If you are planning to dispose of an upright piano (upright piano or vertical piano), it will be very difficult to bring it in one piece. It would be easier to disassemble the entire piano first and move it piece by piece. Disassembling a piano is a job that requires patience, and once disassembled a piano will not be able to be used again because parts may be damaged in this process. If you don't mind the risk, start by removing all the screws holding the piano's outer body together and then disassembling the inner mechanism. After that, remove the keys and the action brackets. Finally, remove the rest of the frame so that the piano is ready to be disposed of.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Unscrew the Piano Body
Step 1. Unscrew the keys and cover the piano body
The keycap is located on top of the keyboard and the body cover is on the top of the piano. Usually both can be opened easily. Open the tus lid by lifting it slightly, then pushing it back until it sticks. Meanwhile, the body cover at the top of the piano is attached with hinges and is opened from the front.
Sometimes the body cover is screwed down or installed in a certain way. If you can't lift the body cover, look for screws to secure it. Unscrew the screw to lift it
Step 2. Open the hinges on the front wall of the piano to see the harp
The front wall is the part of the piano in front of you, where the musical notes are placed. After the body cover is opened, you can look and reach into the back of the wall. There are hinges on each side of the wall that attach it to the piano body. Open the two hinges by sliding the latch out of the socket to remove the front wall. After that, lift the front wall off the piano body.
- You may need help with this step. The front wall of the piano is usually heavy and the helper will make it easier for you to lift it.
- Some piano manufacturers fix the front wall with screws. If you find that the wall is attached to the piano body using screws, unscrew the screws so that the wall can be removed.
Step 3. Unscrew the key cap
Key caps are usually fixed with screws. Once the front wall is removed, inspect the back of the key cap and look for screws. Unscrew and lift the key cover.
Step 4. Remove the bottom wall to reveal the piano's inner mechanism
The bottom wall is a flat, vertical board located at the bottom of the keys, where the pedals stick out of them. The lower wall partially protects the piano's interior mechanism. Usually, the lower wall is supported only by dowels and springs. Check for metal pegs under the keys. Push the pegs up to release the bottom wall. Then, remove the wall from its place.
Hold onto the wall while the pegs are pushed. Walls can fall off and fall on you if you don't hold them
Step 5. Unscrew the body cover
One of the last parts is the body cover that you lifted earlier. The body cover is fixed with hinges. Open the hinges from the piano body to remove the body cover. After that, lift and remove the lid.
Place all exposed pieces of wood in a safe place. If you leave it near your work area, you could trip over it while you're dismantling other parts
Part 2 of 3: Removing the Keys and Piano Mover
Step 1. Unscrew the damper latch from the piano action
The dampening laken will stick to the strings to drown out the sound. The laken runs along the strings at eye level from a seated position. Usually the damper is installed with a wing nut on one side. Unscrew the wing nut and lift the damper after the nut is removed.
Sometimes the damper is not installed with the wing nut. If this is the case, press the spring on the side of the damper to remove it from the mechanism. Then, lift the silencer from inside the piano
Step 2. Unscrew the bolts from the drive brackets
The piano actuator contains a hammer that sounds the strings. It is located right above the keys. The drive is mounted with 4 metal brackets which are connected to the piano body by 4 knob screws. Turn all knobs counterclockwise to remove them. Once everything is opened, the drive can be removed.
Usually, you can turn this knob by hand, without the need for a screwdriver. However, if there is a slot at the top of the knob to insert a screwdriver, use it
Step 3. Pull the drive mechanism forward, then lift it off
Once the knob is opened, the drive can be removed. Take both elbows from above and pull the drive forward to about 45°. Then, lift it straight up to remove it.
- If you want the drive to stay in good condition, just hold it and lift it from the elbows because if you touch the inner mechanism, the drive can be damaged. If the piano is going to be thrown away, you don't have to worry about where to hold the drive.
- It would be better if you are helped by a friend to lift the movers because this part is very heavy.
Step 4. Lift each key off the piano
The keys just rest on the pegs and are not tied, so just lift. Lift each key up to remove them all.
Put the keys in a bucket or box. A music store or professional musical instrument technician may be willing to purchase keys to repair another piano. Try selling your keys at online marketplaces or ask your local instrument store if they're interested in buying piano parts
Part 3 of 3: Disassembling the Piano Frame
Step 1. Loosen the tension on each string on the harp for safety
With the keys and movers unlocked, you can easily access the piano harp. The harp is a large metal frame attached to the back of the piano, where the strings are. Do nothing until the strings are loosened. The harp has dozens of high-tension metal strings, and if one breaks, the strings can injure you. Look for the tuning peg at the top of the harp. Then twist it counterclockwise until the string is loose.
- For a faster option, purchase a string player. This tool works like a drill that wraps around a tuning fork and loosens or tightens the strings quickly.
- If you want to save or sell the string, remove the entire string once it's loosened by cutting it with a wire cutter just below the adjusting peg.
Step 2. Unscrew the keyboard from the piano body
The keyboard, which is where the keys were before they were removed, is attached to the piano body with a series of screws. The location of the screws depends on the piano manufacturer. Check the back foot of the keyboard for screws that attach it to the body. Then, check along the bottom of the keyboard. Remove any screws you can find, then pull the keyboard out.
- If you're going to throw the piano away, you don't have to be too careful. Just use a rubber mallet or sledgehammer to pry the keyboard away from the piano body and make the job faster.
- Once the keyboard is removed, the rest of the piano body may not be able to stand steady. Be careful standing behind it and keep the children away from the piano until you are done with work.
Step 3. Lay the piano back
With the keyboard removed, the piano can fall over. Thus, it is safer to complete the disassembly with the piano lying down. Stand behind the piano and slowly lower it to the floor.
- The piano will still feel heavy, so ask someone to help.
- Be careful not to get your fingers caught on the floor when laying down the piano.
Step 4. Open the sidewall of the piano
The final exterior of the piano body are two wooden planks on the right and left sides. On most upright pianos, this is where the piano wheel is attached. Inspect the inside of the piano frame for the screws that secure the two boards to the body. Open them all up, then pull the two boards off.
This board will also come off with a few hammer blows. If you don't need to keep the board in good condition, just take a rubber mallet and hit the board from the inside out. A few strokes should have removed it from the body
Step 5. Pull the piano harp to complete the disassembly
The last piece to remove is the piano harp. The harp is attached to the piano body with bolts and screws. Check around the harp and unscrew any screws you see. After that, lift the harp to finish disassembling the piano.
- On some upright pianos, the harp is glued to the wood. In this case, even if you unscrew the screw, the harp cannot be removed.
- Remember, the strings must be loosened before the harp is removed.
