Furniture is the bulkiest and the most challenging to move when shifting houses. Much back-breaking effort goes into packing, loading, unloading, and finally placing the furniture at the desired location of your new home. There is a lot of possibility of some of the corners of the house or the furniture getting scratched or dented while moving.
Nowadays, furniture sliders are available in the market to make the daunting task of shifting furniture much more manageable. These small nifty little devices come in handy while moving large pieces of sofas, beds, dining tables, cabinets, etc. They ease the moving process and help eliminate damage to the furniture.
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Furniture sliders are also called gliders. They are small plastic, rubber, or felt pieces that slide under or stick onto the edges of the furniture. The furniture sliders protect the edges of your furniture, help you transport bulky items easily, and save the floor from scratches and damage. Some sliders have handles that help maintain the grip, and others have a textured bottom that allows them to grip the floor. The sliders come in different shapes and sizes, and you can choose to use the ones that suit the size of your furniture pieces. The sizes of these furniture sliders could be somewhere between 3 to 8 inches.
The size of the furniture slider you choose to use depends on the size of your furniture. If the slider is too small, it will not grip the furniture and might move around. On the other hand, if the slider is too large, it could slip off the furniture and cause more damage.
When choosing a furniture slider, always make sure that the size of the slider is slightly smaller than the furniture piece. For instance, if you are moving a recliner, use a slider around 4-5 inches in size. If you are moving a bed, use a 6-7 inches size slider.
See Also: Tips for Moving Large Furniture to a New Home
The most frequently used sliders are available in plastic, metal, and rubber. The sliders have padded bottoms to prevent damage to the floor. It is easy to use furniture sliders. Place the slider under one side of the furniture, then tilt the furniture and set the slider on its other bottom side. Once the sliders are in place, you can push the furniture across the floor.
They are very similar to round sliders, made of plastic or metal. The oval sliders fit better under furniture with curved edges. They are also the most used furniture sliders.
Some sliders do not require any adhesive to stay in place; they have a non-slip surface that keeps them in position. These work great on carpets or rugs and are perfect for moving furniture around without causing any damage to the floor.
They look like disks of durable hard plastic with cushioned padding to protect the furniture. The plastic sliders are specifically used to glide heavy furniture on soft carpets.
Metal sliders are far more durable than their plastic counterparts. These are made of hard metal with rubber cushioning. You can use metal sliders on bulky furniture as they are very sturdy. Using them helps to avoid friction as well as noise.
These sliders are made of felt with a rubber bottom and can be used on hardwood floors safely. Besides protecting the floor and the furniture, they are also ideal for use on ceramic tiles, vinyl, laminates, and linoleum.
See Also: How to use Furniture Pads for Moving
Planning and mind mapping the execution of the furniture moving process should be the first step towards including furniture sliders. Even with the help of sliders, tilting or sliding heavy furniture can be an extremely exerting task physically. The movers will be able to help you to provide a crew of efficient and skilled loaders.
It would help if you also emptied the shelves and drawers of the cupboards and dressers as they are maybe cumbersome—clear food items from the fridge. Lock and seal the furniture and gadgets well before starting the moving process. If the furniture piece is massive and bulky, you should consider disassembling it.
Buy sliders of different shapes and sizes, as per your requirement. For example, if you have carpet in a particular room, you might need a plastic or metal slider, whereas you should only use felt sliders if you have a hardwood, ceramic, vinyl, or linoleum surface.
The third step is to put the sliders into use. Tilt the furniture on one side, and place a slider underneath one side of the furniture, either under the legs or under the corner. Similarly, keep another slider on the other side. Attach the sliders directly to the furniture if they have adhesive backs or place them under the furniture. Seek help from people to accomplish this process, as lifting heavy furniture without the right skill can injure your back. Now is the time to test the magical function of the sliders! If you have managed to put the sliders well in place, you will be able to slide the heaviest object with ease. The action that works best with the slider is pushing. It is better to avoid pulling.
Once you have moved the bulky piece of furniture to the desired place with the help of the slider, the next step is to remove them from underneath. Use the same technique you used while fixing the sliders at the bottom. This might again need the help of people as tilting heavy furniture can be challenging.
Purchase good quality sliders that are durable. They will be great while shifting small and big things in your house, even while spring cleaning. Store these small handy pieces of gadgets in a ‘within reach’ place.
The furniture sliders not only protect your luxurious furniture but your expensive flooring. The cushion and padding assure absolute protection and care to both surfaces.
The furniture sliders help you move heavy objects with ease and in a shorter period. This reduces the amount of energy you would have otherwise spent trying to move it without any assistance.
Sliders are of great help and incredibly easy to use. The bulky back-breaking furniture that refuses to move slides through in an instant. You have to place them properly under the furniture, making sure they are fixed well and slide. You will not need to use much strength to slide the furniture from one place to another. Furniture sliders are a boon during the shifting process; they help you save the much-needed energy to accomplish various other tasks during the move.
Many different shapes and sizes of furniture sliders are available. You can choose from the wide range available, as per the size of your furniture and the flooring your old and new houses have. Different types of sliders work on different surfaces and different shapes of furniture. You can use them according to the legs or bottom body of the furniture.
The wear and tear of furniture and floors are caused mainly due to the friction caused when bulky pieces of furniture are moved. Furniture sliders help eliminate the friction and reduce the noise made at the time too.
The furniture sliders help in moving the furniture without any damage. This is done with the help of the cushion and padding that comes attached to most sliders. These materials absorb the shock caused while shifting furniture and save your furniture from any possible damage.
Furniture sliders are highly affordable and are available at major hardware stores. You can buy them even if you are on a shoestring budget. And you will also get them in bigger packs if you plan to move frequently. A packet of furniture sliders can be bought from any hardware store costing between $5-$15 a packet.
The sliders are reusable and can be used multiple times. You have to ensure that they are stored properly in a dust-free place not to get dirty and lose their efficiency.
The furniture sliders come with a good amount of durability. They can sustain a few bumps and knocks without any damage caused to them. You can even use them while moving your furniture from one house to another.
See Also: How to Move Heavy Furniture by Yourself
If you are not careful enough while fixing the sliders properly, they might scratch your expensive decorative flooring. This is why it is important to place them correctly and tightly before sliding the furniture.
Sliding furniture without damaging either it or the flooring can be difficult, especially if you are doing it first. This is why it is always advisable to seek help from people who have done it before. You can also take the help of tutorial videos or online articles.
Be very careful when using furniture sliders. A loosely fixed slider can easily slip out of bulky furniture. Fix once and check twice! Make sure they are correctly set, as otherwise, the bulky furniture might fall, causing breakage or extreme damage to you and your property.
It can be very challenging to use furniture sliders on stairs. If you’re not careful, your furniture might slip and fall while sliding down the stairs. It is very important to take the necessary precautions while using furniture sliders on a staircase.
Due to the ease of movement, heavy furniture could slide much faster than anticipated. This could severely injure you and your team while causing damage to the furniture and your property. Be very careful while using furniture sliders and take all the necessary precautions.
Furniture sliders are readily available in major hardware stores. However, you can make them at home with some old socks and a hot glue gun.
Cut the unwanted socks into circles of about 3-4 inches in diameter. Use a thicker sock or multiple socks. Keep extra socks ready, as thin socks might tear while moving the furniture. We just need to cut a new circle from another sock and replace the old one.
Sliders will be readily available at these below-mentioned hardware and home improvement stores:
· Amazon
· Home Depot
· Lowe’s
· Walmart
Before purchasing any sliders, read the reviews, as some brands may work better than others on different surfaces.
Conclusion
Moving furniture can be very daunting, especially if you’re doing it without help. Use sliders to make the moving process easier on yourself and your back. They are explicitly designed to move heavy items easily across hardwood floors or carpeting. Moving equipment will help you avoid unnecessary wear and tear on your flooring and furniture as you relocate. You can purchase these sliders at most home improvement stores, and there are even some specialty stores that sell nothing but furniture sliderrs. Before buying any sliders, read the reviews, as some brands may work better than others on different surfaces.
Happy moving!
How do you lift heavy furniture to put sliders under them?
If the furniture is hefty, you may need to use all your strength to get it moving. You can easily move your furniture with minimum effort using sliders. Be careful not to damage the sliders.
What can I use for moving sliders?
Use a thick towel with a soft side to move heavy things on hard, wood, or tile floors. Use thick cardboard or, even better, old Frisbees to transport oversized items across carpeted areas. And if you have no sliders or towels/cardboard, try cooking oil or baby powder to help the furniture move more smoothly.
Can I use furniture sliders on a Berber carpet?
No, it would be best if you did not use furniture sliders on a Berber carpet as they can get stuck in the loops. Try using old socks with a hot glue gun to make your DIY sliders.
How many sliders do I need for a large piece of furniture?
If the furniture is bulky, you will need more than one slider. Try using multiple sliders on the furniture.
Also Read: Where to Find Used Furniture When You Move
Can you leave furniture sliders on the furniture?
No. You should remove furniture sliders after each use to avoid damaging floors. If they are not reusable, you should discard them.
Can you use furniture moving sliders on laminate flooring?
Yes, you can use furniture moving sliders on all types of flooring, except for thick or shaggy carpets. Make sure to test them out on a small, unobtrusive floor area before using them to move your furniture.
Alex Sherr is the founder of My Long Distance Movers, a blog that provides moving information and resources for people who are relocating. He has more than two decades of experience in the moving and relocation industry, and he is passionate about helping people relocate smoothly and efficiently. When he's not writing or blogging, Alex enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children.
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