Chicago, IL - Map: 41.8778483, -87.6855646 - Price range: $$ - Serving: Chicago · Evanston · Skokie · Des Plaines · Palatine · Schaumburg · Naperville · Aurora · Elgin · Bolingbrook · Joliet · Orland Park · Tinley Park · Waukegan · Rockford · Springfield · Peoria · Champaign · Bloomington · Decatur - Social: https://www.facebook.com/moon.movers.2025/ · https://www.instagram.com/moonmovers/ · https://www.tiktok.com/@moon.movers · https://www.google.com/maps?cid=3300875412407038330 - Logo: https://moonmovers.net/storage/projects/39/files/images/logo-dark-512.png - Hours: Monday 08:00–21:00 - Hours: Tuesday 08:00–21:00 - Hours: Wednesday 08:00–21:00 - Hours: Thursday 08:00–21:00 - Hours: Friday 08:00–21:00 - Hours: Saturday 08:00–21:00 - Hours: Sunday 08:00–21:00 ## Page content ## How to Move a Grand Piano in Chicago Without Damage A grand piano weighs anywhere from 500 to over 1,200 pounds. The cast-iron frame inside holds string tension measured in tons. A hard jolt risks throwing the action out of alignment, and a dropped corner can crack the soundboard. Regular furniture movers with a dolly and a pickup truck are not equipped for this… ## Why a Grand Piano Is Not Like Other Furniture A bookcase can be tilted and squeezed through a doorway on its side. A grand piano cannot. Inside the case, strings pull against the plate with a combined force of several tons; the frame is engineered to bear that load only while the instrument sits in its normal orientation. Jolt the piano hard and the hammers… This is why rigging crews use different equipment entirely: a piano board (a padded skid built for the instrument's shape), wide soft straps that distribute weight without pressure points, felt corner guards, and — for upper-floor jobs without a freight elevator — a hydraulic lift or crane that raises the piano… ## Before the Move: Inspection and Measurements The work starts before anyone touches the piano. A crew leader visits or reviews photos of both locations — the pickup address and the destination — and measures doorways, hallway turns, and stairwell widths. In older Chicago-area buildings, the front entry is often narrow and the turns are sharp. The diagonal of the… Three things to check in advance: consult the piano's manual (or the manufacturer's spec sheet) to know which components are removable; count the crew members needed (with four experienced riggers, the outer panels can sometimes stay on); and measure whether the instrument clears the narrowest point on the route with… - Doorway width. Measure every door the piano will pass through, including the building entrance and the room door at the destination. - Stairwell dimensions. Note the width of the stairs and the clearance at each landing turn — a 90-degree turn on a narrow landing is the most common bottleneck. - Elevator capacity. If there is a freight elevator, confirm its weight rating and interior dimensions. A passenger elevator almost never fits a grand piano. - Outdoor path. Check the distance from the building door to where the truck will park, and whether there are steps, curbs, or uneven pavement along the way. ## Disassembly: What Comes Off and What Stays A grand piano is moved disassembled. The sequence matters. First, the lyre (the pedal assembly) is detached. Then the top lid and the music desk come off, followed by the fallboard — the hinged cover over the keys. Each piece is wrapped and set aside. 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