Your dining room is one of the most unused rooms in the house, which makes it a great place to start your packing process. However, it also contains some of your most elegant and treasured furniture and possessions, such as china. Packing your dining room table and chairs is probably the simplest part of the process but still must be done with care to ensure they don't get scratched or damaged during transport. Here are some tips on how to pack and wrap your dining set securely so it can get to your new home unscathed.
Disassemble your dining room table and chairs
If possible, disassemble your dining room table and chairs to make them easier to transport and more space-efficient. So, remove the table leaves and the legs from the table and chairs, if possible; then wrap each piece individually in a moving blanket. Be sure to keep track of any nuts and bolts you removed - keep them in a plastic bag taped to the underside of your table so you can find them easily when setting up the dining room set in your new home.
Tip: Take photos of the dining room set before you disassemble it to help you remember how to reassemble it later, and to provide proof of its condition in case it gets damaged.
Protect your dining room set from scratches
When heavy items are being lifted and hauled through narrow doorways, downstairs, and then loaded onto a jam-packed truck, it's easy to cause scratches, dings, dents and other abrasions. Luckily, with the proper packing procedure you can greatly reduce the risk of your furniture suffering the slightest bit of harm during its trip to your new home. Here's the best way to pack your dining room table to avoid incurring any damage:
- For glass tabletops : Wrap the entire glass tabletop with moving pads, and then wrap it in bubble wrap. The bubble wrap will prevent the delicate glass from getting scratched or cracked, and the furniture pad will prevent the bubbles from leaving impressions on the glass. You can also buy specialty boxes made for fragile items like glass tabletops called mirror boxes.
- For wooden tabletops : Don't use plastic wrapping directly on any wood surface as it can cause moisture to form and damage the wood's finish. Instead, use furniture pads or moving blankets to wrap wooden tabletops and tape securely. Make sure the blankets cover the table's edges, corners, and any other part that is easily susceptible to abrasion. You can also purchase protective corners for your table to add an extra layer of defense from nicks and scratches.
Tip: Apply wax to the wood before packing in blankets to help protect the surface of your table from scratches.
Pack your dining room chairs separately
There are two ways to wrap your dining room chairs for moving:
- Wrap the entire chair in furniture blankets and secure with tape.
- Wrap the legs and body of the chair in bubble wrap - be sure to use stretch wrap to protect the furniture from moisture. Do the same for the rails or bars on the chair as these parts of the chair are most vulnerable to damage.
Loading the dining room set onto the truck
Although it's a good idea to enlist the help of professional movers, you may opt to rent a truck and move everything yourself. If you decide to go the DIY route, here's the best way to load your dining furniture onto the truck:
- Carry a table by holding one end and having a partner take the other. If you were able to remove the legs, turn the table vertically while carrying so it can easily pass through narrow hallways and doorways. If not, carry it horizontally to prevent bumping the legs on any surfaces and breaking them. Never drag a table across the floor - this can cause serious damage to the floor and the table.
- Move carefully around corners and through doorways. You may have to reposition the table as you move to get through tight or awkward spaces.
- If you were able to remove the legs, position the table-top against the wall of the truck and secure it in place with bungee cords.
- If the legs are still attached, you can stand the table on its legs or lie it upside down, depending on how full your truck will be. If there are not a lot of items, an upright table may not remain stationary during the trip. Consider the weight of any items you place on top of the table or near the table legs if you place the table upside down. You can place boxes underneath an upright table to help hold it in place.
- Carry chairs from the seat, never by the back or by the legs. Stack chairs on the moving truck by placing one chair upright, and another chair upside down with the seats against one another. If you were able to remove chair legs, you can stack the chairs easily. You may want to secure them with rope or bungee cords to keep them stationary during the move.