Protecting Wood During a Move

Because of migratory parents chasing better jobs, our family moved over thirty times while I was still at home. After I married, the trend continued and I find myself in a minority of people who can claim that they've moved over forty times before their fiftieth birthday. Several rooms of my home house pieces of wood furniture from several generations. As I write this article, I spy the colonial-style wood chair with cushioned seat that Dad's Mom used in her living room. It bears the scars of moving, with small scratches, dents, and gauges in the lovely maple. Such markings are not a fine patina. Rather, it is evidence of careless moving.

Protecting wood furniture during a move is simple, yet takes time. Whether you have a new bedroom dresser in cherry, or a nineteenth-century oak chifferobe, there are steps you can take to ensure its protection during moving:

• Use furniture pads, blankets, foam, or linens as padding. Do not use bubble wrap directly against wood. Instead, use a breathable natural fiber.
• Remove all casters, knobs, and finials, place them inside of an envelope, and label the envelope with the name of the piece. Do not tape the envelope onto the furniture, as tape leaves residue and may strip the finish when you remove it.
• Secure drawers with twine. Use a padding of folded towels underneath the twine when you tie it.
• Remove shelves, wrap them in padding, and label them with the name of the piece.
• Pad corners and handles before you move the piece.
• Never drag or slide a piece of furniture. Always lift it. Furniture legs can be broken or loosened if you drag the piece.

During a move, resist the urge to place packed boxes on top of wood furniture. Simply because your wood dining room table affords a flat work space doesn't mean you should use it as such. When moving wood furniture, remember that it is possible that it will be banged against doorways, other furniture, dollies, and the moving truck ramp. When that happens, wood furniture is susceptible to gouging, dents, and scratches. Rely upon sufficient padding to ensure against damages, and always have a third person to act as a spotter to direct two people who are moving a large piece of wood furniture.

When moving valuable wood furniture, expert furniture movers recommend three layers of protection; protective padding protects the surface against scratches, vibration protection shields wood from small impacts and bumps, and a protective shell provides a hard casing in the event that rough handling might damage the piece.