Piano in ur Apartment (apartment complex, renting, townhomes)

[MistyDoo]

Does anyone have a piano in there apartment? Was wondering if Apartments even allow pianos..

[wendyscott]

Sometimes, it all depends in the land lord on your tenancy agreements. Pianos are like pets, sometimes, allowed and sometimes not. But it is advisable to ask your landlord if he will allow it or not.

[Richard Martin]

The deal with pianos is the weight. The average upright piano weighs upwards of 500 pounds and all of that weigh is concentrated in a very small space. It's kinda like a hot tub, only worse because a hot tube spreads it's weight out over a much larger area. This weight is called a Live Load. A dead load would be the structure of the apartment, windows, doors, floors, carpeting, cabinets, walls, bathtubs, roofs etc.. The live load is anything that can easily be removed. Your piano, furniture, you, stuff in the closet etc.

The structure of a dwelling (or any building for that matter) can only support a given weight. Once you exceed that weight it starts to affect the structure of the building. Collapse is the ultimate affect. I doubt your piano would lead to a collapse. What your piano can do is cause floor joists and weaker headers (they hold up the floor or roof where it goes over windows and doors) to warp and bend. I have seen it happen.

Usually when a collapse does happen, it's because something wasn't built correctly.


Haag Engineering - Hyatt Regency Walkway Collapse - YouTube

This is dramatic footage of a deck collapse as it happened.


Churubusco Prom Deck Collapse - YouTube

[RunningNorm]

I have worked in college student housing for 10 years now...and we have similar questions from students. I would recommend NOT bringing a piano. First of all, they are heavy as the previous person stated, and they can be hard to move. I had one my first three years working in housing and lived in a different place each year...it was not fun moving the piano and was really not good for it.

I recommend a keyboard instead. I have the following one:

NP-30 - Portable Grand - Digital Pianos - Pianos & Keyboards - Musical Instruments - Products - Yamaha United States

The sound is incredible and it only weighs 12 pounds...I can easily carry it with one hand...12 beautiful sounds that you can layer...I am very happy with it. And, I can control the volume or even wear headphones if I like...your neighbors will be pleased.

The other one I recommend is this, which I also have: Q49 49-Key USB/MIDI Keyboard Controller

I play this via USB through my Mac. And, with Garage Band, I can utilize any instrument I like to play on it and can compose songs. Only 49 keys, but you can move the octaves up and down easily. And, again, full volume control, you can use headphone, etc. And, this one only weighs around 7 lbs...maybe...it is quite light.

Hope this helps!

[MistyDoo]

Thanks for your replies, my piano is a concole piano and about 300 pound tops. Would be living on the first floor. Nice it it is not a very loud piano, perfect for smaller rooms. But yes I well have to look into it first.
Thanks yes I have been through a few digital, I have the Yamaha NP11 61 key now and like it for lying around and working out scales and such while watching Tv.
I may be better renting a house more so than a apt complex. As I do like to play the electric guitar as well. Still have allot of the 60's era in my blood. LoL.. Thanks again..

[MrBojangles]

Why would you not just call the apartment complex(es) and ask? Instead of asking here. The only real answer will be what the complex thinks.

[MistyDoo]

I thought if a couple folks chimmed in saying they had one in there apartment or new of a apartment complex that someone they new has one. Some apartments might even have one in there rec room area. Would narrow my search before I started calling and looking for a apartment.

""The only real answer will be what the complex thinks."

Da.. that is why I asked the question here, thinking someone might of aready seached this question. There answer would of been helpful.

[Phil A. Delphia]

A lot of townhomes have concrete-based floors (lowest floor only) that could support a piano, and if you can get an end unit and place it on an unshared wall...