Basement Laundry Table
A solution to organizing the laundry chute collection point.
During a recent basement remodel, the normal laundry schedule for a family of five was sometimes interrupted by the project. Like most of the homes I remodel that were built before 1940, this one had a laundry chute. With the washing machine in limbo, laundry would pile up wherever there was room to store it, and sorting was difficult. I started thinking about a way to help the homeowners keep up with their laundry when the project was done. We needed to streamline the task of sorting and storing the clothing that found its way to the basement.
An obvious solution was to build a long, narrow table accommodating both functions. The table we built of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is 84 in. long by 24 in. wide and stands 36 in. tall. One end catches laundry as it drops down the chute. The other end is divided into sorting compartments for dark, medium, and white clothing. For ventilation, I used standard pegboard to divide the compartments. I applied two coats of Waterlox (www.waterlox.com) to the top and bin surfaces, then painted the legs and trim white. Flat panels on each bin match other trim and cabinet details throughout the basement. On any given day, this laundry table is used more than any other component of the remodel.
Photos: Charles Miller
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