How to move antique furniture without damaging it
Old timber has weak joins, brittle veneer and finishes that mark easily, and a move tests all of them. Here is how to prepare a piece, carry it and settle it into its new room.
Short answer
To move antique furniture, record its condition first, then take off glass, marble tops, drawers and loose hardware. Wrap each piece in moving blankets, with no plastic touching the finish. Lift it by its strongest, join-free part, never by a leg, arm or knob, and keep it out of heat and damp in the vehicle.
Key takeaways
- Write down and photograph every chip, crack and loose part before anything is wrapped.
- Take off glass, marble tops, drawers and loose hardware, and carry glass and marble upright.
- Wrap in moving blankets. Keep plastic off polished timber.
- Lift by the sturdiest part of the piece. Legs, arms and handles are where antiques fail.
- Heat, damp and sudden swings in humidity crack veneer, so plan the truck and the new room around them.
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Before you touch it: record the condition
Antiques carry damage you can no longer see. The Indiana Historical Society’s guide to wooden furniture warns that furniture can have hidden weak spots that are not evident until something causes the piece to break, so even a solid-looking sideboard deserves care.
Photograph each piece from the front, back, top and underneath, and take close-ups of any chip, crack, lifting veneer or old repair. Bekins suggests photographing every antique before packing, which helps you unpack and spot any chip or crack caused in transit. Wisemove’s guide adds a written note of defects, scratches and loose parts, which you can use as a checklist when the furniture is loaded and unloaded.
If a piece is valuable, ask someone who knows the piece well how it should be handled. We are removalists, so we do not value, restore or insure antiques. A dealer or conservator is the right call for that.
Take off what can come off
Anything loose is a risk while the piece is carried. The Indiana Historical Society says to check for loose pieces before moving, whether they are meant to be loose, like a removable top, or loose by accident, like a chair with a broken leg.
- Glass panels, shelves and mirrors. Bekins lists glass panels among the parts to take off. Wrap each one separately.
- Marble and glass tops. The Church of England’s timberwork guide says to carry glass and marble table tops vertically, because they can break under their own weight if carried flat.
- Drawers. Take them out, label them with the piece they belong to and carry them separately. Do not force a jammed drawer. The same guide says to get specialist help instead.
- Loose hardware and broken-off pieces. The Church of England guide suggests collecting any broken-off woodwork in a labelled bag with the object and location written on it, and that applies to knobs and keys too.
How to wrap antique furniture
Blankets do most of the work. Bekins recommends moving blankets for larger fragile pieces because they cover wide areas without harming paint or wood, with corner protectors and padding on legs. Wisemove suggests two or three layers of blankets, padding and foam.
Clean and dry the surface the day before. Wisemove warns that oils can cause packaging to leave imprints on a woodstain, so skip oils and waxes right before a move.
Plastic is the one to watch. Bubble wrap pressed on a stained or polished surface can leave a mark. Put blankets or soft paper against the finish. If you use stretch wrap at all, keep it over the blankets only to hold them on, and away from the wood.
- Cover the surface with a clean moving blanket or soft paper.
- Protect corners and legs with padding or corner protectors.
- Add a second blanket and hold it on with tape that touches only the blanket, never the finish.
- Wrap glass, mirrors and loose parts on their own and pack them in a labelled box.
Lifting and carrying antique furniture
Never drag or push furniture across the floor. The Indiana Historical Society says to pick it up and support it, no matter how short the distance, by finding a sturdy part without a join: pick a chair up by the seat, and a table by the tabletop. The Church of England guide gives the same rule, to carry pieces at their strongest point and avoid tipping and dragging.
That is why a dining chair should never be lifted by its arm, a cabinet by its handles, or a table by its legs. Those are the parts most likely to be old repairs or loose joins. Plan the route first, as the same guide recommends, and clear it of rugs, shoes and anything that is in the way. Go slowly and ask for help. Two people is the minimum for most pieces.
Measure the doorways first
A wardrobe that cannot clear a door or a stairwell is a reason to remove its top or doors in advance, not to force it. Check the access at both ends before the day.
Moving something old and irreplaceable?
Tell us what the piece is, where it sits now and the access at both ends. We will plan the move and come back with a clear quote.
Loading the truck and protecting timber from heat and damp
Secure each piece so it cannot shift. Wisemove says to secure furniture inside the vehicle so it cannot move in transit, and Bekins says crated or boxed items should stay upright without excessive pressure on them. Put heavy items on the floor of the load and fragile items where nothing can lean on them.
Timber reacts to its surroundings. The Western Australian Museum’s manual advises keeping wooden objects between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius and 40 to 60 per cent relative humidity, with daily swings of no more than 4 degrees and 5 per cent. It says dry heat shrinks and cracks wood, while excess moisture makes it swell and warp. The Church of England guide says frequent humidity changes can jam doors and drawers and loosen nails and metal inlays.
Setting it up in the new place
Keep the piece away from heaters, vents and direct sun. The Western Australian Museum says sunlight can cause veneers and glues to lift, warp or crack, and the Church of England guide warns against local heat sources such as radiators.
Give the room a day to settle before you refit drawers and glass. Check your photos against the piece as you go, and refit hardware from the labelled bags.
When to get a removalist involved
Much of our work comes through real estate agents and antique dealers, so valuable and fragile pieces are everyday work for us. We have been moving homes since 1989. We are based in Balmain, service the Inner West and Lower North Shore, and move within NSW.
If the piece is large, heavy, in poor condition or sitting at the top of a staircase, it is worth having a crew do it. Our speciality moves page has more on our fragile and valuable work, and we can pack and unpack the rest of the house around it. We do not move pianos or billiard tables, and we do not do interstate work.
Common questions
Should I wrap antique furniture in plastic?
Keep plastic off the finish. Moving blankets and soft paper are the usual choice, and Wisemove warns that oils can leave imprints from packaging on a woodstain. If you use stretch wrap at all, keep it over the blankets only.
Can I lift an antique chair by its arms?
No. The Indiana Historical Society says to pick furniture up by a sturdy part without a join, such as the seat of a chair. Arms, legs and handles are the parts most likely to fail.
How do I carry a marble or glass top?
Upright. The Church of England’s timberwork guide says glass and marble table tops can break under their own weight if carried horizontally. Wrap them separately and carry them with two people.
Should I take drawers out before a move?
Yes. Take them out, label them and carry them separately so they cannot slide and strike the frame. If a drawer is jammed, do not force it. Get specialist help.
Is it safe to leave antique furniture in a hot truck?
Avoid it where you can. The Western Australian Museum says dry heat shrinks and cracks wood and excess moisture makes it swell and warp. Keep the time in the vehicle short and the load out of direct sun.
Do you value or insure antiques?
No. We move them. For a valuation, ask a dealer or conservator who knows the piece.
The short version
Antique furniture is hurt by weak joins, loose parts, rubbing finishes and swings in heat and humidity. Record it, strip it back, wrap it in blankets and lift it by its strongest part.
- Photograph and write down the condition first.
- Remove glass, marble tops, drawers and loose hardware, and label them.
- Blankets against the finish, not plastic.
- Lift by the sturdy, join-free part and plan the route.
- Keep timber away from heat, sun and damp, before and after the move.
Moving in the Inner West or Lower North Shore?
Tell us what you are moving, including the antiques, and anything awkward about the access at either end. We will come back with a clear quote and a plan for the day.
Get a free quote Call 0416 236 209
Based in Balmain, moving homes across Sydney and within NSW since 1989.
Sources
- Caring for Wooden Furniture, Indiana Historical Society
- Conservation of Timberwork, Church of England
- Museum manual: wooden objects, Western Australian Museum
- How to move antiques, Bekins
- How to move antique furniture, Wisemove