How Do You Prepare a Grandfather Clock for a Move?

How Do You Prepare a Grandfather Clock for a Move?

Last updated: October 2026

We prepare it ourselves, so you don't need to do anything before we arrive.

That's good news, because a grandfather clock is one of the easiest things in a house to damage by accident. It looks like a piece of furniture. It's really a machine, a two-hundred-year-old idea built into a slim wooden cabinet, and the parts that make it keep time are exactly the parts that get hurt when someone moves it like a bookshelf. Hanging weights and a swinging pendulum drive it, and neither one can travel the way it hangs.

Why a clock can't just be carried

A tall-case clock is top-heavy, slim, and tall. The hood at the top, with its glass and dial, is the most fragile part. Inside, the pendulum and weights hang free. If the clock is tipped or carried with them still in place, the pendulum can batter its suspension spring and the weights can swing into the movement. Sometimes the clock arrives looking fine and keeps time badly.

That's why the clock comes apart before it moves an inch. Always.

How we prepare it

The pendulum comes off. It's removed from its suspension and wrapped to travel on its own.

The weights come out. Each one is noted for its position, because on many clocks they aren't interchangeable.

Chains or cables get secured. So they can't tangle or slap against the movement.

The case gets wrapped. With extra care for the hood and the glass.

At your new home, the clock is reassembled, and the weights go back in the right order.

What you can do

Nothing is required. But a few things help.

Tell us about the clock. Its height, its age, and anything you know about it.

Mention any quirks. A door that sticks, a repair someone made, or a part that's already loose.

Pick the new spot. Decide where it'll stand at the new home before the crew arrives.

After the move

A grandfather clock may need a little attention once it's back on its feet. If yours is a valuable antique, it's worth having a clock specialist check it after the move.

Antique cases

Many grandfather clocks are antiques, and the case gets the same care as our antique furniture work. Read do you move single antique pieces. If an appraiser or an auction house is involved, read can you work with an antique appraiser or auction house.

Moving it with the rest of the house

Most grandfather clocks move as part of a full home move. The clock, the piano, and the rest of the house can all go on the same job. Floors, door frames, and stairs get protected along the way.

Coverage

Every move includes our standard coverage, which is based on weight. A clock is light for its value, so for a valuable heirloom, you can buy full coverage insurance through us or through your own insurer.

Pricing

Clock moves are hourly, with disassembly and reassembly always included. Read how is a grandfather clock move priced.

Clock preparation is part of our grandfather clock and organ moving service, under our piano moving hub and our moving services.

Call (773) 275-4100 or email info@wcmoving.com, and tell us about your clock.