How to move a heavy cabinet: folk and modern ways. How to move a heavy cabinet

Each person probably at least once had to move massive furniture at home to update the interior, hold general cleaning or repair work. Often there are questions about how to quickly and safely carry out the rearrangement, so as not to damage the flooring or the product itself and avoid other troubles. To do this, you can use one of folk recipes or modern methods.

Ways to move a heavy cabinet

It takes a lot of strength and skill to move bulky pieces of furniture. It is especially difficult to move massive chests of drawers and cabinets without legs when there is nothing to grab onto. The task could be solved by attracting loaders, but this method is very costly. Can be dispensed with on your own, if you use some tricks. First of all, you need to do a little preparatory work, namely:

  1. Empty the product of its contents. Wardrobe or bookcase already has a large mass, and things give it extra weight. Also, during the rearrangement, something may fall out, this will complicate the already difficult work. When removing things, lay them out so that in the future they do not interfere with carrying.
  2. Take out removable shelves, drawers and bars. Of course, it is not worth completely disassembling the entire structure, you just need to lighten it as much as possible.
  3. Fix the opening doors (otherwise they will interfere at the most crucial moment). You can use the usual masking tape.
  4. Thoroughly wash the floor with any cleaning agent - this will not only facilitate the process of moving a heavy cabinet, but also reduce the risk of damage floor covering.

REFERENCE! It is contraindicated to move massive furniture in a room with a freshly painted floor - at least a week must pass so that the surface has time to become strong enough.

After all preparatory work get down to the main business. Some methods can make it much easier to move a heavy cabinet to the right place. The following will be a description of popular methods, just select best option for your case.

Uses of raw potatoes

One of the simplest folk recipes is the use of ordinary potatoes. The fresh root vegetable, containing starch, provides gliding and allows you to rearrange heavy objects without causing damage to the floor. The movement of the cabinet in this way can be carried out on the following floor coverings:

  • laminate;
  • linoleum;
  • parquet;
  • plank floor (only if there are no large gaps and drops between the elements).

To carry out the work, the tubers are thoroughly washed and cut into circles about 1 cm thick (the most common option) or cut in half.

ATTENTION! It is necessary to prepare potatoes immediately before use, so that its surface does not have time to lose the moisture necessary for furniture to slide.

To rearrange the cabinet, you need to slightly raise it and place pieces of potatoes under the bottom. If the product is too massive, more lining should be made so that the cabinet does not simply crush them. Next, carefully move the structure to the right place, remove the potatoes and wipe wet footprints. Similarly, you can use skins from fat by placing them at the corners of the cabinet. True, in the end you will have to carefully wash the parquet from the remaining greasy traces and specific aroma.

With a wool rug

Another “old-fashioned” method is to move bulky furniture on a blanket or thick woolen rug (it is recommended to use old things so that you don’t worry too much about them in the process). By carefully distributing the fabric under the cabinet, it will be possible without special efforts move it, while protecting the parquet from scratches and the product from possible damage.

IMPORTANT! Rearrangement in this way should be carried out by at least two people, so that one pulls the rug, and the other person pushes the cabinet itself from behind. Otherwise, the substrate may slip out, and you will have to lift weighty furniture once again.

Apply wax or soap

It is relatively easy to move a heavy object using some improvised means:

Thoroughly rub the floor along the intended path of movement so that a visible layer of lubricant forms on the surface, ensuring sliding. After completion of work, everything can be easily washed off with warm water.

ATTENTION! This method can only be used on smooth and hard floor coverings without any irregularities.

Furniture transporter to help

Not so long ago, a device appeared for weighty racks and chests of drawers, which is a special jack for lifting furniture and small stands with wheels. Thanks to this invention, you can independently, without outside help move the cabinet to the right place and at the same time:

  • save time, nerves and health;
  • do not scratch the floor and protect the piece of furniture from chips;
  • move furniture on any surface, including a carpet with a large pile (for this you just need to choose a model with large wheels);
  • save on the services of a loader - it is easier to buy a small set once and use it for a long time than to call a team every time and pay a lot of money, in addition, in many cities you can rent a transporter.

Modern ways to move the cabinet

Efficiency folk methods proven over decades. However, progress does not stand still, various modern facilities can greatly facilitate the rearrangement of large-sized furniture. These include the aforementioned furniture conveyor, as well as:

  • tie-down straps;
  • garden or handcart.

Tie down straps are textile elastic bands with fasteners that tightly clasp the cabinet during rearrangement. Designed for two people. Belts are different high strength and ease of operation. Many craftsmen also use an ordinary cart. With its help, it is possible to rearrange heavy objects with significant savings in time and effort. Only if the cabinet is quite wide, for safety net, someone's help will be needed to hold the opposite edge of the product.

The choice of method depending on the floor covering

We have already named the most popular folk and modern methods moving heavy furniture. Once again, we recall which of them are suitable for work on a particular surface:

  1. For smooth surfaces(like laminate, parquet or linoleum) it is permissible to use any of the described solutions. Choose what is easier and more affordable for your situation.
  2. For soft surfaces (carpet or carpet), options with wheels are suitable, like a furniture conveyor or trolley. Sometimes 3-4 kitchen rolling pins are placed under the cabinet and moved during transportation, but this is a rather time-consuming process.

Precautions for moving the cabinet

It is important to think in advance how you will carry out the entire rearrangement process, to assess your physical capabilities. Whatever option you choose to carry out the work, you must remember safety precautions. To avoid injury and other unpleasant consequences will help compliance simple rules when moving the cabinet:

The risk of injury increases if you do not take a stable position, it is inconvenient to hold furniture. No need to rush and make sudden movements. It is also important to correctly assess your physical capabilities and ask friends for help or still hire a team of loaders, because health is priceless.

Sometimes in Everyday life there is a situation when you need to move a bulky object within a room of a house or apartment or on a terrace. There can be many reasons: just undergoing repairs, moving or rearranging furniture for any purpose, for example, to optimize the space of the home or ergonomics on the terrace. And here comes serious problem– how to move heavy objects, such as a closet, armchair or sofa, without much effort, without damaging the floor and without tearing your back?

Of course, if, for example, terrace board made with the use of a wood-polymer composite, which can be found on the website https://stupenydpk.ru/, then it will be more resistant to abrasion. This material has strength and ductility, it is also called " liquid tree". But once again dragging furniture is not even worth it.

Eight powerful ways

1. Prepare a rug, rug or heavy bag - a material that can slide on the floor. Cut the selected material into small pieces corresponding to the size of the legs, put them under the legs of the cabinet or other furniture and start working. To put the material under the legs, you should use the principle of the lever in practice: lift the cabinet on one side with the help of a board and put the material, then repeat the manipulations with the other side. Now furniture can be safely moved to the right place without fear of scratching the flooring.

2. Apply dish soap to the floor. You can replace it with laundry soap, body gel or shampoo. Wet clean floor moving the cabinet will be much easier.

3. Take lids off plastic bottles and put them under the legs of the furniture. This is done so that the friction between the floor surface and the legs is significantly reduced, and furniture can be moved without much effort. A similar effect will be given by milk packaging - paraffin, which covers their surface, will facilitate the task.

4. Cut raw potatoes into circles, make a hole in the middle of each corresponding to the diameter of the cabinet leg. The starch found in potatoes is a good lubricant that can be used to move heavy furniture.

5. Take ordinary wet rags, put them under the legs of the cabinet.

6. Prepare a thick and long wool rug - it will help drag the cabinet over the threshold. This method involves the participation of two people in the process: one pulls the edge of the rug, the second supports the cabinet and pushes it forward.

7. Buy at furniture store special device - furniture conveyor. The device is designed to move quickly and easily furniture items at home or apartment.

Sometimes it happens that you need to move a heavy cabinet momentarily, and there is absolutely no one to help move the furniture. Knowing how, you can move yourself.

To simplify your work of moving furniture, make the cabinet, sideboard, chest of drawers, table or as light as possible. Remove drawers, shelves, boxes, etc. from them. Now the work will go much easier.

Nylon lids and milk bags

Place nylon covers under the furniture legs from glass jars or plastic bottles. The coefficient of friction between the floor surface and the legs, for example, of a cabinet will decrease significantly and the furniture will not be able to slide, but it will become much easier to move around.

The same effect can be achieved by placing milk bags under the legs of furniture. Thanks to the paraffin that covers the surface of the packages, it will be possible to move the furniture even alone.

Paraffin, wax and laundry soap

Continuing the theme of paraffin, they can rub the floor, or rather the intended trajectory of movement, and then the furniture will move without titanic efforts on your part.

Suitable for both paraffin and wax candles. A similar effect can be achieved by rubbing the floor with a household one.

Traces of paraffin, wax and soap can be easily washed off with warm water after moving the furniture.

raw potatoes

The starch found in raw potatoes is an excellent lubricant. Why not use this property to facilitate the movement of furniture?

After cutting raw potatoes into circles about 5 cm thick, in the middle of each circle, make a hole the size of a cabinet or sideboard leg.

Place the circle of potatoes so that the leg of the furniture being moved fits exactly into the cut hole in its center.

Even a small amount of starch released between the leg and the floor surface will greatly facilitate the movement of furniture.

Woolen or felt rug

If placed under furniture thick and durable

How to move a heavy cabinet without scratching the floor?

    There is - lard, potatoes, plastic lids, etc., etc. The lard is greasy, the potatoes will fall apart, the lids can be scratched, etc. But all this is in the past.

    Now special rollers for moving furniture are sold in stores, they are cheap. Or purchase a furniture conveyor right away and there are no problems.

    If the furniture has legs, then you can apply plastic bottles, or rather their bottom. That is, you just need to cut off the bottom of the bottles and put furniture legs in them. Thus, the integrity of the floor covering will be preserved and it will be easier to move heavy furniture.

    When we moved a heavy cabinet, we used two methods. First, you can put a wet rag under the legs and slowly move the cabinet. So the floor will not be scratched and it will be much easier. The cabinet will slide across the floor. The second way is to put raw potatoes under the cabinet legs. Potatoes can be cut in half or a slightly smaller piece can be used. These methods have helped us.

    we put the potato in half under each leg and it goes forward like clockwork, lay the potato with a cut to the floor and lower it slowly so as not to crush, only an hour ago I moved the set for the living room Orpheus 12

    I think that it is not rational to purchase special devices for moving furniture. It's like hiring professional movers for this job.

    Heavy furniture in the apartment is best moved with the help of large pieces hard linoleum or thick cardboard placed under the legs of furniture. Or thin and long boards or plywood, if any.

    In addition to the above, you can put polyethylene (plastic) lids under the legs of a cabinet or other furniture that close the jars. This will make sliding easier and will save the floor from streaks.

    Some rub the floor thin layer soap and this will also help slip.

    There is. When I was little, the adults moved the closet in the following way. We took 2 small raw potatoes. cut them in half. Each half was placed under the cabinet leg, with a cut on the floor. Slightly tilting the cabinet is quite within the power of 2-3 women. After the cupboard was placed on top of the potatoes, it was pushed together. On the painted floor, he moved relatively easily. The floor was not scratched. After, the potatoes were harvested.

    The most logical option is call grown men. They locker instead neatly and transfer. If necessary, they will first put it on its side, then transfer it, and then put it again. The main thing is to be able to ask. Everything else, as they say, will come by itself. And of course, remove the children from the aisle for a while, so that they do not interfere with the men to move the closet.

    Mom and I moved the closet together, slipping a carpet over it. That is, right on the track and drove. You can substitute the track at far corners using any long stick or mop. The only condition is that there is somewhere to tilt the cabinet.

    1. Putting a piece of bacon under the legs of the cabinet is the most effective way.
    2. Wipe the floor with a wet rag - it will be much easier to move, but do you still need to push to the wet area? Then put fat under the legs 🙂
March 7, 2018
Specialization: master in construction drywall constructions, finishing works and installation of floor coverings. Installation of door and window blocks, facade finishing, installation of electrics, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to move furniture around the room or from room to room. And if everything is simple with small structures, then massive cabinets are much more difficult to move, especially if they have no legs and there is nothing to grab onto. In the article we will talk about several options for carrying out work that will help you cope with the task without damage to health and without damaging the floor.

Means for moving cabinets

Before you get acquainted with the methods of carrying and moving furniture, you need to analyze the preparatory activities that must be carried out before starting work:

  • First of all, you need to remove all the contents. It doesn't matter if you work alone or with assistants, clothes add a lot of extra bulk. In addition, when moving, things inside may fall or tip over if some jars or something like that are stored there. When taking out things, lay them out so that they do not interfere with further work;
  • Removed all removable shelves and rods. Remove only what is not fixed, you do not need to disassemble the cabinet from the inside, as this may cause it to lose its rigidity. These elements also weigh quite a lot, removing them will greatly facilitate further work. Try to make the structure lighter without losing the strength of the frame;

  • Opening doors are better to additionally fix. So that they do not open up at the very wrong moment and did not interfere with carrying, it is worth sealing them with ordinary or masking tape. The same applies to sliding doors, they are attached with tape to the sides;
  • The structure must be moved from its place of rest. It is important to slightly move the cabinet from the place where it stood, this will greatly simplify further work. In addition, it will help to estimate the weight of the structure, so that you can figure out how many people it will take to move the furniture;
  • The floor in the room must be washed. The cleaner the surface, the easier it is to move heavy objects over it and the less chance of damage. Small particles that get between the bottom of the cabinet and the floor can scratch the surface and leave clearly visible marks on it. Remember that furniture cannot be moved if the floor is freshly painted, you need to wait at least a week for the layer to gain strength.

When the preparation is done, you can proceed to the main stage. Below are the main options for carrying out the work, carefully read the information and choose what is best for your situation.

raw potatoes

The easiest folk remedy, tested for decades and well-proven. Potato allows you to independently move furniture without damaging the flooring. To get the job done, you need to do a few simple recommendations below:

Illustration Description
Potatoes being prepared. Everything is quite simple: several tubers of approximately the same size are selected, it is better to choose large options, since they are more convenient to use later.

Potatoes are washed thoroughly to get rid of sand, because if it gets on the floor while moving, then on paintwork scratches may remain.

Washed tubers must be dried or wiped with a dry cloth.

Potatoes can be cut in two ways:
  • Circles 10-15 mm thick, this is the most common solution;
  • In halves, when the cut off part is adjacent to the floor, and the top is placed under the cabinet, a less popular solution, since the tubers are often crushed under the weight of the furniture.

    Cut the potatoes just before use so that the surface is moist.

How to move furniture:
  • The furniture is slightly raised and a few pieces of potatoes are placed under the bottom. The heavier the structure, the more linings need to be done so that they do not crush under the weight of the furniture;
  • The cabinet moves gently along the floor, due to the potatoes it will not damage the coating and will easily pass even several meters;
  • When the furniture is in its place, you need to check its position and, if necessary, make adjustments, it is better to move it right away, while the lining is still under the bottom;
  • The structure is lifted, the potatoes are removed. The floor is wiped, as whitish traces of starch will remain on it.
Salo skins can be used instead of potatoes. To do this, small squares are cut out, which are placed under the bottom and allow the cabinet to literally slide over the surface.

After finishing work, greasy streaks are removed from the floor with soap solution or water with detergent added.

This method is suitable for such types of coatings.:
  • Linoleum;
  • Laminate;
  • Parquet and parquet board;
  • Plank floor, if the wood is well sanded and there are no large gaps and drops between the elements.

wool rug

Another technique that has been used for more than a decade. Its main features are:

Illustration Description
A carpet made of wool or thick felt is used. Ideal if its size is small over size cabinet, although you can put 2-3 elements if they have a small format. It is better to use old products so that you are not afraid to damage them during the work.
Let's figure out how to move furniture in this way. You need to start with preparatory actions:
  • One edge of the furniture rises, it is necessary to lay a rug under it. It is better to do the work together, since holding the closet and pushing the rug with your foot is not the easiest thing to do;
  • The rug moves so that it is located under all the supports. If you are using carpet, then it is easier to cut it into pieces and put it in the corners.

Two people move furniture, one person pulls on the rug, and the second pushes the furniture from behind. This option allows you to ensure uniform movement, if you just push the cabinet, the substrate will slip out and you will have to re-cover it and lift the weighty structure again.

Furniture conveyor

A new way of moving furniture, which appeared relatively recently, but gained great popularity due to the following reasons:

Illustration Description

Simplicity and reliability. The conveyor is a set of a special lever that lifts furniture, and four rollers with rotating platforms.

All elements are sold in a set, often they can be rented, in many cities such a service is provided.


The lever has a special wheel, thanks to which it does not damage the floor when it stops. The element is made of hardened steel, so you can lift even a large cabinet without fear that the device will not withstand and break.
It will not be difficult for you to rearrange the furniture in your house or apartment. Work is done by just one person, correct algorithm very simple:
  • The lift rolls under the cabinet, it should be strongly pressed with one hand, and it will lift the furniture according to the lever principle;
  • With the second hand, a platform is substituted under the raised angle, after which the cabinet is lowered onto it;
  • At other corners, similar actions are performed;
  • The furniture is simply transported to the right place, after which the platforms are removed from under it.

Other cabinet movement options

Let's deal with some solutions that are used in the process of work and have proven themselves well:

Illustration Description
Nylon covers. Perfect solution, which is very easy to use: from 4 to 8 covers are placed under the bottom of the cabinet, depending on the size of the structure, after which you can carefully move the furniture. Plastic pads glide well on smooth surfaces and prevent damage.

Lids cost a penny, and you can buy them at any hardware store.

Paraffin, wax or laundry soap . These options are used as follows: the surface on which the furniture will move is rubbed abundantly in the direction of movement of the cabinet. It is important to rub the base well so that the surface is slippery.

This method is only suitable for smooth and hard surfaces, if the floor sags or has irregularities, then it will not be possible to move the furniture in this way.

Rolling pins for dough. Can be used as rollers that are placed under the bottom of the cabinet and on which the furniture rolls in the right direction.

When moving, it is necessary to constantly put rolling pins and remove those over which the structure has already passed. To cope with the work, you need 4-5 rolling pins.

Precautions when moving furniture

Regardless of which work option you choose, you need to follow safety precautions and follow a few simple recommendations:

  • Do not lift heavy items or attempt to move heavy cabinets without special tools. This is fraught with damage to the flooring and injury, especially the limbs and back suffer. Even the simplest options like potatoes greatly simplify the work and allow you to keep your property safe and sound;
  • vacate the premises. At a minimum, it is worth clearing the path along which the cabinet will move from everything superfluous. Otherwise, you run the risk of tripping, which is highly undesirable when you are moving a heavy structure. As recommended above, all dirt must be removed so that the floor is clean, smooth surfaces are wiped with a damp cloth;

  • Check the correct position of all devices used. If you are using any pads, then you need to make sure that they do not move and stay in place. When using special devices do not put them on the very edge so that when you start moving, they do not slip out from under the bottom. Even if you move small object furniture, it is better for someone to watch him in the process of moving;

  • Keep a steady posture. Do not make sudden movements and do not pull the furniture, so as not to injure yourself. It is especially necessary to work carefully in situations where you have to keep the cabinet in an uncomfortable position, since the risk of injuring your back increases significantly. It is better to do everything slowly, but carefully.

If you understand that it will be very difficult to lift and move the cabinet on your own, then it is better to invite assistants or involve movers. Health is more expensive anyway, remember that.

Movement of the cabinet depending on the floor covering

Above, we figured out what options for carrying out work are, now in a nutshell we will tell you for what conditions this or that solution is suitable:

  • For soft surfaces(carpet or carpet) options with rollers are more suitable: a furniture conveyor or kitchen rolling pins. As a last resort, you can try lids, but they are not always suitable for work;
  • For smooth surfaces(laminate, linoleum, parquet) any of the options described above is suitable. But it is better to choose something simpler, the same potato helps a lot in such work.

Conclusion

Now you know several ways to move cabinets and you can choose suitable option for your furniture. The video in the article will tell some important aspects the topics are even more detailed, and if you have questions - write them in the comments.

March 7, 2018

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