Piano Delivery Day: The Checklist Before It Arrives

A piano's first day in your home sets up its next twenty years — and most of what goes wrong later (the vent underneath, the sun on the lid, the tuning that never held) was decided in the ten minutes the movers were in the room. Here's the delivery-day checklist we wish every new owner had, whether the piano is new from a dealer, used from Marketplace, or inherited from across the city.

Before the truck: decide where it lives

Do this the night before, with tape on the floor. The rules (full placement guide):

• Interior wall, not exterior. Away from heat vents, radiators, fireplaces — check for a floor vent under the intended spot; it's the classic hidden mistake.
• Out of direct sun. Away from exterior doors.
• In a room you'll actually use — a piano exiled to a formal room gets visited, not played.
• Footprint: an upright needs about 5 × 4 feet against the wall including the bench; a baby grand about 6 × 7 with lid and bench clearance.
• Floor: any normal floor holds a piano (why) — but buy caster cups ($20–$40) now, so the movers set it down on them. Bare casters dent hardwood the moment the piano lands.

Once movers put a piano down, "we'll shift it later" rarely happens. Get it right the first time.

Measure the route

Doorways, hallway turns, stair widths, the elevator if it's a condo (and book it — many buildings require a reservation and a movers' insurance certificate). Give the movers the measurements in advance; surprises on the day cost time and occasionally trim.

Have the room ready

Clear the path and the destination. Rug down if you're using one (under and behind the piano softens tone and protects floors). Caster cups in hand. Hygrometer bought — put it beside the piano from day one so you know what the room is doing to it.

While the movers are there

• Watch the piano go onto the caster cups, on the spot you taped.
• Check the piano before they leave: case for fresh scuffs or cracks, lid opens and closes, all pedals present, a quick run up the keys (movers jostle actions; a slipped part shows immediately). On a grand: legs and lyre secure, lid props correct.
• Note anything on the delivery paperwork before signing — dealers and movers both honour documented damage; nobody honours remembered damage.

After delivery: the two things owners get wrong

Don't tune it this week. A piano that's just moved is still adjusting to your room's temperature and humidity; tune now and you'll pay for a second tuning within a month. Give it two to four weeks to settle, then book the first tuning. Dealers often bundle that first tuning — check your paperwork.

Don't "baby" it. Play it — fully, loudly, everywhere on the keyboard. Normal playing beds in the action evenly. The only things to protect a piano from are sun, vents, and furniture polish.

The first year, briefly

A new piano needs three or four tunings in year one — fresh strings stretch fast (the settling year explained). A used piano that's new to you needs the post-delivery tuning and usually one more that first year while it acclimatizes. Both settle to an annual rhythm after that, provided the room stays steady: humidifier in winter, air conditioning or a dehumidifier in summer, hygrometer telling you which.

Delivery-day checklist (print this)

1. Spot chosen: interior wall, no vent beneath, no sun, no door.
2. Floor taped; caster cups bought; rug down if using.
3. Route measured; elevator booked (condo); movers briefed.
4. Hygrometer beside the piano.
5. Inspect case, lid, pedals, keys before movers leave; note issues on paperwork.
6. Play it freely from day one.
7. Tuning booked for 2–4 weeks out.
8. Humidity plan in place for the coming season.

Common questions

Should I tune a piano right after delivery?
No — wait two to four weeks for it to acclimatize to your room's climate. Tuning on delivery day means paying for a second tuning within the month.

What should I check when a piano is delivered?
Case and finish for new damage, lid and fallboard operation, all pedals, and a quick run across every key. Note anything on the paperwork before signing.

Where should a piano be placed when it's delivered?
Interior wall, away from heat vents, radiators, sun, and exterior doors — decided and taped out before the movers arrive, with caster cups ready under each wheel.