Four Essential Tips For Moving Antique Furniture Safely

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

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

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.