We all know washer and dryer pedestals are VERY expensive and are ridiculously priced. You can certainly buy another washer for the price of the two pedestals; or perhaps a new refrigerator! This instructible shows you how to make yourself a cheap pedestal or stand for your washer and dryer.
The advantages of having a pedestal or stands for your dryer and washer is that you eliminate the need to bend over to pick up your laundry. Also you can place items under the pedestal such as soap, laundry detergents, etc. The pedestals are a practical accessory for front loading washing machines and dryers.
The advantages of having a pedestal or stands for your dryer and washer is that you eliminate the need to bend over to pick up your laundry. Also you can place items under the pedestal such as soap, laundry detergents, etc. The pedestals are a practical accessory for front loading washing machines and dryers.
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Signing UpStep 1: Materials
Materials:
Plywood (the thicker the better. mine is about an inch thick)
2" x 4" wood
Drill or hammer
Saw
Screws or nails ( 3 inch screws/nails, 2 inch screws/nails)
Glossy paint
All items can be bought at your local hardware stores. I got all these at home depot. The plywood cost $15 since it was very thick. The 3 pieces of 2" x 4" x 10" cost $2.35 each.
Since I already measured the base of both my washer and dryer, I went a head and had home
depot cut the plywood for an extra .15cents per cut thus eliminating back pains and muscle
sore from cutting the plywood myself. I highly recommend doing this.
Plywood (the thicker the better. mine is about an inch thick)
2" x 4" wood
Drill or hammer
Saw
Screws or nails ( 3 inch screws/nails, 2 inch screws/nails)
Glossy paint
All items can be bought at your local hardware stores. I got all these at home depot. The plywood cost $15 since it was very thick. The 3 pieces of 2" x 4" x 10" cost $2.35 each.
Since I already measured the base of both my washer and dryer, I went a head and had home
depot cut the plywood for an extra .15cents per cut thus eliminating back pains and muscle
sore from cutting the plywood myself. I highly recommend doing this.
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Why do you need a pedestal? Can't you just sit them on the floor?
As others mentioned, there are a few reasons: Ergonomics and flood protection are obvious.
For myself, I purchased a new washer and dryer for the house I rent. Once they were delivered, I quickly found that:
1) the dryer air out vent was about a foot too low to reach the stock hose connection. Easy fix if it was the only problem. Since it was not (the following problem also plagued me), a pedestal was the logical fix.
and
2) The drain for the washer was about a foot too high as well. I really couldn't lower the drain (when I tried, sewage from the toilet would sometimes back up and overflow from the washer drain - they were off the same pipe), The problem with the drain being that high was not just a matter of having a hose long enough to reach up there. The pump has to work extra hard to send the dirty wash water that extra foot up. When it finishes, there is still a lot of water left in the drain tube/hose, which back flows into the machine (gravity). The pump also has to work much harder to expel the waste water, fighting gravity and the installer said if I connected it as such, it would void my warranty.
Raising the units onto a platform killed two birds with one stone, for me. I was able to pull it off for about $30, total investment. I bought a sheet of 5/8" particle board for $12 (had the hardware store cut it down to 30" x 60"), 6 of the 12" x 8" x 16" concrete blocks for $1.68 each (about $10), a tube of Liquid Nails ($2.27) and some blue 2"+ concrete screws $4... I sat the 6 blocks on their 12" sides, 1 at each of the 4 corners and the other 2 in the front and back center of where the board (and therefore machines) would sit.
Next I spread some Liquid Nails on the block tops and finally drilled pilot holes through the wood and into the concrete blocks. I drove the concrete screws down through the wood, into the blocks until they were flush. Having sat the platform where the machines were originally and then put the machines on top, I made sure to re-level them, afterwards.
So far there has been to vibration or walking issue, but I could easily add a lip/guard around the edge of the wood if needed to keep them in place. All in all, I spent about $30 and a few hours time (including the time it took to go to the hardware store). Or I could have paid $229.00 times 2 plus tax for the manufacturers pedestals. To me it was a no brainer. Nobody sees the machines or the pedestal as they are in my basement, but even if they did I am not ashamed of it. It's very practical and really doesn't look all that bad.
Thanks
I have a friend who built his own platform for his front loader. It failed and they sent a repair guy. Fortunately, he just happened to be moving and he had took the platform down. The repair said the unit was level (as the top loaders were) and that have caused it to beat itself to death and collect stagnate water.
The repair cost would have been 80% of the unit's initial cost which was pushing $1000. In looking at his reams of warranty material, my friend found out he wasn't supposed to even move the unit himself within the house but instead had to have it professionally shifted and leveled.
So check your paperwork carefully before moving or otherwise working with a front loading residential washer.
Really a stupid design unless you're making a heavy industrial unit. You know those who make and repair appliances send their congressmen a big box of chocolates every year for the favor of mandating these monsters
The pedestal you can buy are normally screwed at the bottom of the washer.
I'm planning on building very similar to what was posted here, except that along the back, I'll put a 2x4 horizontally along the ground. The legs will then be between the top 2x4 rail and this new bottom 2x4 rail. I'll then attach that bottom rail to the floor with long screws, hopefully into the floor joists, which will make them very solid.
One other suggestion he had was once you have the washer perfectly leveled, raise the front end up slightly, about 3/8". This will keep the weight towards the back of the washer reducing the strain on some parts, and making it last longer.
this is great! thanks so much. I just built one for a new washer and so far it is going great. I doubled up the 2x4s on the legs so I have an inexpensive 4x4 for the legs.
blessings
The big test was what my wife would say...and she likes them. Thanks again.......Naglies
Guys installing our new washer were very impressed! They said, "No way would I pay $200+ for a drawer!
Thing is even of you put you washer on concrete and if it, like you said, has a minute vibration, then you'd still have problems in the future. So if you have a pedestal and built it properly you should be good hands just the same.
the dryer will/should be fine. but the washer needs 700lbs of support under it to operate properly. ive seen joists damaged because of these machines.
a front load washer is an off balance wheel.
ive seen a few work. but not many. i hope these work for you. but to anyone else contemplating it. i hope this was helpfull.
Good idea to have some form of levelling whether adjustable or shims although both washer and dryer also have a certain amount of internal levelling capability
BTW raxel I think this is a great project
Dont forget to bend those knees!