Piano packaging sits at the heart of a smooth relocation. One dented soundboard or cracked leg can silence years of artistry, so every mover must know how to brace, cushion, and secure these heavyweight instruments. This guide gives you the same playbook relied on by concert halls, touring companies, and auction houses when they move grands and uprights across oceans or just across town.
Understanding Piano Types and Their Packaging Needs
The delicate but heavy nature of pianos makes our Piano Crate the perfect choice for relocation and transport.
There are many brands of pianos and piano styles. The main categories are digital/electric pianos and traditional pianos. Then you have traditional pianos: Baby Grand Pianos, Grand Pianos, Concert Grand Pianos, Small, Large Upright Pianos, and Pianolas.
A piano’s footprint decides everything from crate dimensions to bracing angles. Grand models stretch more than 7 feet, so you must tilt them on their long flat side to pass most doorways. Uprights stay vertical yet weigh as much as a touring motorcycle. Digital builds look modest but hide boards that hate vibration. When you match each style to the right crate, you remove the guesswork that breaks legs and scratches lids. For additional handling and packing guidelines, the International Association of Movers provides standardized documentation practices that align with global transit needs.
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The delicate but heavy nature of pianos makes our Piano Crate the perfect choice for relocation and transport. Enhancing that protection, Rebul’s specialist packaging provide custom-cut cushioning that fits precisely around delicate parts, reducing movement and safeguarding finishes.
There are many brands of pianos and piano styles. The main categories are digital/electric pianos and traditional pianos. Then you have traditional pianos: Baby Grand Pianos, Grand Pianos, Concert Grand Pianos, Small, Large Upright Pianos, and Pianolas. For unusual piano builds or oversized models, Rebul’s custom crates offer tailored dimensions, internal bracing, and multi-layer protection without altering your original content.
Weight Ranges at a Glance
| Piano Style | Average Weight (kg) | Typical Crating Position |
| Digital Grand | 90 | Flat, keys up |
| Baby Grand | 250 | Side, keys vertical |
| Concert Grand | 450+ | Side, custom bracing |
| Digital Upright | 80 | Upright, reinforced base |
| Large Upright | 230 | Upright, heavy‑duty base |
Grand Pianos: Custom Crating Techniques
In the Grand Piano range, the legs are always removed, both digital and traditional. But traditional grand pianos are crated on their side, with the keys of the piano pointing vertically, lying along their flat side and the kidney void in the top corner. In this space, often the legs of the piano can be wrapped and packed. Usually with grand pianos, it is recommended that the lid is removed from the piano, wrapped, and placed in the crate next to the piano. This helps prevent any damage to the piano itself in transit.
Digital grand pianos, which weigh on average about 90 kg, can be crated flat, not on their side. As they are usually much smaller than the traditional grand, they do not usually have a long flat edge on their side on which to stand them for crating.
Add rigid foam blocks at the harp ends, then strap the body to an internal skid so handlers cannot shift the weight when they turn a corner. Use piano board clamps instead of rope because rope cuts finish. Finish the build with a honeycomb lid that matches the cast‑iron curve; the match stops lid flex that can stress the pinblock.
Upright Pianos: Reinforced Solutions
Traditional upright pianos usually have castors and weigh 200 kg or more. The crates for these, therefore, come with reinforced bases. Digital upright pianos do not tend to have castors and weigh less than 100 kg. The crate bases are still reinforced but it is not necessary to do so to the same degree.
Always remove music stands and soft‑close lids before you load. Wrap each pedal assembly in antistatic bubble to avoid vibration marks on brass. Once inside the crate, add struts on both sides of the back post so the soundboard cannot flex if the crate tips. A layer of cross‑linked foam under the key bed cushions hammer assemblies during long hauls.
Why Rebul Piano Crates Deliver Superior Protection
Our piano crates are a design modification of our extremely popular Rebul Crate, to provide the best protection for your valuables. Contact us here to get a quote to get your piano shipped safely.
Ease of packing and unpacking access
With our piano crates, the piano packer starts with just the base of the crate, so many packers can place the piano easily on its side onto the base of the crate. Only then are the side walls added and built around the piano. This 360 degree access ensures safe carrying, no injury to the packer, and the best packing and securing of the piano.
High shock absorption
With any musical instrument, shock is its biggest enemy. Our piano crates are made with strong yet very shock absorbent bases, to help take the shock always involved in handling and transit.
Strength
Our piano crates are as strong as a wooden crate and entirely stackable, bearing hundreds of kilograms on top. They ship without fumigation delays because honeycomb board travels as processed paper, not raw timber.
Reuse and storage
Each unit flat packs for storage, then reassembles with hand tools for the next tour. This design keeps storage fees low and reduces waste.
Essential Materials for Piano Packaging
A safe move starts long before loading day. Stock these materials and you will solve most problems on the floor:
- Honeycomb board panels deliver the compressive strength of plywood at half the mass, so crews lift without strain.
- Closed‑cell foam sheets cushion shock and dampen vibration. Pick 25 mm thickness for grands, 15 mm for uprights.
- Desiccant packs stop rust and key sticking when climate zones shift mid‑route.
- Nylon straps with ratchet locks hold torque under transit sway. Avoid cloth straps that loosen.
- No‑residue film wrap seals high‑gloss finishes from grit.
- Instrument blankets add a first layer that breathes, so lacquer can vent moisture while the truck rolls.
Step‑By‑Step Piano Packaging Process
Follow this roadmap and you will protect every hinge and hammer.
1. Prepare the Instrument
Tune technicians mark hammer line and mute strings with felt so movement cannot chip ivory. Remove legs, lyre, and pedal box. Photograph each part for insurance and share images to keep a visual record that travels with the shipment.
2. Secure Fragile Components
Wrap legs in foam, then slide them into the kidney void on a grand or alongside the back posts on an upright. Label each bundle with a marker on Tyvek tags, not tape, because tape glue can ruin French polish.
3. Cushion and Void Fill
Build a foam cradle that touches the rim at four points. The cradle spreads road shock evenly so the soundboard never carries point loads. Use inflatable dunnage bags in any gap larger than 30 mm to lock the body.
4. Build and Seal the Crate
Fit honeycomb wall panels into tongue‑and‑groove slots, then install steel corners. Cap the crate with a lid that screws down flush. Add a shock indicator and tilt sensor outside the crate to deter rough handling. Record the sensor serial numbers inside a shipment log stored in cloud inventory.
5. Label and Handle
Print “Do Not Fork From Side” in 100 mm letters on every panel. Place the center of gravity icon at the balance point to guide forklifts. Add your booking number in the upper right corner so port crews can sort loads during tight connections.
Climate and Humidity Control
Piano soundboards expand in humid air and shrink in dry cabin holds. Never load a crate colder than 15 C straight into a 30 C truck; condensation will form on plate iron. Stage the crate in a temperate dock for two hours so wood acclimates. Insert 500 g silica gel for every cubic meter of crate volume and record the pack date on the bill. A portable data logger can confirm that relative humidity stays between 42 and 55 percent during flight.
International Shipping and Customs
Export laws treat wooden crates as bio risk, but honeycomb board passes under ISPM 15 exemptions. That means faster clearance at ports such as Singapore and Rotterdam. List the instrument on the carnet as “piano, serial number X, age Y” and attach a condition report. Check the Department of Agriculture’s packaging advisory (Australian government) for rules on fillers and fumigation substitutes. Declare any ivory key tops if the build dates before 1975 and secure a CITES permit.
Budgeting, Insurance, and Risk Management
Crate cost runs under five percent of a grand piano’s market value, yet most damage claims top forty percent. Buy full value transit insurance and state “professionally crated” on the policy to avoid coverage gaps. Plan for two technicians on load in, three on load out, and one piano tuner at destination. Include those fees in the freight estimate so the project stays on budget and on schedule.
Conclusion
Ship a piano with care and it will arrive concert ready instead of workshop bound. Use the right materials, follow proven steps, and lean on Rebul expertise when stakes rise. Our honeycomb design, shock absorbing base, and flat pack reuse save time, cash, and nerves. Reach out today and let our team map the safest route for your instrument.
Optimizing Costs with Smart Packaging Solutions
At Rebul, we focus on cost-effective packaging that balances protection, branding, and shipping efficiency. Our approach ensures that businesses don’t overpay for unnecessary features while maintaining durability and aesthetics. By leveraging innovative materials and efficient design, we help reduce costs without compromising on quality. See how our tailored packaging solutions can enhance your business at Rebul.
FAQs
1. How much does a piano crate weigh?
A Rebul honeycomb crate for a six foot grand weighs about 65 kg, roughly half the mass of a comparable plywood box.
2. Can I store a piano in the crate long term?
Yes, if you add fresh desiccant every six months and keep the crate in a climate range of 15–25 C with stable humidity.
3. Do airlines accept honeycomb board crates?
Major cargo carriers accept them because the board meets crush standards and carries full test certification. Always confirm pallet dimensions with your freight forwarder.
4. Should I remove the piano lid?
Remove it on traditional grands to prevent pressure on the rim. On digital grands the lid often bolts to the body; follow the maker’s manual.
5. What paperwork do I need for an antique piano?
File a CITES permit for ivory or rare hardwoods and attach a detailed condition report with photos dated before shipment.
6. How much does professional piano packaging cost?
Prices run from $900 for a small upright to $3 500 for a concert grand, depending on crate materials, distance, and insurance.
7. Can I ship a piano overseas without removing the legs?
Leg removal is mandatory for most grands. Keeping them attached risks snapping the leg tenon during vibration.
9. How long should I wait to tune a piano after delivery?
Twelve hours is the minimum. Many technicians advise 24 hours so spruce and cast iron reach room equilibrium.
8. Is climate control necessary during ocean freight?
Yes. Maintain 40–60 percent relative humidity inside containers or use desiccant packs to protect the soundboard.
10. Do digital pianos need the same level of crating?
Digital models weigh less and lack soundboard tension, but their circuit boards still need shock pads and antistatic wraps.
