Caring for Your Piano
Your piano is probably the only piece of furniture in your home that is also a precision musical instrument. More than 10,000 moving parts work together inside the piano, all made from a combination of wood, felt, leather, steel, and other carefully chosen materials. Like any finely crafted instrument, a piano performs best when it's kept in a stable environment and receives regular care and maintenance.
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Creating the Right Environment
Where to Place Your Piano
The location of your piano has a significant impact on its long-term health.
Whenever possible, avoid placing your piano:
Near door or windows
In direct sunlight
Next to fireplaces or wood stoves
Near air vents
Against exterior walls that experience large temperature swings
In garages, unfinished basements, or other areas without climate control
Even small changes in location can improve tuning stability and help preserve the instrument for many years.
Positioning:
Upright Pianos are almost always placed against a wall because this allows for the most flexibility in organizing any room. For more volume, the backside of the piano can be faced toward the desired direction, as most of the sound comes out of the back of an upright piano.
Grand Pianos can be positioned in several different ways depending on your goals. The most common orientation is with the lid facing toward the middle of the room when it is opened, allowing the sound to reverberate as much as possible. This is typically combined with the spine of the piano (the long, flat side on the left) being placed against a wall, as it is the only flat side. If the player’s view is more important than the overall volume (say, facing out a window), then the piano can be placed in any place that allows for this, given the above bullet points are kept in mind. In large spaces open spaces where the piano is the centerpiece (such as a grand foyer), placing the piano at an angle when viewed from the front offers an especially pleasing aesthetic.
All Pianos:
Caster Cups are a great way to keep your piano from moving, protect the casters, and your floor once you have chosen its location and positioning. Piano weigh hundreds of pounds. This much weight concentrated on small casters alone will eventually damage any kind of floor, especially if moved.
Temperature & Humidity
The single most important factor in your piano's health is a stable climate.
Wood naturally expands and contracts as humidity changes throughout the year. Because so many parts inside the piano are made of wood, large swings in humidity can affect tuning stability, touch, and tone. Over time, excessive dryness or moisture may even lead to cracks, loose glue joints, sticking keys, or other mechanical problems.
Whenever possible:
Maintain indoor temperature at 65 - 75 degrees and 40 - 50% Relative Humidity.
Avoid rapid changes in temperature or humidity.
Use a room humidifier or dehumidifier if your home experiences seasonal extremes.
Pianos should only be transported long-distance by a professional with a humidity-controlled trailer.
Extra Protection:
Grand Piano Covers can prolong the beauty and purity of your grand piano’s finish. As long as the inside of the cover stays clean, it will prevent scratches and the accumulation of dust on your valuable instrument.
“Spider” Dolly: If your piano needs to be moved frequently within the same room or building, a large dolly—in lieu the of individual casters—is a necessity. It provides a strong steel foundation for the piano to sit on that can be carefully rolled across hard flooring.
Bench Padding can protect a wooden bench from wear and scratches as people sit and move around on it. Soft pads for the feet will also prevent scratching hard floors if any sliding occurs.
Fallboard Lock: If your piano is in a room that is accessed by many people (church, school, etc.) a fallboard lock will keep the cover over the keyboard locked to prevent any unauthorized people from playing your piano.
Rugs are great for protecting the floor underneath your piano. A large rug can be placed underneath the entire area where the piano sits, or a small rug can be placed underneath the bench and the pedals, where the most wear typically occurs.
Maintaining Your Instrument
There are many things you can do to ensure your piano looks, feels and sounds its best for decades and even generations.
Everyday Care
There are a few simple habits to help keep your piano looking its best:
Keep all liquids away from the piano.
Dust the outside with a perfectly clean microfiber cloth. If the finish has straight grain (satin), only dust parallel to the grain.
Avoid placing any objects on your piano.
Wash your hands before touching it to reduce the buildup of oils and dirt.
Close the piano when not in use to reduce dust inside. If your piano has ivory keys, leave the key cover open to prevent them from yellowing.
Polish your piano:
Piano-specific products are available for polishing your instrument. These can be applied sparingly with a microfiber cloth, then buffed away with a dry cloth to remove smudges and fingerprints. Be sure to use a polish that is specific for your piano’s finish. For satin finishes, be sure to only polish inline with the grain.
Play your piano! Pianos are designed to be enjoyed! While it is true that the parts wear as the piano is played, parts can be replaced; experiences cannot.
Safe Handling
Do not place drinks, plants, aquariums, or anything with liquid on the piano.
Avoid burning candles nearby that produce soot.
Ask for professional help before moving a grand piano or heavy upright
Have the piano serviced regularly (see “Scheduled Maintenance” below)
Do not drag the piano across the floor.
Avoid sliding the bench on the floor.
Use caster cups and rugs to protect the casters and floors.
Do not sit or rest your body on any part of the piano.
If something doesn't feel right, don't force it.
Regular Tuning
It is important to keep your piano in tune; not only for the sound, but for the internal structure. Pianos strings collectively hold tens of thousands of pounds of tension, and allowing that tension to drop (or raise, in some cases) can cause severe structural damage to the instrument. The exact frequency your piano should be tuned depends on its environment and usage, but most pianos are recommended to be tuned twice per year, ideally after a season change.
New Pianos: 4 times in the first year
High Use/High Value Pianos: 2 times per year
Concert Pianos: as often as possible, ideally before each performance.
Casual Use Pianos: at least once per year
All Pianos: When it sounds out of tune (more info on that coming soon)
Regular Maintenance
Tuning is only one part of caring for a piano. Over time, moving parts wear, felt compresses, lubrication diminishes, and adjustments slowly drift from their original settings. Periodic maintenance of these aspects will keep the piano sounding and feeling great, while mitigating major repair work in the future. Most of these maintenance items are also customizable to some extent, and can be set to your likings. Some maintenance items include:
Repairs: Anytime something is broken or not functioning properly
Action Lubrication: Every 1-3 years to keep parts moving freely.
Action Regulation: Every 5-10 years, or when the keyboard doesn’t feel right. It should always feel easy to express yourself on the piano.
Voicing: Every 3-5 years, or when the piano’s tone doesn’t sound they way you want it to.
Hammer Reshaping: When the hammers have visible grooves from the strings.
A Seasonal Service Appointment allows for addressing some of these gradually during each visit. More details can be found on the Services page.