Stacking Washer/Dryer trick?

[Chris Lewis]

I'm completely renovating our bathroom, which includes moving the washer/dryer and stacking them. It's the physical installation part that's making me a little nervous...

These are full size front-loading machines intended to be stacked. We have the stacking kit.

The intent is to build a platform about 4" high in a corner of the room, with a 12" wide wall to hide the back of the installed units. Which means that, when installed, there will be one and two thirds of the sides of the units accessible - the front, and 2/3 of one side.

If the washer is set on the platform, there is no way we can get the dryer on top of the washer and bolt the mounting kit (on the back).

Just the thought of lifting the dryer that high...

Assuming two reasonably sturdy adults, how do people do this?

Are there ways to put a stacking system on top of a roller stand? [Eg: make the platform movable in some way]

While this will be directly over the foundation end of the joists, the vibration in operation is going to be pretty strong, and I don't want the unit walking out into the floor or swaying so much it whacks into the walls. It has to be securable. Or the wheels removable after placement and bolt-down. Or something.

I'm going to make the platform _very_ sturdy - eg: double layer of 3/4" ply on top of 2x4 "sleepers" laid flat, ultimately secured directly to the floor if not the floor joists themselves.

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

[Dan Espen]

Clothes dryers are pretty light. Under 140 lbs.

2 Adults should be able to lift that with no problem.

[Chris Lewis]

Right. But the washer cannot be in place for the dryer to be installed. So, the dryer has to be lifted on top of the washer, and then the whole assembly moved (and possibly lifted) 4".

How is the latter normally done? Brute force?

I'm trying to think towards the future, eg: not being physically capable of lifting it, but still needing to service it. Has anybody tried roller stands? Eg: stationary power tool type?

[sandpounder]

Don't put it on a platform. You could slide it then.

[Dan Espen]

Geez, first you say you want to lift the dryer, now you want to lift both.

Put the dryer on top of the washer then slide the washer and dryer in place. Forget the platform, what's that for? If you insist on a platform, tilt the combined unit, that should get the back legs off the floor 4 inches, then slide in place.

Brute force accomplishes wonders. Stay in shape.

Stay in shape. When you can't do these things yourself, hire someone or move into an extended care facility.

[DerbyDad03]

What is the point of the platform? Does the stacking kit call for it?

Are you guys *really* tall?

[Pete C.]

Don't know why you need a platform, but assuming you really do, build a portable temporary matching platform to place in the room adjacent to the permanent one. Assemble the washer/dryer out in the room where you can work on it and then slide it into place as you would normally and then remove the temp platform.

[hallerb]

every time a machine needs service you will regret their being stacked.

worse front load machines require more service, its kinda complex, so unless you fix them yourself $$$$ for future service

[Pete C.]

I love my Maytag stack, indeed I wouldn't consider anything but a stack considering the space savings. Of course I don't have mine on any kind of platform so it would be very easy to pull out for service.

[hallerb]

Wonder if you will still love your stack when the drum bearing fails, and your faced with 350 bucks cost for new drum?

sure your saving energy and water with front loaders but the added up front costs will never be recouped on water and energy savings

[bigjim]

When an expensive part goes you buy a new one. A front loader can be had for $700. So if after a few years it requires a part that is half the cost of a new one just but new. Or get the service plan and dont worry for a few years I will not go back to the top loading washer. My Neptune is going strong . If it craps out for big $$$ it's time for a trip to sears!

[KLS]

Depends on the brand you buy: we went with the Frigidaire Gallery set for just this reason. It was so much more affordable than the more lovely and expensive Whirlpool Duets and their ilk (half the price!), and both machines have run just fine in the 4+ years we've had them, doing on average a load of laundry every day.

[Pete C.]

$350 Eh? Try about $35 at most, as I fix things myself. A stupid plastic damper door in my fridge broke, part unavailable, only in a $160 module. I fabricated a replacement in my shop in about 30 minutes, installed it and it's worked fine ever since.

What added up front costs? It wasn't any more expensive than any other washer / dryer set in the upper-middle end of the range of any brand, both front load or top load.

[DerbyDad03]

-- sure your saving energy and water with front loaders but the added up front costs will never be recouped on water and energy savings

We're veering OT here, but don't forget the savings on the drying side of front loaders also. I bought a FL unit that spins at 1100RPM, one of the fastest available at the time. I am now able to set my dryer on low heat, for half the time that I used to. I don't know if that's

1/4 the gas usage, but it's certainly more than half just based on the time alone. Add in the fact that many items can be hung up for just a couple of hours to dry and the savings goes up because I use the dryer less often now. With a 6 person household, this adds up to a considerable savings.

[DerbyDad03]

We still haven''t heard why you are building a platform. Since they are not "standard" we're curious as to why you plan to use one. Maybe we'll learn something.

[Pat]

If "the future" and the size are concerns, then sell the washer and dryer and get one of those combo units that both washes and dries the cloths in a single machine. Put in it the corner and be done with it

-- or put it in your kitchen next to the dishwasher (under a cabinet).

[Chris Lewis]

According to DerbyDad03 :

The SO wants the door to the washer about 4 inches higher than it is. The main reason is so that the door will open over a laundry basket (ordinary type, not unusually high).

She has said, so far, that the resulting 4" increase in the height to where the dryer door would be is okay.

It may well be that after installation that since the door opens towards the side wall (instead of sweeping into the main foottraffic area), and there being much more space in front (right now it's only about 30"), being able to open the door with a basket directly in front is no longer an issue.

I'm personally not so sure that having the dryer that much higher will work, and I'm going to do the measurements/calculations again and get her to reconsider. I seems to me that the bottom of the dryer opening must be lower than armpit height to be able to reach into it properly.

We're both over 5'7", so, we can tolerate the dryer being higher than many people. If either of us were 5'2", obviously, it wouldn't work.

I'd personally prefer not to have a platform from the perspective of servicing the unit and perhaps tripping hazard. Tho, if we do decide to skip the platform, I still think I want to put an extra layer of 3/4" plywood under the washer for additional stiffening, and that shouldn't present too much difficulty in sliding it in and out.

[DerbyDad03]

Thanks...at least there was a reason for the platform, and a valid one at that.

I'm not sure if this will work, but I'll throw it out there.

Are you familiar with the furniture/appliance slides that you can get at borgs? (see the link below for a few examples)

Permanently attach 2 (or more) sliders to the rear of the platform (or stiffening sheet) and add spacers to the front to level it. Keep of set sliders for the front nearby and use a prybar to lift the front enough to slip the sliders under the front when you need to pull the units out. The fact that the front of the platform will be on the ground in normal usage should keep the platform from moving.

P.S. I have a front loader and have never had it walk like any of my old top loaders. In fact, the sensors on my FL works like this: If the unit tries to spin an unbalanced load, it stops the spin and slowly rotates the drum until the clothes reposition themselves and then it tries to spin them again. It will continue this exercise until it can finally spin the load at full speed. The only time I ever have a problem is when my wife insists on washing a single piece of something heavy, like the throw rug in our bathroom. The unit can't balance one heavy item like a wet rug so it just slowly tosses it until it eventually times out, leaving a soaking wet rug in the washer. That's when I add a few towels or jeans, set it on rinse-spin and let it find a balace and get up to full spin speed. Watching that thing spin at

1100 RPM is a site to behold!

[Chris Lewis]

According to DerbyDad03 :

Yes. But I haven't seen ones like those before. I was thinking of the roller style appliance glides.

Have you used these things?

Did you see the warning?

EZ Moves Furniture Slides II's are designed for temporary use only. Prolonged weight on the sliders can eventually damage the foam top. The EZ Moves Permanent Slides are designed to remain under very heavy furniture.

With vibration on a smooth floor they may walk about.

I was thinking of something like this, the main thing was ensuring that it won't move in operation.

Yes, our washer does try to rebalance itself and does a moderately good job of it. However, our experience has been with it being more-or-less in the middle of a 14' joist span. A floor lamp nearby (construction light ;-) sways several inches while the thing is spinning, and carelessly placed things fall off shelves ... At least it doesn't walk on its regular feet.

I'm assuming that simply placing it on the end of the floor joists (immediately adjacent to concrete foundation) will solve most of it. But I want to be _sure_ I'm not going to have to reengineer it after it's finished.

[DerbyDad03]

No, I didn't read the warning, but I did start my post with "I'm not sure if this will work" so I believe I covered my a**. ;-)

OK, next suggestion:

Get 2 strips of luan cut to the depth measurement of the platform and mount the sliders on them.

Build your platform with the 2 x 4's running front to rear, and use a removable front.

Design a jack that will slip under the platform between the 2 x 4's and allow you lift one side of the platform just enough to slip the luan/slider combination under one the outboard 2 x 4's. Repeat the lift on the other side and slip the other luan/slider combination under that side. I think you get the idea. Obviously you'll need enough space on the sides of the stack to allow for the tilt.

or

Leave enough room behind the stack to tilt the platform backward just enough to get a thin, solid rod under the front platform. Use the rod as a roller to get the stack out enough to add sliders under the front and use the roller and slides to get the stack all the way out.

Hey, I'm trying!