New washer and dryer ... stack or no stack?

[GCS]

Purchasing a new w/d set (front load washer). Should I stack or not.

These are going on the first floor of the house, in a closet. They will most likely be set in the corner of the closet closest to the outside wall of the house thus it will have the most support there underneath vs. anywhere else.

Any thoughts?

Greg

 

[Kaido]

If you really need the space savings, sure. Maintenance & replacement is easier side-by-side, and I find loading side-to-side easier. Loading top-to-bottom (or bottom-to-top) is pretty easy too though. Some useful installation goodies:

http://www.dryerbox.com/

http://www.dryerdock.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Leak-Frog-LF00...dp/B000WMSTUO/

http://driptite.com/washing_machine_drip_pans_washer_dryer_overflow_pan_dual_pan.htm

http://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-8212.../dp/B0049IAK9U

http://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-W102...dp/B003BEY1BQ/

 

[Engineer]

I stacked my front loading washing and dryer (to save space) and it has been great (until I have to work on it). So much more usable space in my small laundry room than before.

 

[GCS]

We are considering it for the same reason.

Plus $500 for pedestals really rubs me the wrong way!

Of course the bending down low to empty the washer is going to bother me as well.

Not sure which is worse, $500 for pedestals or the constant bending over lifting up etc.

 

[Engineer]

We are considering it for the same reason.

Plus $500 for pedestals really rubs me the wrong way!

Of course the bending down low to empty the washer is going to bother me as well.

Not sure which is worse, $500 for pedestals or the constant bending over lifting up etc.

It was different (vs the top loader) but at the same time, now you're reaching straight in to unload the dryer (vs bending over).

 

[Kaido]

We are considering it for the same reason.

Plus $500 for pedestals really rubs me the wrong way!

Of course the bending down low to empty the washer is going to bother me as well.

Not sure which is worse, $500 for pedestals or the constant bending over lifting up etc.

You can build your own pedestals pretty easily: (even if you're not handy...a drill gun and some wood from Home Depot is all you really need)

http://www.familyhandyman.com/laundry-room/diy-washer-pedestal/view-all

If you want to get fancy, you can add your own drawers for supplies storage:

http://www.justagirlblog.com/diy-pedestals/

 

[GCS]

It was different (vs the top loader) but at the same time, now you're reaching straight in to unload the dryer (vs bending over).

LOL

Yeah its a catch 22 thing. Which thing is the worst option.

I am thinking of stacking as $500 for damn pedestals is just irritating the hell out of me.

 

[GCS]

Well I am handy enough to build a "box". Just worried about stability.

We have a front loader now (8 years old) and it rattles the whole freaking house.

Getting rid of it as I am having too many repair issues with it now. Going with a Maytag that my sister has and is in love with it and hers seems to be great as far as noise and vibrations.

 

[Kaido]

Well I am handy enough to build a "box". Just worried about stability.

We have a front loader now (8 years old) and it rattles the whole freaking house.

Getting rid of it as I am having too many repair issues with it now. Going with a Maytag that my sister has and is in love with it and hers seems to be great as far as noise and vibrations.

Yeah see the second link above; the kids are jumping all over it with good results. You can add a washing machine drip pan & some rubberized feet to help mitigate the other issues. Also, I don't know if you have water hookups in place for the washing machine yet, but Oatley has some good hookup boxes:

http://www.oatey.com/products/supply-boxes/washing-machine-outlet-boxes

Floodchek has no-burst hoses:

http://www.floodchek.com/

I wish I had had stuff like this installed when I moved in - I had a pipe burst recently and had a minor flood in my basement; ended up replacing all of that with PEX & Sharkbite, WOW what a difference for maintenance haha!

 

[GCS]

Yeah we have all our hook ups already and what not.

Thinking I may go the DIY route on the pedestal and save the $$. These things are already costing enough as-is.

Would love the one with drawers but I know I am not handy enough to to do that so I think I will just do the simple box.

Still like the idea of stacking to save space but not all the bending and lifting to be honest.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[Kaido]

Yeah we have all our hook ups already and what not.

Thinking I may go the DIY route on the pedestal and save the $$. These things are already costing enough as-is.

Would love the one with drawers but I know I am not handy enough to to do that so I think I will just do the simple box.

Still like the idea of stacking to save space but not all the bending and lifting to be honest.

Decisions, decisions.

You can cheat by building the box but using some cheap IKEA cabinets inside of the box - pretty much the same amount of work but you get the benefit of drawers or whatever off-the-shelf thing you purchase to stick inside the cutout. If you just want it to look nice, get some modern vinyl wrap - great-looking with only a hairdryer or heatgun. I use Orbi & Rvinyl on a lot of my DIY projects:

http://stores.ebay.com/ORBI-Vinyl-Supplies

http://www.rvinyl.com/woodgrain

You can make some pretty classy-looking stuff in an afternoon with that!

 

[GCS]

Ehh looks don't matter ... its in a closet with the cat box so the doors are always closed.

Thinking if I do my own platform I should get the silent feet to avoid walking. Doubt they do much in the vibration dept but I sure don't want it to walk off.

 

[Kaido]

Ehh looks don't matter ... its in a closet with the cat box so the doors are always closed.

Thinking if I do my own platform I should get the silent feet to avoid walking. Doubt they do much in the vibration dept but I sure don't want it to walk off.

Yeah Silent Feet, or else just get an anti-vibration mat: (not as cheap though)

http://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Cal-Rub...dp/B004EF4SPA/

 

[Engineer]

Ehh looks don't matter ... its in a closet with the cat box so the doors are always closed.

Thinking if I do my own platform I should get the silent feet to avoid walking. Doubt they do much in the vibration dept but I sure don't want it to walk off.

Depends on where you are placing them and what brand. My laundry room is on the 2nd floor and Whirlpool nearly shook my house down. I exchanged them thinking they were defective and same result. I finally swapped them out for a Samsung front loading pair and have had little to no vibration (because of the VRT - Vibration Reduction Technology - i.e. inner and outer drum with ball bearings between to balance the high spinning load).

 

[skyking]

Greg,
you can get nice drawer kits for extremely low dollars. same with the slides and faces.
All you need to do is build the strong box to put them in.
Since none of this is exposed, you can use a drill and countersink, and zap it all together with countersunk screws.
Slap the drawer kit together, install the face, install the rails and done.
http://www.barkerdoor.com/Dovetailed-Drawer-Boxes-s/76.htm?gclid=CN-0h_uA3rsCFZJhfgod-XEADw

 

[GCS]

Well the purchase has been made and we are going to stack. This weekend's project ... empty the current close and remove the cabinets in there to allow this to go in there.

Cabinet reinstall next week after delivery.

The extra space gained in the closet outweighed the loading and unloading (for now).

Good news is that if we change our minds I can always separate them, build a pedestal (or buy uggh) and I am only out $20 (thats all the stacking kit cost).

Ordering floodchek hoses now and considering the driptite but that guys is bashed on the net pretty hard for not sending out product.

I will bookmark this thread to refer back to if we separate and go pedestal.

Thanks for everyone's help!!

Greg



Anyone know of a laundry basket that raises and lowers like a lift lol?

 

[skyking]

http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...apacity-hydraulic-table-cart-60730-10041.html

 

[mikeford]

Pedestals are an amazing ripoff, but some patience you can find them well under $100 brand new, just not always same color.

You don't need two to stack, only really side by side.

I would not stack unless I was forced to by space, things like drier vents need cleaning from time to time.

 

[GCS]

http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...apacity-hydraulic-table-cart-60730-10041.html

Oh snap if I have 500lbs of laundry to do I am going to need serious help

 

[notposting]

Good luck, though I assume this means they aren't permanently attached? We bought a full size Frigidaire stacked setup in...2008, and it's a total bitch to move. It's in storage right now too (2013, year of suck) without being winterized so it's probably completely effed. Disassembling is a pain, and the bushings the bolts thread into are deteriorating pretty quickly after a pair of disassemble/reassembles.

 

[Eug]

If I was short on space, I'd stack. However, I prefer no stacking, and no pedestal either. What I did is put the washer dryer on the floor side-by-side, and then built a counter over top of them for folding laundry, etc. and also have cupboards above them.

This is not mine, but it's the same idea. However, I left a bit more space between the appliances and the bottom of the counter, to allow for slightly taller appliances if I get different ones later.

 

[Engineer]

What brand did you get (assuming you didn't post it and I missed it)?

Edit: Nevermind, I see it's the Maytag. Good luck!

(Still love my Samsung units).

 

[GCS]

Going with the Maytag my sister has and loves. Also it was highly recommended by 2 of my clients in the appliance repair industry.


The counter is a nice idea but not something we need. Our units are in a closet, not a room. If it was a room I would probably do the counter. We will try the stacking and if it doesn't work just separate them and set them on a DIY pedestal. Pedestal is solely to not bend over as much. Something I know I will hate about them being stacked.

 

[Engineer]

I bought some very narrow, somewhat deep bookshelves and stacked two of them together to squeeze in the space on the side of my stack. I squeezed two of the bookshelf stacks together to make them even deeper. Fit perfectly (about 14 inches wide). Like I said, it was amazing how much room it freed up.

(The laundry room was entirely too small and the previous owner (the guy who built it) knew that after the fact but too late to fix it now).

 

[akugami]

Side by side. Not a fan of stacked washer & dryer.

And $500 for stands is a ripoff. You can build some pretty easy out of wood.