You'll save money not hiring pro movers, but there are some supplies you'll need.
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
Furniture dolly
Gloves
Screwdriver
Furniture blankets (optional)
SUPPLIES
Plywood
Some home appliances require a little oomph to move. But others require the strength and determination of a weightlifting competitor to relocate, and moving a wood stove falls into the second category.
While it’s not impossible to move a wood stove without professional help, you should weigh the risk of damaging your floors and your health. The safer option is to hire professional movers who have the experience and tools necessary to get the job done. However, if you’re determined to DIY a wood stove move, here's what you and your team need to know before attempting this task.
Prepping to Move a Wood Stove
There will be a good deal of pushing and sliding required to move your wood stove. Unless you don't mind carving some deep scratches into your flooring, you'll want to lay down sheets of plywood to protect it. The plywood provides a frictionless surface that allows you to slide the stove along to its new position, even if you aren't using a furniture dolly.
7 Steps to Move a Wood Stove
Get Assistance From Multiple People
Unless you have superhuman strength, it’s impossible to move a wood stove on your own. With that in mind, gather a group of three other people to help you tackle this task. Before you attempt to move a wood stove, have your team in place and ready to lift, guide, and slide.
This is one of those situations when yelling, "Coming through!" won't cut it. You’ll need to clear the way for your team of assistants so that nothing gets in the way while moving that heavy wood stove. Rearrange furniture, roll up area rugs, take doors off hinges, or whatever else you must do to get the wood stove to its next destination. In addition to clearing a path, ensure that any pets or small children are removed from the moving path.
Once you’ve cleared a moving path, cover it with sheets of plywood. Keep in mind that this step is only necessary if you aren’t using a dolly to move your wood stove. Measure the moving path ahead of time to ensure that you have enough plywood to provide a smooth, continuous path for the stove that will avoid damaging the floor.
Remove Stove Pipes and Other Accessories
You might be able to skip this part if you are moving the stove to another corner of the room. But if you are removing the stove from the house to put it onto a moving truck, you'll want to make it as light as possible. Use a screwdriver to take off the stove door and any pipes so that you don't have to worry about anything falling off or coming undone while you move it.
Wrap the Wood Stove
If the wood stove is going for a ride in a moving vehicle, wrap it with furniture blankets and straps. You're not only protecting the stove itself, but you're also protecting anything else around it in case it gets jostled in transit.
Finally, get everyone into position. If you are attempting to lift the stove onto a furniture dolly, it's helpful to have four people at each stove corner.
If you're using a furniture dolly, lift on a count of three to hoist the stove onto the dolly. Then, you can slowly roll it along, ensuring that the stove stays steady on the dolly. It's a good idea to have a person at each corner to guide the stove, particularly if you are moving it up or down ramps to get it into a moving truck.
If you are not using a furniture dolly, lift on a count of three to place the stove onto the plywood path. Then, push the stove along the plywood until it reaches its destination. You'll likely have to stop to readjust the plywood as you go, taking breaks to stretch and reposition.
Once the stove is in the right position, lift on the count of three to slide the dolly or plywood that's underneath it. Reverse the steps to remove the stove from the moving vehicle and into its next position.
Reassemble the Wood Stove
Once your wood stove is set in its new destination, reassemble it by putting on any parts or accessories you removed earlier. Be sure to use a screwdriver to tighten the parts correctly.
DIY Moving a Wood Stove vs. Hiring a Pro
Hiring professional movers to relocate a wood stove will cost anywhere between $25 and $50 per hour per mover. If moving your wood stove is part of your move, there may be an additional fee for large or bulky items tacked onto the total bill. However, you can also hire movers for this type of one-off task.
While it’s possible to move a wood stove safely with the help of several other people, you risk hurting yourself and your flooring during the process. Since wood stoves are such heavy and hard-to-move items, it’s easier and safer to hire a team of professionals to tackle this job.
