Thursday, September 23, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Relocation of Volvo & Mack Truck Education Center
Just this week abbeyWood Moving & Storage completed the relocation of Volvo & Mack trucks educational and training facility from Centennial College in Scarborough to their newly built facility in Mississauga. The beautiful modern training facility was built inside a parts distribution center towering with isles of parts and equipment. Transporting the heavy equipment and supplies was not a simple task. Every engine or transmission needed to be secured by hoist or skid then secured for transport. Piles of solid steel bars, mounting brackets, and tools had to be packed into cartons without collapsing under their own weight, as the carton next to it could contain delicate measuring tools. At destination every part was unpacked and returned to the right storage cabinet. Classrooms were setup and placed in an aesthetically pleasing fashion. It took several 53’ trailers and a lot of abbeyWood movers to get it all done but by the end everything looked great and the Volvo V12 engines gave our crew a good workout.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Floor runners are the mover’s mainstay of home protection equipment. They are placed in the front entrance and main walkways of a home. On every move it is abbeyWood’s policy to use our complimentary floor runners. Floor runners are consisted of a 1\4” rubber bottom for grip and insulation against shock. The top is coated with a polyester material to absorb water and dust. Floor runners make a world of difference in protecting hardwood floors, and new carpet.
The moving blanket is a thick and durable pad which sole purpose is to prevent scratches and absorb shock. The quality of a movers ‘pads’ can very from a light weight burlap ‘skin’ to a heavier quilted moving blanket. Typically one side is dark and made of coarse material while the inner side is brightly colored, soft and smooth. Over a banister they can protect against dents and scratches, on a doorway they can protect wood trim and drywall, and on a piece of furniture they will help ensure no damage occurs. One of the most important places to pad furniture is the base. When a dresser, washing machine, or cabinet is fully padded it prevents scratching on expensive hardwood floors when maneuvering an item into place. When your movers pad an item inside your house it goes a long way in preventing property damage to walls and floors in addition to the piece it protects. A common shortcut referred to as ‘draping’ is when a mover quickly places the pad around the piece in the truck without any tape. While this can protect the piece during transport it will be vulnerable if dropped or hit. At the very least make sure the larger and more expensive items are padded inside the home, whereas smaller items such as mops and plastic bins can be draped inside the moving truck to save time.
The piano skid is a long L shaped board designed to hold baby-grand, grand or upright pianos. The upright piano is placed on top, and the baby grand on its side, padded, then strapped through special holes on the bottom of the piano skid. On either end of the piano skid there are lifting straps, however most movers choose to put the skid on top of a 4 wheeled dolly instead. When going down stairs the skid can slide smoothly without damaging the piano. The L shaped lip helps keep the piano in place and its bottom corner protected on the way down. Not every mover has the experience and knowledge to properly maneuver and handle pianos. Some piano’s have lacquer that can chip or dent easily and need special care and attention. Depending on the complexity of the relocation may be beneficial for a piano relocation company to handle the move in certain situations.
The moving blanket is a thick and durable pad which sole purpose is to prevent scratches and absorb shock. The quality of a movers ‘pads’ can very from a light weight burlap ‘skin’ to a heavier quilted moving blanket. Typically one side is dark and made of coarse material while the inner side is brightly colored, soft and smooth. Over a banister they can protect against dents and scratches, on a doorway they can protect wood trim and drywall, and on a piece of furniture they will help ensure no damage occurs. One of the most important places to pad furniture is the base. When a dresser, washing machine, or cabinet is fully padded it prevents scratching on expensive hardwood floors when maneuvering an item into place. When your movers pad an item inside your house it goes a long way in preventing property damage to walls and floors in addition to the piece it protects. A common shortcut referred to as ‘draping’ is when a mover quickly places the pad around the piece in the truck without any tape. While this can protect the piece during transport it will be vulnerable if dropped or hit. At the very least make sure the larger and more expensive items are padded inside the home, whereas smaller items such as mops and plastic bins can be draped inside the moving truck to save time.
The piano skid is a long L shaped board designed to hold baby-grand, grand or upright pianos. The upright piano is placed on top, and the baby grand on its side, padded, then strapped through special holes on the bottom of the piano skid. On either end of the piano skid there are lifting straps, however most movers choose to put the skid on top of a 4 wheeled dolly instead. When going down stairs the skid can slide smoothly without damaging the piano. The L shaped lip helps keep the piano in place and its bottom corner protected on the way down. Not every mover has the experience and knowledge to properly maneuver and handle pianos. Some piano’s have lacquer that can chip or dent easily and need special care and attention. Depending on the complexity of the relocation may be beneficial for a piano relocation company to handle the move in certain situations.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Moving Protection Equipment (Part 1)
When it comes to protecting your home and furniture, sometimes the best offense is a good defense. This post will briefly go over some of the equipment professional movers use to protect your home and furniture from being damaged.
Crates such as these are used for protecting works of art, marble, stone or glass. Crates provide protection against any impacts and allow you to safely pickup and drop an item without damaging a delicate piece inside. Another benefit from crating is that movers can build delicate items into their load without loosing valuable space. Crates are excellent for Cross-Canada, Cross-Border and moves into storage. However, for local moves within the GTA most people feel the extra protection is not required.
If you look closely at these white carpet stairs you will notice they are covered with a glossy plastic sheet. Without a doubt, these sticky carpet covers provide the best protection against stains and other marks that can build up over the course of a move. Each roll can cost between $15-25, significantly less than hiring a professional carpet cleaning service. The plastic can be a little slippery once wet, but is otherwise slip free.
Crates such as these are used for protecting works of art, marble, stone or glass. Crates provide protection against any impacts and allow you to safely pickup and drop an item without damaging a delicate piece inside. Another benefit from crating is that movers can build delicate items into their load without loosing valuable space. Crates are excellent for Cross-Canada, Cross-Border and moves into storage. However, for local moves within the GTA most people feel the extra protection is not required.
If you look closely at these white carpet stairs you will notice they are covered with a glossy plastic sheet. Without a doubt, these sticky carpet covers provide the best protection against stains and other marks that can build up over the course of a move. Each roll can cost between $15-25, significantly less than hiring a professional carpet cleaning service. The plastic can be a little slippery once wet, but is otherwise slip free.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Don't Led Bed Bugs Hitch-Hike on your next move.
Mattress bags/cartons are a low cost solution to curb the spread of bed bugs & ensure your mattress is delivered without stains or marks.
Bed bugs spend 90% of their life hiding away, but at night they come out to drink blood. They can spread on public transit, movie theatres, building lobbys or virtually any fabric surface. While they cannot jump or fly, they still manage to thrive.
“It’s not about cleanliness or income or what neighbourhood you live in. You will see them in five-star hotels, condos, and even multi-million dollar condos. As long as you have blood, they don’t discriminate.” -Sean Meaghar.
On all international moves from Canada to the Unites States it is our policy to wrap mattresses in cardboard cartons or plastic bags. Many household shipments can combine in a single trailer. Even setting a bed down temorarly in a hallway can put your bed at risk.
The Bottom line is to be proactive, and eliminate bed bug risk by spending $8-12 on a mattress bag.
Toronto Bed Bug Project
Toronto Post Bed Bug Article: Rob Roberts
Bed bugs spend 90% of their life hiding away, but at night they come out to drink blood. They can spread on public transit, movie theatres, building lobbys or virtually any fabric surface. While they cannot jump or fly, they still manage to thrive.
“It’s not about cleanliness or income or what neighbourhood you live in. You will see them in five-star hotels, condos, and even multi-million dollar condos. As long as you have blood, they don’t discriminate.” -Sean Meaghar.
On all international moves from Canada to the Unites States it is our policy to wrap mattresses in cardboard cartons or plastic bags. Many household shipments can combine in a single trailer. Even setting a bed down temorarly in a hallway can put your bed at risk.
The Bottom line is to be proactive, and eliminate bed bug risk by spending $8-12 on a mattress bag.
Toronto Bed Bug Project
Toronto Post Bed Bug Article: Rob Roberts
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sea Containers - Moving Overseas
Sea containers are one of the ways we ship overseas. We just finished shipping this beautiful boat to Europe. Sea Containers come in a variety of different sizes and configurations to accommodate the cargo. This container has only two walls that fold down for loading.
For more information about containers visit the container blog
Thursday, July 1, 2010
LCBO boxes are bad for movers
I recently completed a move where the customer had packed their belongings into hundreds of used LCBO boxes. While they seem great because they are free and light weight, they are actually a nightmare for movers. Imagine a mover stacking these boxes over 10 high and wide, but because every box is a different shape and size it turns into a lopsided layer that can easily be knocked over or topple. The average mover is in great physical shape and carries 2-3 boxes safely, smaller boxes limit the amount of weight/volume we can carry, and take double the time for the same amount of items if packed in larger industry sized cartons. This is something to consider when paying by the hour for a local mover. Here is a quick guide to what carton sizes to use, and for what purpose:
1cubic foot carton (LCBO moving boxes): Please do not use!
2 cubic foot banker’s carton: Heavy items such as books, magazines, taxes
4 cubic foot carton: Medium weight items such as electronics or lampshades.
5 cubic foot carton: Light weight items such as pots and pans, linens or kids toys.
Aside from the LCBO boxes on this move there was a great deal of plastic tote bins which had removable tops. Not a single top was secured with tape, and had to be done on move day to ensure nothing would accidently fall out of the carton once the top falls off. Overall the right materials and packing can help your next move go faster and smoother.
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