Base cabinet for front-load washer?

I will be remodeling my laundry room shortly and will be getting a front loading washer. Given the condition of my back, I am thinking about putting it (and the dryer) on a base cabinet to raise it up around 14-16 inches. I can easily make the base to match my other cabinets.

Do I need any special design considerations for the base or its top? I imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. I am thinking of a tiled top for the cabinet... Any info/experience would be appreciated.

Cheers, Shawn

Reply to
RimaNeas
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Thanks for all the responses... a lot of new info here. I initially saw the price of the factory pedestals at $250 each, seemed silly since I could build a double-base for $100--I will be building the other cabinets in there at the same time. But I will look on Ebay for sale items. It also sounds like I should go M1-Abrams beefy for the cabinet if I make one--double 3/4" walls, mid-span brace, and a double 3/4" top, bolted to the wall studs on 3 sides. I wonder if I can also just bolt the washer/dryer to the cabinet from the underside...

Thanks again. Cheer, Shawn.

Reply to
RimaNeas

This is just my opinion but it seems that it would have to be quite solid and fasten to the wall. Have you ever seen a washer walking across the floor when things get out of balance?

Reply to
k-nuttle

A number of the front load washer manufacturers make pedestals for just such a situation, and you should investigate that route before committing time and money into building one. They're not cheap, but if you keep an eye on eBay and Craigslist you could probably scoop one up for a reasonable amount. A drawer in the store-bought pedestal base is a major benefit, and the pedestals usually bolt to the underside of the machine so there's little danger of the thing walking off.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

They do walk sometimes and a 1" lip would be good tiled top would not be any good as if the machined decided to take a trip somewhere, the movement would crack the tiles. I built one out of 14 ply 12" high and cut the corners out of the top piece for more stability for the feet of the machine. You could go over the top and put a drawer in it for the washing liquid etc. I only went 12" high because of the dryer on top of the washer.

Reply to
George W Frost

I'd think the vibrations of the washer's spin cycle would be pretty tough on glue joints, not to mention the problems with exposure to water.

Reply to
krw

$250? Maybe if you're paying full MSRP. Check the completed auctions on eBay. You can get one for well less than half that if you are patient. Factor in time, the fact that you have to take the machine off of your platform to service it, whereas the bolted on pedestal moves with the machine, the painted steel pedestal is less susceptible to water damage, etc. I would think that the pedestal designed by the manufacturer to go with the washer would match the machine perfectly, so I'm not sure how a homemade one could look better. Not trying to rain on your parade, just offering the OP different opinions.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

I will be remodeling my laundry room shortly and will be getting a front loading washer. Given the condition of my back, I am thinking about putting it (and the dryer) on a base cabinet to raise it up around 14-16 inches. I can easily make the base to match my other cabinets.

Do I need any special design considerations for the base or its top? I imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. I am thinking of a tiled top for the cabinet... Any info/experience would be appreciated.

Cheers, Shawn

-----------------------

Save your money and time, each wash. Get an old fashioned top load and have some actual storage cabinets above it on the wall.

With a top-load washer your clothes will actually get clean in less than four hours of waiting without detergent residue to irritate your skin. If you want to save water get a suds saver machine. The fad is fading, from poor user experience, just as it did back in the 50s and 60sm before, due too many problems that haven`t been fixed yet. It`s all hype no matter what the sales con-artists are telling the wallets. I have experienced a few very expensive machines.

Flame away

mike

Reply to
m II

RicodJour wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@n5g2000yqh.googlegroups.com:

A word of caution: Not all pedestals can be mounted to all machines easily. They intentionally change mounting patterns and the like to keep this from happening.

We mounted one on the dryer with a help of a couple of drills and sheet metal screws. It just took a little work.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Shawn--

16' is a good height for me. It leaves just enough room underneath to store the essentials - and still fit under the cabinet above. 'Beefy' may not be adequate enough without extra support. ;) It seems that a very thick top helps. My guess is that otherwise it acts a trampoline. Mine is double - to hold dryer also. The unt is 32" deep by 61" wide. I started off with a 2x4 box with 2x4 'studs' every 9" or so. 2 more sets cross the middle with about a foot between them.

--------------------------------- | | | | |------------|----|--------------| | | | |

--------------------------------- Top was 3/4 ply. It's on carpet on a concrete slab. Washer would walk all over. Adjusted feet, great for that load, then it may or may not walk the next load. Added more 'studs'. No change. Added another sheet of ply to top and a small piece of trim around feet to act as a corral - just in case.. The extra ply cured it. It may be that it's double-wide, but that would seem to make it more stable, not less.. I don't know how the manufacturers can make them out of thin steel. The appliances are LG. Don't consider tile until it's been well tested - if then. I'm interested in your results.

--Joe

I will be remodeling my laundry room shortly and will be getting a front loading washer. Given the condition of my back, I am thinking about putting it (and the dryer) on a base cabinet to raise it up around 14-16 inches. I can easily make the base to match my other cabinets. Do I need any special design considerations for the base or its top? I imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. I am thinking of a tiled top for the cabinet... Any info/experience would be appreciated. Cheers, Shawn

Reply to
Joe

------------------------------- That's your first mistake IMHO.

Start with a front loader.

You will be much happier.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

-- A little correction - that's 16 inches, not feet. The diagram works in my text editor, but not in my newsreader. Just make everything line up.

Shawn--

16' is a good height for me. It leaves just enough room underneath to store the essentials - and still fit under the cabinet above. 'Beefy' may not be adequate enough without extra support. ;) It seems that a very thick top helps. My guess is that otherwise it acts a trampoline. Mine is double - to hold dryer also. The unt is 32" deep by 61" wide. I started off with a 2x4 box with 2x4 'studs' every 9" or so. 2 more sets cross the middle with about a foot between them.

--------------------------------- | | | | |------------|----|--------------| | | | |

--------------------------------- Top was 3/4 ply. It's on carpet on a concrete slab. Washer would walk all over. Adjusted feet, great for that load, then it may or may not walk the next load. Added more 'studs'. No change. Added another sheet of ply to top and a small piece of trim around feet to act as a corral - just in case.. The extra ply cured it. It may be that it's double-wide, but that would seem to make it more stable, not less.. I don't know how the manufacturers can make them out of thin steel. The appliances are LG. Don't consider tile until it's been well tested - if then. I'm interested in your results.

--Joe

I will be remodeling my laundry room shortly and will be getting a front loading washer. Given the condition of my back, I am thinking about putting it (and the dryer) on a base cabinet to raise it up around 14-16 inches. I can easily make the base to match my other cabinets. Do I need any special design considerations for the base or its top? I imagine the appliances would want to walk some, so a lip would be in order and the dang things are heavy, but I normally build beefy. I am thinking of a tiled top for the cabinet... Any info/experience would be appreciated. Cheers, Shawn

Reply to
Joe

Eh?

Reply to
Steve Turner

--------------------------------- "Steve Turner" wrote:

-----------------------------------

DUH!!!

Try top loader.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

------------------- I just figured that you were using a double negative. As in stay the hell away from those totally hyped front loaders. eh?

Reply to
Lee Michaels

Oh too funny... I had not even thought about the weight of water!! Lets see, a 4 cf washer can hold .11 cubic meter of water which comes in at another 220Lb... and if the dryer is full of wet heavy clothes. Yep, that's heavy. Thanks for pointing that out.

Cheers, Shawn

PS: I will also look up "Marine Fiddles"... thanks.

Reply to
RimaNeas

Not to worry. Front loaders do NOT WALK. Hell, they hardly move at all

- the forces are entirely different.

Having said that, think of how a wood floor system is built - maybe 2 x 8 with a three-quarter inch sub-floor and tiled over and build that and trim out to match your cabinets. Don't over think it, Yes the washers are HEAVY, but the kid from our local Sears actually lifted it out to the truck for us! Boy, is he going to have back issues later on in life!

Get the pair - take your time - look for closeouts. We got the RED one for $39 (washer) and saw the Dryer go or $199! (Originally $1,100 each!

Reply to
Hoosierpopi

Not flaming but we have had front-loaders for about a year now and love them. We have \had them long enough to be sure our water and gas consumption are down. Wash quality is great. Granted, a year isn't a valid test of durability. But our daughter's family of seven, who has been using the Sears front loaders for six years without problem is.

Addressing the OP - We considered building the base for ours before we started serious shopping. I was concerned about the wear and tear of spinning. As it turned out, we made a sale deal that was cheap enough it wasn't worth the time or money to build it.

RonB

Reply to
RonB

Ditto on the front loader. Works fine, quiet enough, cleans well and four or five years in. The only thing I find irksome is the beeping when the load is done doesn't automatically shut off.

Another ditto. I used to build everything for every thing, and now I pick my battles. A washer stand is not high up on the axis of evil list, so store bought (on sale) it is.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

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