Antique Chinese Furniture..Carved Chairs Qing – Photo Courtesy: Donna Hoffman
If you are a lover of good quality, older pieces of furniture, and are planning a home move, you are probably already thinking about how to get your items moved without causing damage. Antique furniture is well made but due to its age, requires a certain level of expertise in order to get it moved without damage.
Moving antique furniture is not about wrapping it in cotton wool. It is just about giving it the respect that it is due, and ensuring care is taken at every stage of the moving process to avoid any unnecessary strain, stress or damage being caused to the furniture you are moving. Think of your pieces like a two or three hundred year old person and how carefully and delicately you would need to treat them.
Here are some key tips for moving antique furniture without causing any heartbreak:
1. Protect and Preserve
Photo Courtesy: Tiffany Terry
Antiques can’t be moved like normal furniture. Taking them apart is often out of the question, as this will lead to joints being strained, bolts weakened and could potentially cause problems that mean it cannot be put back together again. Antique furniture should, if possible, be moved in one piece, which means you need to do your utmost to protect every side and edge of the piece to avoid accidents. Use a blanket to wrap your item all over, and consider using extra padding underneath the blanket on any corners or edges that you feel are particularly vulnerable.
2. Take the Strain
Antique Piano – Photo Courtesy: Ajmexico
Avoid letting any legs, arms or other parts of the furniture bear the weight of the item on their own. Things like pianos, for instance, are very top heavy, and therefore could put unbearable strain on the legs of the instrument if it were to be tipped back or forward without any other support. Use a winch with straps to support the item when lifting it onto the van or onto a trolley, and for any other movement, ensure there are sufficient hands available to lift each side equally.
3. Work with a Pro
Photo Courtesy: Quinn Dombrowski
As much as you know about antiques, sometimes a job like this is best left to the experts. You don’t need to go with a big national provider if you don’t want to as many of the man and van have incredible experience in moving these types of objects, and are able to provide not only specialist knowledge, but also the tools and equipment necessary to make sure your move is a success.
4. Consider Crating
Image Courtesy: Filter Forge
If you have a particularly delicate piece of furniture, crating is a good way to move very fragile or unwieldy items. Crates mean the load is spread evenly, and that your furniture is fully protected for the entire move. Talk to your removal company about the pieces you have in your home, and make sure they come to assess each piece individually before the moving day so that they have the right tools and equipment to hand.
A Leather Sofa
A Fabric Sofa
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A beautiful set of classic Winchester Couch and Chairs by 
Ronald uses these classic Eames Chairs to give his home a dreamy ‘mid century’ look. Photo Courtesy: 
The “Barcelona Chair” designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in the German Pavilion for the 1929 International Exposition in Barcelona. Photo Courtesy: 
Chaise Lounge. Le Corbusier. Swiss. 1928. Chrome-plated steel, fabric, leather. Displayed at the Museum of Modern Art, NYC. Photo Courtesy: 
Bruce with his laptop and beer on his comfy La-Z-Boy in San Francisco. Photo Courtesy: 
