Moving is often cited as one of life’s most stressful events. Between organizing boxes, forwarding mail, and managing timelines, the to-do list can feel endless. However, the complexity of a relocation increases exponentially when you introduce “specialty items” into the mix. These aren’t just heavy boxes of books or bags of clothes; these are your most prized possessions—the grand piano that has been in the family for generations, the heavy-duty gun safe, the curated wine collection, or the fine art that hangs as the centrepiece of your living room.
Standard moving procedures often fall short when it comes to these unique belongings. They require more than just muscle; they demand strategy, specialized equipment, custom packaging, and a deep understanding of physics and logistics.
At Western Moving, we have been Edmonton’s trusted movers for four generations. As an agent for United Van Lines, we have the global network and local expertise to handle the most delicate and difficult items imaginable. This guide will walk you through the intricacies of moving specialty items, offering factually accurate insights and professional advice to ensure your valuables arrive at your new destination in pristine condition.
What Qualifies as a Specialty Item?
Before diving into the logistics, it is important to identify what constitutes a “specialty item.” In the moving industry, this term generally refers to any object that requires special handling due to its:
- Excessive Weight: Items exceeding standard lifting limits, such as safes, pool tables, or industrial machinery.
- Fragility: Items that are exceptionally prone to breakage, such as crystal chandeliers, porcelain, or neon signs.
- High Value: Irreplaceable items like original artwork, antiques, or historical artifacts.
- Sensitivity: Items sensitive to temperature, humidity, or vibration, such as wine collections or scientific equipment.
- Size or Shape: Awkwardly shaped items that cannot fit into standard boxes or through standard doorways without disassembly.
Identifying these items early in the moving process is critical. Failing to account for them can lead to delays on moving day, personal injury, or catastrophic damage to the item and your home.
Moving Pianos: A Symphony of Logistics
Perhaps the most common specialty item we encounter is the piano. It is also one of the most deceptive. A piano is not just a heavy piece of furniture; it is a complex musical instrument comprised of thousands of moving parts, strings under high tension, and a delicate finish.
The Risks of DIY Piano Moving
Many homeowners underestimate the weight of a piano. An upright piano can weigh between 300 and 500 pounds, while a concert grand can tip the scales at over 1,200 pounds. Attempting to move a piano with friends often results in damage to the instrument’s internal mechanics, scratches on hardwood floors, and severe back injuries.
The Professional Approach
Moving a piano requires a specific set of tools and techniques:
- Preparation: The keyboard lid must be locked or secured to prevent keys from being damage. The pedals and legs (for grands) are often wrapped or removed.
- Skid Boards and Dollies: Professionals use a “piano board” or skid board. For grand pianos, the instrument is carefully tilted onto its straight side on the board after the legs are removed. This board is then strapped securely to the piano.
- Padding: Specialized moving blankets are used to cover every inch of the surface to prevent scratches and dents during transport.
- Ramps and Lifts: Heavy-duty ramps or hydraulic tailgates are essential for getting the piano onto the truck without a jarring impact that could throw it out of tune or damage the soundboard.
Note: Even with the smoothest move, temperature and humidity changes will affect the tuning. It is factually accurate to recommend waiting two to three weeks after the move for the piano to acclimate to the new environment before having it professionally tuned.
Fine Art and Antiques: Preserving History
Moving fine art and antiques is less about weight and more about preservation. These items are often irreplaceable, meaning no amount of money can truly compensate for their loss. The primary enemies of art during a move are puncture, vibration, moisture, and skin oils.
Oil Paintings and Canvas
Oil paintings should never be wrapped directly in bubble wrap. The plastic can trap moisture against the canvas or, in extreme heat, stick to the varnish.
- Glassine Paper: Professionals start by wrapping the artwork in glassine, a smooth, grease-resistant paper that protects the surface without sticking.
- Corner Protectors: Cardboard or foam corner protectors are added to the frame to absorb shock.
- Custom Crating: For high-value pieces, a standard cardboard box is insufficient. Western Moving utilizes custom-built wooden crates. These crates are measured to the exact dimensions of the artwork and lined with foam to prevent any movement inside the crate.
Antiques and Sculptures
Antique furniture often features joinery that has dried out over decades, making it brittle.
- Disassembly: Where possible, heavy marble tops, glass doors, and shelving should be removed and packed separately.
- Crating: Large sculptures, especially those with protruding limbs or delicate features, require custom crating. The space within the crate is often filled with packing peanuts or contoured foam to distribute pressure evenly.
Pool Tables: Precision and Patience
A pool table is a centrepiece of entertainment, but moving it is a massive undertaking. The playing surface of a quality pool table is made of slate—heavy rock that can crack if the table is torqued or dropped.
The Disassembly Requirement
It is a common misconception that a pool table can be lifted by four strong people and moved intact. Doing so risks cracking the slate, warping the frame, and popping the wax seals between the slate pieces.
- Rail Removal: The pockets and rails are unbolted and removed first.
- Felt Removal: The felt (cloth) is carefully unstapled. While it is sometimes possible to reuse felt, it is often recommended to replace it during a move, as the fabric can stretch or tear during removal.
- Slate Handling: The slate usually comes in three pieces. Each piece must be removed individually and crated or wrapped heavily. Slate is incredibly heavy and requires careful handling to avoid chipping the edges.
- Re-levelling: Once at the new location, the table must be reassembled and professionallylevelledd. This is a precise art; even a fraction of an inch off-level will ruin the gameplay.
Heavy Machinery and Safes
Whether it is a gun safe, a commercial server rack, or workshop machinery, heavy equipment poses a significant safety risk. The density of these items means that if they tip, they will crush whatever—or whoever—is underneath.
Equipment for Heavy Lifts
Moving a 600-pound safe requires mechanical advantage.
- Appliance Dollies: These are not your standard hand trucks. They feature straps to secure the load and stair-climbing treads to navigate steps safely.
- Floor Protection: The weight of a safe can crack tile or gouge hardwood. We use sheets of masonite or plywood to create a temporary path, distributing the weight over a larger surface area to protect your home’s flooring.
- Stair Climbers: For particularly challenging locations, motorized stair-climbing dollies may be employed to ascend or descend stairs with heavy loads safely.
Wine Collections: Temperature is Key
For oenophiles, a wine collection represents a significant investment of time and money. Wine is a living organism; it reacts to its environment. The three biggest threats to wine during a move are temperature fluctuation, light, and vibration.
The Chemistry of Moving Wine
- Temperature: If wine gets too hot (over 25°C), it can “cook,” resulting in flat, burnt flavors. If it gets too cold, the liquid expands and can push the cork out.
- Vibration: Constant shaking disturbs the sediment in older red wines, which can alter the flavour profile. Ideally, high-value collections should be allowed to rest for several weeks after a move before opening.
- The Cork: Bottles should be stored on their sides or upside down to keep the cork moist. However, during a short move, upright packing in specialized dividers is often safer to prevent breakage, provided the temperature is controlled.
Western Moving’s “Special Commodities” division understands these nuances. For substantial collections, we can arrange for climate-controlled transportation to ensure the temperature remains stable from your old cellar to your new one.
Hot Tubs and Spas
Hot tubs are bulky, heavy, and unwieldy. A standard acrylic hot tub can weigh 800 pounds empty and measures roughly 7×7 feet, making it wider than most standard doorways and taller than most fences.
The Moving Process
- Drain and Dry: The tub must be completely drained. Any water left in the internal plumbing can stagnate or, in winter, freeze and crack the pipes.
- Electrical Disconnect: This must be done by a qualified professional. High-voltage wiring is dangerous and requires safe capping.
- The Tip and Roll: Movers typically turn the hot tub on its side (the side without the control panel/motor) onto a specialized spa dolly.
- Placement: Getting the tub into the new backyard often requires navigating narrow side yards. In some extreme cases, a crane may be required to lift the tub over a house or garage.
Medical and Commercial Equipment
Western Moving doesn’t just handle residential specialty items. We are also experts in moving commercial assets, including medical and dental equipment, trade show exhibits, and museum displays.
Sensitive Electronics and Calibration
Medical equipment often contains sensitive electronic components and calibration mechanisms. A rough move can render a devastatingly expensive MRI machine or dental chair inoperable.
- Anti-Static Packing: We utilize anti-static bubble wrap and packing peanuts to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) from damaging circuit boards.
- Lift Gates: Our fleet is equipped with hydraulic lift gates to ensure smooth loading and unloading of heavy medical machinery without tilting or jarring.
Why Choose Western Moving for Specialty Items?
Moving specialty items is not a task for the inexperienced. It requires a blend of brute strength, delicate touch, and logistical planning.
1. Custom Crating Services
We don’t rely on “one-size-fits-all” solutions. Our team can build custom wooden crates for your unique items, ensuring they travel in a container perfectly designed for their dimensions and fragility.
2. The United Van Lines Advantage
As an agent for United Van Lines, the largest van line in Canada, we have access to a nationwide network of resources. If your move requires specialized climate-controlled trucks or unique handling equipment at your destination in another province, we have the partners to make it happen seamlessly.
3. Secure Storage Solutions
Sometimes, your new home isn’t quite ready for your specialty items. Maybe the wine cellar is being renovated, or the living room floor is being refinished. Western Moving offers secure, climate-controlled storage facilities and portable storage containers. We can store your specialty items safely until you are ready to receive them.
4. Certified Expertise
We are a COR-certified company with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Our crews undergo rigorous training in proper lifting techniques, packing methods, and safety protocols. When you hire us, you are hiring four generations of family-owned excellence.
Preparing for Your Specialty Move: A Checklist
To ensure the process goes smoothly, here is a checklist for homeowners preparing to move specialty items:
- Measure Everything: Measure the item, but also measure the doorways, hallways, and stairwells at both the origin and destination. There is nothing worse than arriving at the new house to find the grand piano won’t fit through the front door.
- Check Manufacturer Instructions: For appliances, exercise equipment, and machinery, consult the owner’s manual for “moving instructions.” Some items have “shipping bolts” that need to be engaged to lock internal mechanisms in place.
- Take Photos: Document the condition of your specialty items before the movers arrive. High-resolution photos serve as proof of condition.
- Communicate Early: Do not surprise your movers on moving day. Let us know about the safe, the piano, or the sculpture during the initial quote process. The more we know, the better we can prepare with the right crew and equipment.
- Clear the Path: Ensure the pathway from the item to the door is clear of obstacles, loose rugs, or snow/ice (a common Edmonton reality).
Conclusion
Moving specialty items requires a departure from standard moving practices. It demands a tailored approach that prioritizes the safety of the item and the safety of the people moving it. Whether it is the sentimental value of a family heirloom or the monetary value of a business asset, these items deserve the highest level of care.
Attempting to move these items yourself is a gamble that rarely pays off. The potential for injury and damage far outweighs the cost of professional assistance. By partnering with a dedicated specialty mover, you gain peace of mind knowing that your most complex belongings are in capable hands.
At Western Moving, we treat your specialty items with the respect they command. From custom crating to crane lifts, we have the experience and the equipment to handle the “impossible” moves. Don’t leave your valuables to chance; trust the company that has been moving Edmonton’s families and businesses for over a century.
Ready to plan your move? Contact Western Moving today to discuss your unique requirements and let us build a custom moving plan for you. Request your free, no-obligation quote now and experience the difference expertise makes.
