Good morning! I’d like to build a laundry room to enclose our front load washer/dryer. Does anyone know what the minimum space needed is from the front of the machines to the facing wall? Thanks for your help!
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Listeners write in about power tool batteries, replacing sheathing behind brick, and rebuilding a pressure-treated deck.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
Enuff for you to sort out everything and toss them in piles about the floor. And of course, you gotta be able to move around, so I'd guess, 6 to 10 feet.
You'll want at least enough room to stand in front of the machines and load/unload them with the doors open. If your laundry room doubles as a passageway, add about four feet.
My laundry room doubles as the path between the house and garage (my shop). Since I usually sorta blow right through the door, SWMBO locks it when she's loading/unloading the dryer. That would be fine, but she forgets to unlock the door when she's done, so I have to dig out my keys to get inside. - lol
Good rule of thumb for minimum space is (washer + dryer + 12") wide, by ((2 x dryer) +6") deep (and be sure to have at least a 2-8/32" wide door, with a 3-0 much better).
In practical terms, that's going to be around 60-63 deep and 63-66 wide--but, that's very, very cramped. (A window, even a small one, can help immeasurably.)
Much better to make the width an extra "appliance" (washer or dryer) wide, and have some cabinetry to one side or the other (or both, but smaller). The front-loading machines will benefit from any extra depth you can give them.
While they look good on plan, the "dog bone" layout, with one machine backed to the left wall, and the other on the right wall (call it 93-96" wide by 36" deep) turns out to be a big pain to actually use. That's because every armload of heavy, wet, clothes going into the dryer requires a 180ยบ turn, and stepping from one side to the other. That, and the only good hanging rail spot is in the middle, so you have to dodge damp drying things with every trip between washer & dryer. Now, a dogbone is not bad with a stacked unit, as you can have some storage opposite, but, the end users have to be comfortable with using a stacked unit (which is not always an easy thing).
I guess it would depend on how you do your clothes. If you are just washing and drying in the room you don't need much.
1.Take a laundry basket to the washer and empty it in the washer and drop the laundry basket in front of the machines.
2. When the washload is done you transfer it to the dryer.
3. When the dryer is done you put the dry clothes into the laundry basket and exit the room. You can sort in another room.
You would need room for the detergent, bleach, fabric softener.
One other consideration is if someone has to service/repair them.
In our house there is never enough room because family members don't have that kind of discipline. Stuff all over the place.
I'd allow for at least 2 feet in front of the open doors of the front loaders.
3 feet would be even better.
Stand in front of the units with the doors open, and see how extra much room you think is comfortable. Then add some more.
Depends on several things....my first question would be, what area of the house will this laundry room be off of?
How much space can you spare of that room/area?
If space is of a premium, as is often the case, you might consider more of a laundry closet". A "room", maybe only 4 feet deep with double bifolds to close it off. With these doors open, it doesn't much matter how big the laundry room actually is, as you have ample room to move about within the adjoining room.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements