Furniture and Floor Protection SOP

Standard procedure for padding, wrapping, and moving furniture while protecting finished surfaces with floor runners during relocations.

Steps

• Facilities coordinator inspects the move path
  The facilities coordinator verifies that the route is clear of obstacles, has a minimum 36-inch width, and the floor surface is level within ±0.5 inch and dry. Record the path length, door clearances, thresholds, and any hazards observed, including low-hanging fixtures, tight turns, uneven surfaces, or wet areas.
• Crew lead selects the correct protection materials
  The crew lead confirms the move includes enough moving blankets, furniture pads, floor runners, and stretch wrap for every item and the full travel path. Materials must match the furniture finish and floor type, and any damaged or insufficient protection must be replaced before work starts.
• Handlers pad vulnerable furniture surfaces
  The handlers cover all exposed legs, corners, edges, and other contact points with furniture pads and secure them with tape approved for finished surfaces. Padding must fully cover vulnerable areas without leaving exposed wood, metal, glass, or painted trim.
• Handlers wrap the furniture for transport
  The handlers apply moving blankets and stretch wrap so the item is fully covered and the wrap does not shift, slip, or bunch during movement. Wrap must remain tight enough to protect the finish while still allowing safe handling and visibility where needed.
• Crew lead lays floor runners along the travel path
  The crew lead places floor runners end to end along the full travel path, including thresholds and turns, with no exposed gaps in high-traffic sections. Runners must lie flat, be secured with tape approved for finished surfaces, and remain aligned to protect all travel surfaces.
• Handlers move the furniture using protected handling methods
  The handlers move the wrapped furniture only on the protected route, using dollies or hand trucks as needed and keeping the load centered and controlled. No item may be dragged, tilted unsafely, or rolled off the runners, and movement must stop immediately if a runner shifts or an obstruction appears.
• Relocation crew lead verifies the area and records any deviation
  The relocation crew lead inspects the move area after completion to confirm all protection materials are removed, the route is clean, and no scratches, dents, torn runners, or missing padding remain. Any damage, near-miss, or deviation from the procedure must be documented and escalated immediately.