Keep Your Table Stable: Safely Transporting An Antique Dining Table During A House Move
Moving homes can always be a stressful endeavour, particularly if you are moving to a different state, but it can become an even more nerve-wracking prospect if you have antique furniture travelling with you. Moving an antique dining table from one home to another can be a particularly trying task, as they tend to possess an awkward combination of size and fragility, with delicate protruding legs adding to your worries.
However, this isn't to say that you should abandon your prized antique table at our old home -- with a little care, attention, and maybe some professional help, you can take every precaution possible to ensure that your dining table makes it to its new home undamaged and ready for service.
Packing your antique table
When packing our table for transit, the first thing to do is determine whether the legs are capable of being detached safely. While some one-piece tables with have immobile legs fused to the body of the table itself, other tables (particularly those not made from wood) will have corners screws or other fastening devices holding the legs in place. These devices can be removed relatively easily. If your table's legs aren't part of the main body but are glued in place, your best bet is probably to keep them attached, but consider consulting an antique expert about the possibility of removing them, and whether or not this will affect the value of your table.
Once you have decided whether the legs stay or go, the next step is wrapping your table. Ordinary packing materials like cardboard and bubble wrap don't cut it here, and your best option is to purchase or hire furniture blankets (many removal companies will rent these to you at at a low cost, or include them in the price of your move). These blankets are made tough, tear-resistant materials, and are padded to provide excellent protection to delicate corners and other features.
If you have taken the legs off your table, be sure to wrap them separately, preferably in individual blankets to prevent them knocking together and scratching. If this is not possible, take extra care to ensure that the table as a whole is covered. Pay particular attention to the top of the table, as if it's legs are still attached the table will need to travel upside down and should be protected against scratches. If you feel uncomfortable attempting this yourself, consider having your removalists wrap the table in blankets for you.
Moving your antique table
Once the table is properly wrapped, it can be loaded onto the removal vehicle you have chosen and started on its journey. To smooth this process over as much as possible, you should choose a removals company with the tools and experience needed to safely transport your table. A removals company suitable to handle your table should use a vehicle in good condition with a relatively smooth ride, and the vehicle should be equipped with harnesses and straps which are used to prevent your table shifting during transit. As such, you should make sure the company you choose has all the necessary equipment and knowledge -- positive testimonials from previous customers are always worth looking out for.
Once your table is on the road its well being lies in the hands of your chosen removals company, but you can still take steps to maximise its safety. Once commonly overlooked aspect of the removals process is the journey the removal vehicle(s) take, and a truck carrying a delicate table should avoid rough roads, sharp bends and other hazards which can cause the table to shift. Go over the route your removals service plans to take in advance, and consider paying extra to have them take a longer but less hazardous route.