Washing Machine and Dryer Pedestal / Stand: a DIY Happiness!

Intro: Washing Machine and Dryer Pedestal / Stand: a DIY Happiness!

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.

STEP 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.

STEP 2: Take Measurements

1. Make measurements around the base of your washer and dryer. My measurement was 27" around, a perfect square. Mark this measurement ion the plywood. This will serve as the top panel where the washer and dryer would sit. 27" x 27". (have Home Depot cut it)

2. Make measurements for the height of your pedestal. In this instructible, the height for my pedestal was 15". Most pedestals are around this height range.

3. Mark your measurement for height on the plywood and also your length. This will serve as the side panels. In this case two 15" x 27". (again, have Home Depot cut it)

4. Measure and mark the 2" x 4"s. Two 25" for the length and four 13" for the height. The four 13" would serve as the leg support .

*note* 25" is the length because the plywood was about an inch thick. Depending on the thickness of your plywood, you just have to make the necessary adjustments. You don't want the side panels protruding on the side. We want to seamlessly connect the woods together.

To do this, just subtract the thickness of the 2 side panels from the main length of the base of your washer or dryer. That will be the length of your 2x4's. Hope that made sense.

STEP 3: Make the Cut

1. Cut the plywood-- Top Panel and Side panels.

2. Cut the 2" x4"s.

3. Connect the one 25" with the two 13". You can use nails or screws which ever you feel comfortable. I use screws this way I prevent the would from cracking. Also I drilled a hole before I screwed it in.

4. Do the same with the other 25" and two 13".

5. Connect the 2 x 4's into the side panels. Secure using screws or nails.

6. Place the top panel in place. Secure using screws and nails.

7. To cover the back, measure from each end of the side panels. That will be your size. Height will still be 15".

STEP 4: Paint It!

Now paint that beautiful work of art to match your washer and dryer. You can brush or spray paint it! Which ever you choose, be creative.


If you feel that you don't need to use the space underneath the washer and dryer, just measure and cut a piece of plywood and nail or screw it in place. That size would be 15" x 27" (in my case). After that, You are are done! You've basically have made a platform!


If your washer and dryer are inside your house, instead of painting the wood, you might want to consider carpeting the top and side panels. This should help minimize the noise radiated from the washer onto the wood. You can also, instead of painting, cover it with some kind of vinyl, or tolex. Have fun and be creative.

STEP 5: Relax and Enjoy!

And finally, enjoy your work of art. Say good bye to back pains and most of all to those ridiculously priced pedestals. Best of all, the total cost for this project? Less than $25. PRICELESS!!!

Now if I could just find the time to make the drawers... to be continued!


.

Comments

[ckmvam]

Wondering if you gave any consideration to needing to pull the washer out for repairs. How would you accomplish this.

[raxel]

Ive never thought about that. Both washer and drier are still kicking it in without any problems. I figured once they both die, Id throw everything out and update to the larger washer and drier that dont need any stand. I guess if you have to take them out you'd put tiny sticks or pensil or sliders under the frame and roll/slide them out using the pensils or sliders until they pop out where 2 people can lift it out of the frame.

[jberkenbosch]

Question - we just bought front load washer and dryer and the guys who delivered said that, since the pedestal it is to go on isn't the Samsung factory one, they wouldn't install it (concerns that due to agitation.movement the machine would fall off). Seems like a Samsung CYA answer but as I've searched seems like a lot of people use non-manufacturer pedestals. Any of you have issues with machine movement or do you do something to secure the machine to the pedestal? Sorry of this isn't the right forum on which to post this but was the closest I could find that was relevant. Thanks in advance.

[davidurquhart]

maybe instead of drawers use rolling storage boxes minus the lids :)

[bdizon]

This looks like a great solution. Have you heard anything about this design withstanding time?

[lonicera42]

i built these in December of 2011, and they're still working great. I built them because my basement floods a couple of inches sometimes and the open front has been great from removing water. They're incredibly sturdy as well and I can stand and jump on them and the vibrations of the machines haven't phased them at all. Good stuff and thank you for the design!!

[raxel]

So far to this day, its still standing and working! No issues so far. Hope that helps.

[raxel]

Great you guys!!!! Enjoy your Pedestals!!!!

[Coliopteran]

Thanks for a great simple design! I loved being able to customize for my space and mismatched washer and dryer. My concrete floor was so uneven I had to add adjustable feet to the bottom of the pedestals to level them. I also added L shaped blocks around the machines' legs to keep them from walking off the pedestals... You know... just in case.

[Ed226]

banker says: Apr 26, 2010. 6:52 PM

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.

[txtallman]

I believe your design would be alot stronger with plywood sids and back. This helps distribute all of the weight and vibration to the floor. I would also build the sides like a miniture wall with a bottom plate (2x4) and the same on the back and front. Now you have a frame into which you can build a drawer.

[ghughes32]

Does anyone know if making your own pedestal might void any warranties?
Thanks

[shannonlove]

Building your own pedestal won't but not having the washer unit properly leveled will void the warranty. These front loading designs are very mechanically complex and have to be balanced just so, especially the (relatively) inexpensive ones. If not, water does not drain and balance is thrown off.

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

[Kangrrl]

If you have small children, you MUST anchor these machines to the pedestal and floor. A young child will hang off the door if left open. In fact, all large furniture in your home should be anchored to the wall!

[banker]

Why do you need a pedestal?  Can't you just sit them on the floor?

[osandra51]

When you have back problems, raising your washer and/or dryer makes it so much easier to get close out of the dryer.

[jstoner]

also if your basement is prone to flooding, it's nice to elevate your washers (and every damn other thing in your basement.)

[gnawlej]

Raising front loaders makes it easier for tall folk like myself.

[lgarcia323]

when the washer spins are the pedestals strong enough to handle the vibration? is there any issue with this?

[jeffeb3]

I made something similar, and the concrete floor they are on means they shuffle around a little bit. Occasionally they will get close to each other and start making a lot of noise. I think I just need to put something soft (like carpet squares) underneath to dampen that energy.