How Much Does a Piano Weigh?

An upright piano weighs 180–300 kg (400–660 lb); a baby grand 250–350 kg (550–770 lb); a full-size grand 350–500 kg (770–1,100 lb); a concert grand 450–600 kg (1,000–1,300 lb). The weight lives mostly in the cast iron plate that holds the strings' tension, which is why even a small piano is heavier than it looks and why moving one is a specialist job. Here's the full table by type and common model, and what the number means for your floor, your stairs, and your moving budget.

How much does each type of piano weigh?

Older pianos tend to the heavy end: golden-era Canadian uprights (Heintzman, Mason & Risch) often weigh 280–320 kg, and player pianos — with the pneumatic mechanism inside — can pass 350 kg. Digital pianos, by contrast, weigh 15–60 kg; hybrid and cabinet digitals 40–90 kg.

How much do popular piano models weigh?

• Yamaha U1 (48" upright): about 228 kg / 502 lb
• Yamaha U3 (52" upright): about 240 kg / 529 lb
• Kawai K-300 (48"): about 227 kg / 500 lb
• Yamaha GB1K (5' baby grand): about 261 kg / 575 lb
• Yamaha C3 (6'1" grand): about 320 kg / 705 lb
• Steinway Model M (5'7"): about 270 kg / 595 lb
• Steinway Model D (8'11¾" concert): about 480 kg / 1,060 lb

Why are pianos so heavy?

The cast iron plate — the gold-painted frame inside — is a third or more of the total; it resists roughly 18 tonnes of string tension and can't be made lighter. The soundboard, case, and action make up the rest. In an upright, the weight sits high and over a narrow footprint, which is what makes them tippy; a grand spreads it over three legs and a wide rim but can't be rolled or tilted casually.

What does a piano's weight mean for floors, stairs and moving?

Your floor is fine. Residential floors are designed for loads far beyond a piano's — the detailed answer, including the few cases worth a second look (very old joists, cantilevers), is here. The real floor risk is dents from casters, not collapse: caster cups ($20–$40) solve it.

Stairs are the problem. Not the weight itself but the weight on an incline, held by people — this is where backs, banisters, and pianos get hurt. Professional piano movers use straps, boards, and dollies for exactly this; it's the part of a move worth every dollar (moving costs).

"Can four friends move it?" An upright across a level floor on its casters: two careful adults, short distance, no threshold. Anything else: no. The weight is deceptive, top-heavy, and unforgiving — and a dropped piano is a destroyed action at best.

Grands travel on their side. Legs and lyre off, the body strapped to a skid board, through doors and elevators by crew. Never improvise.

Weight and sound. More piano generally means more sound — longer strings, bigger soundboard — which is why a tall upright can out-sing a small baby grand (the small-home comparison). Weight is a side effect of that, not a quality measure in itself.

Common questions

How much does an upright piano weigh?
180–300 kg (400–660 lb) depending on height — spinets and consoles lighter, full 52-inch uprights toward 300 kg; older Canadian uprights and player pianos heavier still.

How much does a baby grand piano weigh?
250–350 kg (550–770 lb). Medium grands run 320–420 kg; concert grands 450–600 kg.

Can two people move a piano?
Two adults can roll an upright a short distance across a level floor on its casters. Stairs, thresholds, trucks, and any grand need professional piano movers. Ask us if you want advice before a move.