How To Move A Grandfather Clock

Grandfather clocks are a unique piece of furniture that provide a vintage aesthetic to your home. However, due to their age and intricate inner workings, grandfather clocks are susceptible to damage if they are moved improperly. If you are moving into a new house, you need to take a number of steps to ensure that your grandfather does not accidentally become damaged.

Remove the Weights

The first thing that you should do when preparing a grandfather clock for movement is to open it up and remove the weights inside that power the pendulum and other moving parts. Some grandfather clocks can even have the pendulum itself taken out. Be sure to remove everything that you can from the interior of the clock, making a note of where they are installed within the clock so that you can put them back in without issue afterwards. You'll want to pack the pendulum, weights, and anything else that you managed to remove from the interior in a separate box, taking care to wrap them all carefully, as any physical damage to the weights or pendulum can affect the accuracy of your clock.

Wrapping the Body

The next step to moving a grandfather clock is making sure that the body of the clock itself is protected. You can do this with a packing blanket, available at most storage and moving supply stores, or an old quilt lying around the home. Secure it with packing tape so that it is snugly fit around the entirety of the grandfather clock's body – ideally, no parts of the clock's face or body should be showing.

Proper Movement

Once the clock itself has been wrapped up and the weights have been put away, you can then move your grandfather clock safely. Depending on the size of your clock, you may want to get an extra person or two to help you move it safely and stably. Alternatively, you can make use of a dolly to make the transportation process a little easier. However, no matter how you decide to move your grandfather clock, you must make sure that you do not tilt it or carry it horizontally, as this can cause all sorts of havoc to the interior of the clock, even without the weights. Make sure to carry the clock vertically, and secure it with straps within the moving truck to prevent it from falling over. Once you've done that, all you have to do is unpack it in the reverse order of this article!

For more information or assistance, contact companies like Warners Moving & Storage.