Whether you’re moving home or simply rearranging your furniture, moving heavy furniture is always a painful problem that carries a multitude of risks to yourself and to the items you’re trying to move. If you need to move a heavy item across numerous types of floors, up or down stairs, or by yourself, you may run into any number of problems.
Here is a complete guide on how to move heavy furniture in all kinds of situations, and to keep yourself and your furniture safe whilst you do it!
How to move heavy furniture on carpet
Carpet is often seen to be the friendly surface for moving heavy furniture as it will sometimes allow for furniture to slide. If your piece of heavy furniture however has legs, like a pool table or a desk for example, then carpet may actually impede you as the legs can dig into the carpet and make it impossible to move. If you want to know how to move a pool table or a similar heavy piece of furniture in this situation, the best option is to buy furniture sliders: these can be attached to the bottoms of furniture like the pool table legs and make it easier to pull across carpet.
The aim of carpet sliders is to reduce the friction between your item of furniture and the floor, so if you want to know how to move a pool table or desk easily, then the answer is to reduce this friction. Make sure the smooth side of the furniture slider is facing the floor, and then pull in a single sliding movement. Try to do all the movement at once, as this is less tiring for yourself overall and also reduces friction overall.
How to move heavy furniture on hardwood floors
Hardwood floor owners often have nightmares about anything scratching or tarnishing their beautiful floors, and moving heavy furniture is often the worst offender in this regard. If you are super-protective of your floor but need to move an item of furniture, this can be quite the conundrum.
Unlike moving furniture on carpet, you should only resort to sliding furniture on hardwood floors if it is absolutely impossible to carry—even with multiple people. In this situation, you should opt for furniture sliders especially made to work on hardwood floors. Even furniture sliders can leave a mark if the furniture is heavy enough, so it may be advisable to life the furniture ever so slightly as you slide it in order to transfer some of the weight.
Another option on hardwood floors is to resort to wheels: if you can hire a dolly or rig one up yourself, you can more easily move objects and protect your floor. If you’re given the option, opt for a rubber-wheeled dolly, as these are more floor-friendly.
How to move heavy furniture upstairs/downstairs
Perhaps the biggest challenge when moving any type of furniture is moving it up or down a set of stairs. The first obstacle however in these cases is often not a question of weight but of size and shape: you do not want to end up in a Friends-esque scene screen screaming ‘pivot’ while trying to move awkwardly shaped furniture. One of the first things you can do in this situation if possible it to take your furniture apart so its size is reduced: take drawers out of chests of draws, unscrew wardrobe doors, or separate your heavy desk chair into several pieces. Going back to the pool table example, the easiest method of how to move a pool table is to unscrew the legs (if possible) and remove the balls and accessories from within the table before attempting to move it.
No matter how tempting it may be, do not attempt to slide furniture downstairs without sufficient support: firstly, you may loose your grip as gravity pulls it downwards and secondly, it may scratch your furniture. Instead, place your item of furniture on planks that can allow a person above and below the item to have better grip. The item will then be easier to push upwards or slide downwards.
How to move heavy furniture by yourself
Many people want to know how to move heavy furniture by themselves, and the simple answer to that question is DON’T DO IT. Moving heavy items alone can put you at real risk of injury, and if you suffer an accident, there will be nobody around to call for help.
If you are stuck in a situation where you absolutely must move a piece of heavy furniture alone, then first assess whether it is even possible. If you think it can be managed, then follow best practices by using your legs as much as possible to reduce strain on your back. Plant your feet firmly and keep your back as near to vertical as possible. This reduces your chances or hurting your back and causing yourself serious injury.
Need help with your next move? Contact Wrightway Movers in Dallas for help!
