Washing machine on bench top travelling

[theparlourroom]

 

My husband has a spinal injury, so when we renovated our laundry we put the washer and dryer *on top* of the bench top. It’s fantastic as we don’t have to bend, but we’ve tried everything to stop the washing machine from vibrating and travelling around, and nothing has worked. It’s level, and even anti-vibration pads haven’t helped. It’s shaking everything in the room, and on the other side of the wall in the next room. Before giving up and going back to putting it back on the ground, does anyone have any ideas? One last thing we thought we might try is removing the feet, and replacing them with bolts from the underside of the bench. But I’m not sure that will help at all. I’d really appreciate any advice!! Deb. 

[EricL]

Hi @JDB

The Kaboodle Cabinets are designed to hold the weight of timber and stone top benchtops. The cabinets have an 18mm timber backing panel. They are assembled using a combination of dowel and screw systems. As my colleague @MitchellMc has mentioned, if the cabinets are mounted securely to the wall, they will be able to take the weight of the machines. 

However, adding extra support will always enhance the current structure of the cabinets. The trick to minimizing the vibration of the machines is to put them on vibration pads and leveling the machines until they are truly dead center. The only time the machines will ever truly vibrate is when they have an uneven load. Would it be possible for you to post a photo of your laundry area and its measurements? We can then offer you a possible layout for your cabinets and machines.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[laurahei]

Hi all,

I'm a bit late to the party, but I have a similar question.

We just moved into a rental place and got a washer-dryer. It's currently in the laundry area behind a sliding door. Unfortunately, I didn't measure the space properly, and there's a pipe at the back preventing the machine from fitting completely within the laundry area. The sliding door won't close as a result (my partner wasn't too thrilled about that, haha!).

Does anyone have suggestions for a cabinet, table, or any other solution? Since we're renting, we can't really secure anything to the wall. The washer/dryer weighs 68kg, and we're looking for a cost-effective solution, even if it's a bit on the ugly side since it will be behind closed doors.

Thanks!

[EricL]

Hello @laurahei 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us.

Would it be possible for you to post a photo of the laundry area? A large panoramic shot if possible. This will give our members a chance to see what space is available. We can then make recommendations on how best to proceed. 

 If you need a hand posting the photo, please let me know.

Eric

[laurahei]

Hi @EricL 

Thank you. Please see the attached photos of our laundry area, the tube with the black tape is the one causing the issue.

We are currently considering the following options:

• Buying an off-the-shelf solution (for example this if it can withstand 68kg & doesn't interfere with the taps: https://www.bunnings.com.au/cefito-610x610mm-stainless-steel-kitchen-bench)
• Creating a DIY wooden frame with cross-connections for stability and vibration
• Turning the washing machine 90 degrees sideways, placing it on casters, and rolling it out into the hallway each time it's in use (the washing machine is 50mm deeper than it is wide). Which may be quite annoying... 

Let me know your thoughts. 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @laurahei,

Creating a platform and raising the machine above the pipe sounds like one of the only solutions.

The Cefito 610x610mm Stainless Steel Kitchen Bench has a weight rating of 58kg per castor, so it should be capable of holding the weight of your machine, but it's designed more for kitchen work tasks and not holding a machine that weighs 68kgs. You might like to consider building your own frame out of 70 x 35mm Pine. I've created a rendering below to showcase a simple method.

Having a standing drain pipe like that is a slightly unusual setup. Down the pipe just go straight down into the floor? Is there a sink nearby at all?

Mitchell

[laurahei]

Hi Mitchell, 

Thank you so much for your clear explanation & render. 

The saga continues: we built the platform and placed the washing machine on it, but realised that we were still 1cm short and the second sliding door still couldn't be closed... So, next time we should triple measure before buying a washing machine / building a platform! 

[Jason]

Oh no @laurahei. What are your next steps? Do you need a hand?

Jason

[laurahei]

Hi Jason, 

Thank you, we are currently looking at a slightly smaller washing machine that has a limited depth. 

No worries, the washing machine was second hand so we will be looking at another second hand washing machine. 

Cheers, 

Laura

[Jason]

No worries. Please let us know if you need a hand with anything @laurahei. 

Jason