The Daily Fix

How to Convert a Closet into a Laundry Room

comments (10) April 3rd, 2009

FHB_WEB, member

A washer and dryer, elevated for easier accessibility, reside in a former closet.

A washer and dryer, elevated for easier accessibility, reside in a former closet.

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by Bill Mastin

A washer and dryer, elevated for easier accessibility, reside in a former closet. Shelves hang on the inside of the flush hollow-core plywood doors, which are stiff enough to take the extra weight. Faux frames applied to the outside of the doors give them the frame-and-panel look of the original doors.

Have a messy closet?

Closet Control
Off the shelf, custom-built, or planned by a designer, the right system will get you organized
by Mary Forsell

posted in: remodeling, appliances, laundry room

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Comments (10)

Jesse_Weisz19 writes: I love this post! I'm into basement finishing in Illinois. This inspired me to better my work:)
Posted: 1:49 am on May 1st

cbfarley writes: I have a deep closet that shares a wall with my stack on the second floor, so this is an optimal project for my home that I've wanted to do for a long time.

Do any of you that have done this have photos or postings available for reference/inspiration? (with no warrenty/guarentee of code or anythign else of course)

Thanks,

Carl
Posted: 11:27 am on April 8th

megamon writes: I am just completing a laundry closet. Using Stacked appliances. Great points above by skidmark regarding Code issues. Dryer venting lengths are frequently defined by the manufacturer and in my case it helped me out because I needed a longer run than the city code guys wanted but because my manufacturer owner manual said I could do it the code guys relented. With solid doors like this one you would probably need to consider a vent fan. Drip tray was not a code requirement (Yet) for my city but I am putting one in anyway because I can.

I also used one of those cool new AAV vents for plumbing that can go in without running another stack through the roof or wall. Then I just found the most convenient way to run my 2" washer drain into my main stack through the floor which worked easy for me because this closet happens to be over the garage.

I chose for now to have a vented bi-fold door in mine

I had to run new 30A, 4 wire run for electric dryer. 15a separate circuit for washer also required by code in my city.

For sound proofing I insulated all walls and I put acoustic tiles on the inside walls of the closet to keep things quiet.

It saves my wife a lot of steps now that the laundry is not in the Basement.
Posted: 11:58 am on April 7th

supergrandad writes: I wanted to do this over five years ago, in our present house. We had a badly placed utility room in our kitchen, dining room area. I demoed the walls and asked a custom cabinet maker to design a finished kitchen cabinet to fit in with the kitchen, since I was busy doing other work.

The idea was, the utilities were there and no one would be dining in the kitchen when the laundry was being done. When closed and possibly running, the kichen would have a finished look.

He passed. He had a Norm Abram workshop (one to die for), but no imagination. I eventually accomodated the same idea later without him.

In another house, we designed the washer, dryer to code, and put it in a raised center island. A finished, rear cabinet door set allowed for unlimited access to utilities. the washer/dryer, just had to be one of those flat topped, front end loader types.

Lowe's had the finished cabinet designs to make it all work and the designers with the creativity to put all the building block designs together.
Posted: 11:45 am on April 7th

Dick70 writes: I think this is an excellent idea. However, I suggest that the right hand interior as you face the unit, which now is being used to hold brooms,etc., could be better used if it had a light weight hinged flat panel that when it was dropped down to a horizontal position it could be used to fold laundry. This is always a problem when folding laundry from the dryer.

Posted: 9:39 am on April 7th

mosubu writes: the concept is great and i know most who read FH are aware that it is just that, an idea.....but a heads up for folks on stack tie-in, elec, gas, raw space recommendations, accessibility to repairs/removal of washer and dryer (it looks like you would have to remove the doors to get pull either of them out), and while i'm 6'2" getting that last sock out of the bottom of the washer isn't a big deal, my GF would have to be on tippy toes to get to the bottom of the washer due to the stack height. of course yo can gauge the height on your needs, etc.
Posted: 11:19 am on April 6th

DDF writes: I agree with lizwh, the title "Convert a closet to a Laundry Room" is very misleading. When people think closet they typically think standard cloths closet as that is what most homes have and this we know just will not work! The average homeowner might not stop to think about the standard dimensions of washer/dryer and storage vs a standard depth closet before they start ripping things out!! Better, more accurate titles in future as we have grown to love and expect from FHB!
Posted: 9:33 am on April 6th

lizwh writes: I think it's important to tell readers that a typical closet is 2' deep and a laundry closet with storage built in to the doors would need more than 3' of depth.
Like another reader, I was curious about the drain pan and venting. Since you elevated the washer ( good idea, but why not 2'?) I assume the box is there to accomodate drain.
Posted: 9:07 am on April 6th

skidmark writes: No doubt. This is worthy of "Wordless Workshop," not FHB.

Let's see how to run the vent stack within an existing wall. Let's see details on gas and water supply, and drains. Electrical? Code issues? Appliance options for tight spaces?

Don't mean to bust your chops on this, but I expect more from FHB.
Posted: 7:41 am on April 6th

cmdr101 writes: Neat idea that I have been considering doing. But what you have shown is the easy part. What I need to know is the correct way to finish the plumbing and venting. Will this be part of a followon article?
Posted: 7:27 am on April 6th

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