How to Dispose of an Old Piano? – 13 Useful Ways Shared

Do you have a piano you need to get rid of? Perhaps yours is broken. Or maybe you just realized that you never use it and there just isn’t enough room for this instrument anymore.

Disposing of a piano can seem like a mammoth task as pianos are pretty big and can’t just be thrown in the garbage can. Equally, just throwing a piano away can feel like a shame too, especially if you spent a lot of money on an item that you no longer use.

There are actually a number of different options available to get rid of a piano. Here are some simple suggestions on what steps you can take to dispose of a piano for good:

How to Dispose of a Piano? – 13 Practical Ideas

1. Call the local junk services or recycling

Your local trash services, junk removal or recycling services may accept pianos or may even have an option for piano removal. The first port of call for a piano broken beyond repair is to call your local authorities and ask for advice in your area. If they do offer piano removal, you will need to clear a path to the piano and arrange a time for them to pick it up.

2. Sell it on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or another online classifieds website

There are likely plenty of people in your area who are looking for pianos they can restore and use in their own homes (and also plenty who aren’t), so why not take advantage of this?

The site will connect you directly with local buyers looking for a piano, you will have a much easier time selling yours if you simply state exactly what your asking price is from the beginning—this way, everyone knows what to expect. You can set the delivery options to pickup only and that way you will not have to arrange any special delivery service.

3. Donate your used piano

If your piano is still in working order, you could donate it to places like schools, community centers, old people’s homes or non-profits. This way others who share your passion for music may enjoy playing on an instrument just like yours.
A company called Pianophilia has taken this idea to another level by using donated pianos in public spaces. They will happily take your old piano off your hands so musicians young and old can share the gift of music.

4. Dismantle the piano

Another option is to dismantle a broken piano yourself. This can be tricky, time-consuming, and a lot of work but it is possible and you can find in-depth tutorials and instructions online. You can do this by unscrewing all the parts, lid, cover, board cover etc, and take the piano apart piece by piece. This way it will be much easier to transport and dispose of or recycle the piano in separate pieces.

5. Ask on social media e.g. Facebook and Twitter

If your piano still works or could be fixed up, try posting something to your friends on social media about how you are looking to dispose of your piano. You never know who might be interested or they may at least be able to help spread the word to someone else interested in having it. And they may be able to arrange the right transport too. Even if you give the piano away, you may at least be able to cover the cost of getting rid of it by doing this.

6. Don’t just dump your piano on the side of the road

If it is abandoned, eventually the authorities will likely haul it away without asking questions about where it came from or who owns it. However, this could be illegal, so make sure to check with local regulations before doing anything like this. It might also be helpful to contact the police department first, so they map out exactly what regulations you need to follow.

7. Use it like furniture or background decor

No one said you cannot still enjoy your piano even if it is broken! Put this attractive piece in your foyer instead and stand flower vases and other simple, decorative objects on top of it. Or perhaps you could put it in your kitchen and use the surrounding area as a sort of display cabinet for some of your most treasured plates and bowls.

8. Use it as decoration for your home business’ front entrance

Although many people may pass by without giving it much thought, first impressions truly matter, and having an eye-catching instrument like this in plain sight can help make your clients feel more comfortable once they finally come inside! Some specialized businesses might even use these items for their intended purposes (e.g., piano lessons).

9. Sell its ivory keys

Ivory is quite expensive, so why not get rid of the keys on your piano and sell them all individually on eBay? Although this would take some time to do thoroughly (and you might not be able to make as much money in comparison), you will at least have a complete set of these valuable items once it’s all said and done.

10. Sell each piece independently to make more money

By taking apart your piano and selling its separate parts instead of the whole instrument, you stand a chance of making more profit overall. For example, professionals looking for replacement parts for their instruments will most likely be willing to pay more than anyone simply looking for an instrument to play themselves.

11. Sell your piano on eBay

Listing your piano for sale on eBay can be a cost-effective way to dispose of a piano as well as make some money. Of course, the difficulty here is shipping. You will have to choose the pick-up-only option which will reduce the number of viable buyers.
This means it might take longer to shift or not sell at all. Asking too much might also be a deterrent, but keep in mind that usually in the end someone will end up buying your old piano.

12. You can also hold a garage sale for friends and family members

If you have relatives eager to get their hands on some discounted items they may find useful in the future. Then perhaps you could ask when they will be over for dinner one day so everyone can come by at once when they are already gathered. You never know; maybe individuals looking to buy pianos might also happen to pass by during that time.

13. Repurpose your old piano

Other than selling it, are there any other uses you can think of for this item? Perhaps using the wood to upcycle furniture, turn it into a home bar, bookshelf or planter. Who knows, maybe you can even have it restored to its former glory, and keep using it for years to come.

Conclusion

There are many options to choose from if you want to get rid of an unwanted piano. This article has shown you a few different ways where this can be done with as little trouble as possible, but if none of the options suit your needs, then feel free to improvise. As long as nobody ends up getting hurt, it’s worth giving it a try.