Replacing hardwood floor under existing 5'8" grand

[derschoenebahnhof]

Hi,

Does anyone have recent experience about this and what's the best way?

I read some people successfully lifted a wheel at a time and placed (on top of the newly installed flooring) a strip of plywood/masonite under each then managed to move the piano on its rollers.

The idea would be to install new flooring close to the piano, then move the piano about 1 foot or so on top of the new flooring, then keep installing.

Another way would be buying these so called heavy furniture dollies, each of which can withstand 200 lbs (my grand weighs 670 lbs).

Thanks,
CG

[anacrusis]

How do the heavy furniture dollies work? Can you sort of roll away the piano from where you are going to install the floor using those?

[j_tour]

Yeah, I've used a couple of times dollies called Roll-or-Karis.  True to their name, they do indeed roll, and if you have some people you hate, you could probably convince them to "carry" a piano or organ as well.

They're kind of standard equipment for people who want to move Hammond organs (I think those are generally about 400 imperial pounds, IIRC), and can easily be rented most places, I'd think.

No idea if those particular dollies are what's needed for a heavier piano, or how to adapt them for getting under the legs, but if not them, something similar is surely available.

Up to and including the more traditional "truss" like support with wheels at least some stage pianos seem to live permanently on.

[dw4rn]

I read some people successfully lifted a wheel at a time and placed (on top of the newly installed flooring) a strip of plywood/masonite under each then managed to move the piano on its rollers.

The idea would be to install new flooring close to the piano, then move the piano about 1 foot or so on top of the new flooring, then keep installing.

I think this seems like a perfectly simple and manageable solution. At least if you ask one or two reasonably strong friends to help, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to do this.

[timothy42b]

Google "lever dolly."