Piano Movers Ottawa —
Built for the Instrument, Not Adapted from General Moving
Pianos are heavy, fragile, and irreplaceable. A standard moving crew with a furniture dolly isn’t the right tool. We move uprights, grands, and digital pianos as a standalone service or as part of a full move — with equipment and process built specifically around the instrument.
Why Pianos Can’t Be Moved Like Regular Furniture
A piano weighs anywhere from 150 kg for a small upright to over 500 kg for a concert grand. That weight is distributed unevenly, shifts when components are removed, and sits on legs that were never designed to absorb the stress of a move. The finish is lacquered wood that shows every contact point. The strings and soundboard are sensitive to impact and vibration. The keys, hammers, and dampers are precision mechanical components that can be knocked out of regulation by a single hard jar.
A general moving crew can muscle most furniture through a doorway. With a piano, improvisation causes damage — to the instrument, to the building, and sometimes to the movers. The right approach is different equipment, a mapped route before anything is touched, and a crew that has done this before.
Weight & Uneven Load Distribution
Uprights are back-heavy. Grands redistribute entirely when legs are removed. Neither can be handled safely with standard furniture dollies.
Finish Damage from Contact Points
Lacquered and polished cases show every impact. Full blanket wrap is required before anything moves — not applied after the piano is at the door.
Internal Components & Tuning Stability
Strings, soundboards, hammers, and dampers are sensitive to hard vibration. Proper skid systems and air-ride transport minimize shock during the move.
Stairwells & Doorways
Ottawa’s older homes and condo buildings regularly present 32-inch doorways and steep staircases. Route assessment before anything is touched is not optional.
Disassembly Specific to Piano Type
Grand pianos require lid, legs, and pedal lyre removal before transport — each component wrapped and moved separately. Uprights stay assembled but are strapped and tilted precisely.
Two-City Coordination for Long Distance
Long distance piano moves require route planning at both ends and air-ride trucks. The instrument must be declared upfront — not added after the truck is booked.
Every Type of Piano — Different Challenges, Same Care
Tell us the make and model when you book and we’ll advise on crew size, equipment, and any access issues specific to your instrument.
Grand & Baby Grand
The most technically complex piano move. Legs, lid, and pedal lyre are removed and transported separately. Weight distribution shifts once the legs are off, and the case must be angled precisely for stairwells and doorways.
- ✓ Piano board and heavy-duty skid system required
- ✓ Minimum 3-person crew for most grands
- ✓ Each removed component wrapped individually
- ✓ Reassembled and levelled at destination
Upright, Studio & Console
Dense and back-heavy — the challenge is usually stairwells, tight hallways, and getting the tilt angle right without stressing the casing. We’ve moved uprights up and down multiple flights in Ottawa’s older homes and newer condos.
- ✓ Specialized upright piano dolly
- ✓ Full multi-layer blanket wrap before movement
- ✓ Stair climbing equipment for multi-level homes
- ✓ Route assessed and cleared before the piano moves
Digital Piano & Keyboard
Lighter than acoustic instruments but electronically fragile. Connections, displays, and internal components are sensitive to vibration and impact. We wrap and pad digital pianos the same way we would an acoustic instrument.
- ✓ Padded wrap for body and stand
- ✓ Keys and panel protected from pressure
- ✓ Power supply and peripherals packed separately
The Right Equipment for a Safe Piano Move
The right equipment is what separates a safe piano move from a damaged one. We don’t improvise with general moving gear on a piano job — every item below is purpose-built for piano transport. All equipment is inspected before every job.
- Piano skids and boards. Engineered for the weight distribution of piano transport — not adapted from general furniture equipment.
- Specialized piano dollies. Designed for the load profile of upright and grand pianos. Standard furniture dollies can’t safely carry an instrument where the centre of gravity shifts by position.
- Multi-layer moving blankets. Full wrap coverage applied before the piano moves — not after it’s at the door. Protects finish, keys, and case from any contact.
- Heavy-duty locking straps. Keep the instrument stable and prevent shifting in transit. Applied over the blanket wrap and checked before the truck moves.
- Shrink wrap over blankets. Holds wrap in place and protects against dust and moisture during outdoor exposure between building and truck.
- Air-ride suspension trucks. Minimize road vibration during transport. Hard vibration from a standard suspension can affect tuning stability even when the piano arrives physically undamaged.
How a Piano Move Works, Step by Step
You Book with Details
Piano type, make and model if known, both addresses, and access details — stairs, elevator, narrow hallways, tight turns. The more we know, the better we prepare crew size and equipment in advance.
Route Assessment First
We assess the route before we touch the instrument. Doorway widths, stairwell angles, hallway turns, and floor surfaces all evaluated. If a door frame needs temporary removal, we flag it before moving day.
Disassembly Where Required
For grands: legs, lid, and pedal lyre removed and wrapped separately. For uprights: instrument strapped, padded, and secured on the piano dolly. All components labeled so nothing gets separated in transit.
Loading & Transport
The piano is loaded first and braced against the truck wall. Straps secured. Air-ride suspension engaged. The instrument doesn’t share space in a way that allows shifting during the drive.
Placement & Reassembly
At the destination we navigate the route and set the piano in your chosen room. For grands, legs and pedal lyre are reattached and the instrument levelled before we leave. Wrap removed and disposed of.
Plan for Tuning After
We move the piano — we don’t tune it. Pianos almost always need tuning after any move. Schedule a tuning a few weeks after the move, once the instrument has acclimatized to its new space.
Long Distance Piano Moves
We move pianos on long distance routes from Ottawa — Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and beyond. The process is the same; air-ride suspension matters more over longer distances. Declare your piano when requesting a long distance moving quote.
Piano-Only Move or Part of a Full Relocation?
We handle both — and the process is the same either way. What changes is crew size and scheduling.
Piano-Only Booking
If you’re not moving house but need the instrument relocated — a new address, a different room, a performance venue, a school, or a church — we take piano-only jobs as a standalone service.
Common standalone piano moves in Ottawa include inheritance transfers between family addresses, downsizing scenarios where only the piano is moving, and instrument deliveries to community venues.
Book the same way: call with the piano type, both addresses, and any access details. We’ll quote it as a standalone job.
Call (613) 981-1126Piano as Part of a Full Move
If you’re moving your entire household or office and the piano is one item among many, mention it when you book. We allocate the correct crew size and equipment from the start — a piano on a full move isn’t an afterthought.
This applies to house moves, condo and apartment moves, and long distance moves that include a piano.
Don’t add it as an afterthought on move day. A piano changes the crew requirement and sometimes the truck size. We need to know in advance.
What Clients Say About Their Piano Moves
“One memorable experience was when they moved a piano from Gloucester to Kent Street downtown for us completely free of charge — down from the 2nd floor via a very narrow and tight staircase. Their team handled it with incredible skill, patience, and professionalism, without a single scratch or issue. We at the Ottawa Chinese-Canadian Heritage Centre have hired Foosun Moving many times over the years.”
“We moved out of our three-bedroom semi in Old Ottawa East and had a five-day gap between our move-out and move-in dates. The team was organized, professional, and handled everything — including a piano — with great care. Their planning and flexibility made what could have been a complicated transition feel easy. Everything went smoothly from start to finish.”
“I’ve used their services multiple times and each time, they prove that they can get the job done quickly while protecting the furniture. They don’t shy away from moving heavy items like my piano. I can also tell they put a lot of attention into how to arrange the furniture within the truck to ensure they are well protected and would survive the trip. Charges a fair amount — I’ll definitely use them again.”
“Great service, nice and quick — care your stuff very much. We have a heavy antique piano. They moved it professionally. Highly recommended!”
Piano Moves Across Ottawa and Beyond
We move pianos throughout Ottawa and the surrounding region — local and long distance.
Manotick & Rural Ottawa
Acreage properties — long carries and gravel lanes planned for.
Manotick movers →Long Distance
Ottawa → Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and all provinces. Air-ride trucks, same process.
Long distance →Ready to Move Your Piano?
Call us with the piano type, both addresses, and any stair or access details. We’ll give you an accurate quote — standalone job or as part of a full move.
(613) 981-1126- Grand, upright, and digital pianos
- Piano-specific equipment — no improvisation
- Standalone job or as part of a full move
- Long distance piano moves available
- Air-ride suspension trucks
- Route assessed before anything is touched
Get Your Free Piano Moving Quote
Other Services for Your Move
Specialty Item Moving
Gun safes, pool tables, gym equipment, antiques — items that need more than standard technique.
Learn more →House Moving
Moving the whole house? Piano included as part of your full move — just mention it when you book.
Learn more →Long Distance Moving
Ottawa to Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, or beyond — piano moves on long distance routes available.
Learn more →Condo & Apartment Moving
Piano through a tight elevator and narrow hallway? We've done it many times across Ottawa.
Learn more →Senior Moving
Moving a senior's piano as part of a downsizing or retirement community move.
Learn more →Storage Services
Need to store the piano between moves? Short-term storage available alongside your move.
Learn more →Internal Moving
Moving the piano to a different room in the same home — still a specialist job.
Learn more →Furniture Assembly
Reassembly of piano legs, pedal lyre, and lid included — plus all other furniture in your move.
Learn more →