Laundry Room Cabinet depth with front loaders
Our laundry room is long and narrow (17.5x6') and we want to put in new cabinets. Our washer and dryer are front loaders that are fairly tall and deep (40"Hx30"D). We considered stacking them, but don't want to be married to front loaders forever and also don't really have the time or budget to move the utilities, so we will leave them as is and add a counter with hanging/drying above. There will be a sink and a pull out for laundry soap on one side and refrigerator and freezer to the other.
I'd love to hear your experiences pro and con with how to decide the depth/height of the cabinets around the washer/dryer.
Lower cabinets: Should we line up the lower cabinet with the washer/dryer to give one longer unbroken counter? Or does that make the sink hard to use? If we keep the sink at normal counter height, do we pull it out from the wall to be the same depth as the washer/dryer, or just keep it at normal counter depth?
Upper cabinets: I know I want 24" deep refrigerator cabinets above the washer and dryer with a bar below, but am unsure about above the sink. If the counters are the same as depth as the washer/dryer, I can only reach the bottom shelf of a normal upper cabinet, so I know I don't want that. Thinking of continuing the high/deep uppers all the way across but there may be cons to that.
Thanks for the help! I've found pictures of each of these configurations on Houzz and done mockups (below) but would love to hear real pros and cons you've experienced.
Comments (10)
mxk3 z5b_MI
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Need recommendations for a shallow depth front loader
Comments (5)You can take a tape measure to some stores and pull the machines away from the wall to the 34.5" point. You might find a lot more machines fit than you initally considered. I also have a depth limited laundry room, but I'm reconfiguring it to fit pretty much any washer, but a more limited set of dryers (trying to optimize space and the best venting setup for the dryer). Regarding washers, some of the real big ones should work without any problem. The Miele W48XX machines have a machine depth (including the door) of 30". An additional 4.5" for hoses should be more than enough. The Bosch Nexxt machines have a depth of 31.6" on their website and 30.7" in their published manuals (don't know if that includes the door). Although this is tighter, having about 3" (give or take) in the rear should work. Other big machines may work as well....See MoreTop loader vs Front loader
Comments (3)-cycle takes too long Direct result of using less water mildew/mold/smell issues User error. Leave door ajar when not in use. Clean dispenser of fabric softener residue after last load. Wiping gasket dry after last load really helps. Running a sanitary or clean drum cycle once month/six weeks really helps. feedback that they breakdown more Nonsense. It has to do with each brand's manufacturing precision. In general TL from 30 years ago break down less than modern FL. Modern TL also break down more than TL from 30 years ago. Miele FL is as good as anything currently made. TL cycle also takes a while but not *as* long More water less time. Less water more time. Federal regulations is also limiting how much water TL use. not as gentle on clothes Direct result of agitator. HE TL with no agitator does not clean as well. For the HE concept to work properly the drum needs to be horizontal. Except for one obscure brand, that means FL use more water More water less time. Less time more water....See MoreWashing Machines : Front Loader vs Top Loader?
Comments (53)FL vs TL debate will continue LOL I am 60 years old and always used a TL until recently. When after two ddeliveries of Speed Queens proved to be lemons...I decided to take the leap and buy a Whirlpool Duet FL. ..lets back up a bit....I had a routine in my TL'ers...I always added boiling water after the load was started and filled with hot..for whites, bedding, bath, and kitchen towels by dumping soup pots of boiling water into the machine to boost the temp...that started to really become a chore for this old carcuss to cart those heavy pots, I started dreaming of a FL'er with a onboard heater. The more I thought about it the more desirable it sounded..BUT I was concerned about low water levels, HE detergent, and reports of mold....but this heater was really getting my attention. ..than the good folks in the Laundry forum started nudging me towards a FL...I was scared, understand laundry is my thing..I enjoy laundry and all the challenges it can present...so I gave up my ocean of water for a heater...I can now choose between cold (I dont use cold) to hot, and I am talking 154+F...and everything inbetween......no more pots of boiling water. My textiles are clean, stain free, soft, fluffy and so fresh smelling, with much less work on my part. As far as moldy machines..it only takes a few seconds to wipe out the door seal and leave the door open when not in use. The use of hot water at lead t for your whites and bedding will also keep the machine clean. I won't go back to a TL'er....my whites have never been more white....See MoreLaundry room front vs top loader
Comments (20)My new washer--top loader with agitator--twists and tangles clothes like no washer I've ever used. It is a night and day difference from my old agitator washer. This is a 2-stage agitator, while the old one was a one-stage. So agitator/no agitator isn't really the issue. Keep in mind also, that online reviews are self-selecting; people with complaints are far, far more likely to post than people who are contented. The results are skewed thusly....See MoreNancy
3 years ago
acm
3 years agodalebandy
3 years agoThanks so much for the input!! You are so right. The fridge top cabinets will need a step ladder to get to the top or back but that's OK because they will store back-ups of TP/paper towels/ziplocks etc. - crap that currently resides on top of the fridge. I'm going to go with a standard sink height and depth with a removable counter over the washer/dryer.
Fridge is big (36wx33d) and freezer is avg (32w29.5d).
Follow up question: Is allocating space for both the fridge and the freezer the best use of space? Am I better off allocating that space to a nice built in utility cabinet? We only plan to stay in this house another 5 years or so, which means I want it to work for us but also not be so customized that it doesn't suit the average home buyer.
We have a counter depth fridge in the kitchen plus a full sized fridge in the basement, so the laundry room the 3rd fridge in the house. If it goes out, we would not replace it. Unfortunately the placement of the electrical panel doesn't allow us to use the whole length of the room for built in cabinets, but I could put the extra fridge in the end corner and still meet code for clearance around the panel.
Thanks again for the input!!
Choice #1 building in space for our freezer and 3rd fridge. No room for a utility cabinet. Vacuum and hose will have to live in the back corner by the freezer.
Choice #2 adding a utility cabinet, but no room for the "extra" fridge. It can go in the end corner and still have enough space around the electrical panel to meet code. Vacuum and hose can go in utility cabinet.
Choice #2 view from the door.mxk3 z5b_MI
3 years agodalebandy
3 years agoci_lantro
3 years ago
Patricia Colwell Consulting