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I recently just acquired a grand piano. I was curious if I should move it away from my windows. Would keeping it near the window harm the wood?

Hi,

Direct sunlight could harm the piano.

Regards,
Kurt.-

To my knowledge, even indirect sunlight and temperature fluctuations can lead to premature crazing/cracking/deterioration of the finish. I've seen two 40-year-old upright pianos (one of them my own) that have spent all their life close to windows, and even though neither of them was exposed to direct sunlight, in both cases, the finish on the side facing the window had deteriorated much more than on the side away from the window. Here's a picture of my own piano, showing the side that faced the window in the previous owner's home:

The other side has hardly any cracks; certainly none of them have lifted.

Sunlight can harm more than the wood. My wonderful tech tells me that sunlight on the strings can cause a piano to go out of tune as it warms the copper. The piano may go back into tune when the sun is no longer shining on it, but it can sound bad when one is playing!

Sunlight is bad for musical instruments, for art, for wood finishes, for carpets, for skin, for just about everything except plants! It causes fading, aging, and other problems as well. Of course, we cannot live without the sun, but sometimes I wonder. . . .

Also, most modern homes have air vents that blow up or down on the window to prevent condensation in winter. You need to protect the piano from drafts like this (especially if you open the window!).

Treat your piano like a baby, and pick a place like you would for a crib: no direct sunlight, no direct hot or cold air blowing on it.

If you have your piano in the sun, with an open window, how is it different from being in the back yard? Only that it doesn't rain directly on it...

--Cy--

What about a closed window with UV block film? Sometimes options for placement are limited.

(another) Kurt

Love the analogy, but I hope I don't have to pick the piano up and burp it after adding wrist temperature water to the DC.

OK for sun fading, but what about the air vents I discussed?

--Cy--

"Love the analogy, but I hope I don't have to pick the piano up and burp it after adding wrist temperature water to the DC." (quote)


I love it! You just made my day!