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LG Steam Washer on the 2nd Floor

16 years ago

Hello,

I have been reading through as many posts on this topic as I can, and still need more input from LG Steam Washer owners who have units on the second floor!

We own the LG Steam Washer & coordinating Dryer. (We bought it in June, so not the newest model that just came out. Last year's model. I don't remember the model number and they are currently in storage).

When we bought these, they were in a first floor laundry room off of the kitchen, above a basement, in a newly constructed house. I loved them. I never had the vibration problems that some people had, and I was very happy with them.

We have since moved out of state and are going to be moving into a new house in about a month. This house is not new construction. However, the laundry room (which is on the second floor) is in an addition which was constructed within the last two years. I was speaking with the contractor who built the addition and was asking him about the floor construction. Now, of course, I can't remember exactly what he said, but he didn't think there would be a vibration problem. He said the floors were not done with plywood, but instead are done with concrete backerboard (this might not be the right term). He said it is what is being used in laundry rooms now. And the floors are tile.

Now that you have probably too much background info, can anyone tell me their experiences with the LG Steam Washer on the second floor? Do you have it in a drip tray, on a stall mat, in a drip tray AND on a stall mat? Does it vibrate excessively? If you don't have vibration problems, what is your set up? If you had/have vibration problems, what did you do and what was the outcome?

I am wondering if I am being overly concerned about putting these on the second floor?

Also, I am not sure that I understand why there would be such a big difference in vibration between a first floor that's over a basement, and a second floor?

Thank you very much for any information you have!

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Comments (4)

fahrenheit_451
16 years ago
You did not mention the following:
2. Location of the laundry in regards to the floor plan?
3. Does the laundry area have a floor drain?
Now, of course, I can't remember exactly what he said, but he didn't think there would be a vibration problem. He said the floors were not done with plywood, but instead are done with concrete backerboard (this might not be the right term). He said it is what is being used in laundry rooms now. And the floors are tile.

Concrete backerboard is used as a quick means of providing a level surface for tiling as most tile contractors today are not seasoned or generationally trained so they are not good at hand floating a level surface to lay tile on. Durock is an example of concrete backerboard; these substrates are fastened to subflooring on flooring surfaces (see this link). Also, I am not sure that I understand why there would be such a big difference in vibration between a first floor that's over a basement, and a second floor?

Basement walls are typically embedded in the soil so they act as dampeners and can absorb vibration. The higher you go in wood frame construction the more movement has to be accounted for in the building's engineering. This becomes even more accountable if you reside in an area with seismic considerations.
sds333
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you for the info and link Farenheit 451. I don't remember if there was a drain or not. The current owner's washer is in a tray, so my guess is no, but I can't say for certain. The laundry room is located along the back wall of the house, and I know that one of the inside walls of the room is a load-bearing wall (on the first floor). That is the wall the washer and dryer are against. So they are in the corner of the outside wall and the interior wall that is load-bearing (at least on the first floor - does a wall remain load-bearing on the second floor?)
Thank you!
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fahrenheit_451
16 years ago
Matters look to be in your favor, but the final test will be when you actually install your units. The current drain pan may very well be atop a drain as shown in this article (click the pictures to enlarge them): The Family HandymanÂ®: Avoiding A Flood In An Upstairs Laundry Room
LZMD
10 years ago
Can you tell me what you ended up buying for a washer for your second floor? Are you happy with your washer and the set up? I have a 6 year old LG front load and we just moved to a house with a 2nd floor laundry room. It wasn't a big deal before since we were on the first floor. We are seeing cracks on the walls below where the laundry room is since we moved. We are looking to buy a new washer that doesn't vibrate or shakes as much that cleans well and still extracts water. Thanks. LZMD

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