bolting to the joists

[asalcedo]

According to the Miele manual, a washing machine on a wooden floo

should be installed on a 30mm plywood platform bolted not only to th floorboards but also to the joists.

This way, Miele service wrote to me, there is less risk of the machin moving around and putting stress on the pipes and cable when spinning.

My Miele washing machine, 94 kg in weight, is already in place withou the plywood platform and it does shake quite a lot while whashing, bu it does not move around.

I intend to put a dryer on top and think that the plywood platform i the right way to go, to reduce the shaking (although with the dryer o top it should be even less) and more importantly, to spread the weigh between joists.

My question is, which type of bolt should I use? I do not want t damage the joists any more than strictly necessary, preferably withou causing meaningful load bearing strength.

I have in mind a coach bolt, the problem is that it has to be longe than the depth of the joist, which is about 300mm deep. I have not see these bolts.

Also, I would need to break the ceiling just below the joists, which i to be avoided at all costs.

Another way is to use coach screws going something like 1/3 deep int the joist. However, given the strong vibrations from the washin machine the screws may lose the wooden threa

-- asalcedo

[John Rumm]

You seriously don't want to bolt right through the depth of the joist - far more hassle that required, and you would weaken the joist significantly.

A few 2 1/2" 12 guage screws would do fine. If you want something stronger then you could use some simiilar sized coach screws.

Personally I would have thought a blob of silicone sealant under each corner of the ply would be more than adequate.

[jacob]

I don't think it needs bolts or screws. A few nails will do, perhaps 2

1/2 inch lost heads. The weight of machine will keep everything down, and the nails will stop the board from moving. My washing machine is standing on the floor boards and there is no problem at all. I don't think you need the 30mm board either as long as you can adjust the feet to sit firmly on the floor boards.

[david lang]

My Hotpoint sometimes dances all over the conservatory floor - most amusing when it ends up jammed up against the kitchen door & we can't get out there to move it. It would take more than a blob of silicone to stop it I reckon - or am I wrong?

I've levelled it so many times already.

I've always thought of bolting it down, but decided against it because it would transfer the vibration somewhere else and could damage the machine.

Any thoughts?

Dave

[John Rumm]

If you silicone two flat surfaces together then you get a very strong bond - so you may be supprised. It is also a less rigid coupling than screws so ought to transfer a a little less vibration.

Failing that, have a look at RS stock code 434-2099

[Chris Bacon]

asalcedo wrote: > According to the Miele manual, a washing machine on a wooden floor > should be installed on a 30mm plywood platform bolted not only to the > floorboards but also to the joists. > ( snip ) > Another way is to use coach screws going something like 1/3 deep into > the joist. However, given the strong vibrations from the washing > machine the screws may lose the wooden thread

4" coach screws should be fine. Sink the head into the plywood (use a thick washer under the head); drill a clearance hole through the plywood and floorboard; drill a pilot hole into the joist, & fasten.

[s--p--o--n--i--x]

I suspect the real reason is that a lot of floors are chipboard these days..

You can imagine what'd happen if the chipboard gave way during a final spin!

sponix

[meow2222]

This doesnt sound realistic to me, and none of the machines I've ever seen on wood floors have had this done.

Then why are you trying to solve a non-problem?

which will make it much less likely to move anywhere

it probably wont reduce shaking at all. But if the feet are currently lifting off the floor during spin it will (youll hear hammering as it hits the floor), then it will transfer the shake to the celing structure, which is really not a clever idea. Not unless you like your ceilings steadily disintegrating.

the floor does that.

this all sounds quite confused. Unless you have something weak like half inch chip floors I'd forget the whole idea.

NT

[david lang]

At £35 each? Presumably you would need 4 - that's £140!! Not far off the cost of a washing machine!

Dave

[Lee]

There is an article about this on the White Goods forum to do with sprung loads and damping - or the lack of it ;) Some machines are apparently much worse than others on wooden floors.

We have an LG 1400rpm machine, that is reported to be particularly bad, but it's proved to be acceptable on our floorboards, it does shake a little, not enough to spill a cup of tea left on it though :) And it doesn't actually "move" at all.

Lee

[John Rumm]

Another vote in favour of silicone then I take it? ;-)

[asalcedo]

Floorboards, at least mine, are not very rigid, quite lose in fact a some points, that's one reason for the creaking noises in woode houses.

In the particular spot where the washing machine is, there are thre legs that do not move but the fourth one moves up and down by a quarte of an inch during spinning. I have tried to move the machine a bit but do not have more than a few inches of leeway and could not stop th fourth leg movement.

A plywood platform will avoid or certainly improve the shaking by no letting that fourth leg move much.

I do have a problem. The machine is not moving but it is vibratin violently and that is not good for the machine, for the floor or fo the noise caused.

On a solid floor, the washing produces only vertical loads, accordin to the Miele manual, of 160kg maximum.

On a non solid floor those loads lead to vibration and vibration ca lead to structural fatigue or even worse, resonance which, with littl relative energy, can destroy large things.

Can someone please provide the link to the white goods forum article mentioned?

One question, I like the sealant idea, but would it not be better good glue?

Thanks,

Antonio

The vibration is caused by the 6kg plus water load banging against th

-- asalcedo

[meow2222]

it would worsen it, by coupling this energy into the floor/ceiling. At present your machine leg is free to dance.

the machine is designed for this, its not a problem.

not ideal, no, but connecting it rigidly would only worsen it. In practice wms seem to be ok on suspended wood floors.

wood doesnt fatigue from normal bending. If you had an aluminium floor structure it might be different, but I've never heard of such a thing.

I've never seen that, or heard of it happen. Perhaps the wm spin speeds and typical floor resonances dont coincide. Wood floors are normally designed to cope with far greater loads than washers. I once saw a 1/4" plywood floor: there are occasioanlly exceptions!

NT

[Lee]

I would if it could find it again ;)

This is the thread about the LG machines and wooden floors though:

does cover some points. Lee