DIY Washing Machine Podium

Many people dream of spacious homes and apartments with plenty of space, but unfortunately, not many of them realize this dream. It's necessary to find creative ways to maximize the available space. Bathroom cabinets designed for washing machines are a great way to compactly install your "home helper" and save space. In this article, we'll discuss building a podium for a washing machine and the best ideas for doing so.

In what room can a podium be made?

Naturally, a podium for a washing machine isn't limited to the bathroom; there are plenty of ideas. The most popular places to install a washing machine on a podium are:

• bathroom;
• kitchen;
• toilet;
• pantry;
• veranda.

The last option is suitable for private homes, but the first four are also suitable for apartments. In the bathroom, a podium for the washing machine is usually built under the sink. A sink and a washbasin are then installed above the podium and the washing machine. In the kitchen, washing machines are usually built-in, creating a podium in a niche "in the belly" of the kitchen cabinets. In the bathroom (in Soviet-era apartments), washing machines are placed on a narrow, high podium behind the toilet.

It's difficult to say about the storage room and veranda, as there are so many options. In any case, a podium-mounted washing machine offers additional advantages for the owners, as it:

1. takes up less space, as it is installed in an unused or little-used area;
2. makes it possible to place a box for small items (powders, cleaning products, soap, etc.) in the niche under the podium;
3. vibrates less (if the podium is made correctly).

Please note! A washing machine installed on a raised podium is easier to use. You don't have to bend over to throw dirty laundry in.

What tools and materials are needed?

The selection of tools and materials will depend heavily on the chosen design of the future podium, so we'll list what's typically used in such cases. Let's note right away: The structure must be very stable and reliable, as the machine weighs 60-80 kg and sways during washing, so materials such as plasterboard or plastic can only be used as cladding. So, the podium is constructed from:

• bricks;
• foam blocks;
• concrete;
• wooden blocks 100x100 or 150x150;
• metal corners;
• polycarbonate sheets and other things.

Facing materials used include ceramic tiles, waterproof drywall, plastic, laminated waterproof chipboard, and more. Tools are simpler. A standard set of tools, found in any good homeowner's pantry, will suffice. These tools include:

1. trowel;
2. building level;
3. roulette;
4. hacksaw (for wood, for metal);
5. screwdriver, drill;
6. Bulgarian;
7. pencil;
8. Phillips screwdriver.

Please note! Modern polycarbonate blocks and slabs can be ordered for the podium. Provide the contractor with the dimensions of the future podium parts in advance, and they will cut the material to your specifications. All you have to do is assemble it.

Popular podium designs

Even a child can make the simplest podium for a washing machine.Such a podium can be made from the simplest materials, and it can serve for decades without any problems. The design is as follows: Take two 63 cm long wooden blocks and place them parallel to each other. The distance between the blocks should be equal to the width of your washing machine (e.g., 60 cm).

Next, place two boards 60 cm long, 3 cm thick, and 30 cm wide on the beams. Screw the boards securely to the beams to create a shelf. This leaves a 3 cm wide overhang at the front. Place a 3 cm thick, 30 cm wide board on its edge on top of it, creating a simple platform with a 27 cm edge. If possible, you can make a smaller edge by sawing the board in half lengthwise. The edge should also be securely screwed in place. You can't build a drawer into this platform, but it will provide a stable and reliable base for a washing machine.

Important! It's best to make such a podium from larch, as this wood is moisture-resistant and won't warp.

You can improve the podium using waterproof plasterboard, decorative plastic or laminated chipboard. Another podium design involves using brick. In this case, the podium height can be any desired.

• We lay out two brick walls, parallel to each other, each one brick wide (the distance between the walls is equal to the width of the machine).
• We place a concrete or polycarbonate slab of a suitable size on the cement on top of the walls.
• We sew two small metal corners onto the front of the plate.

There's plenty of space under the brick podium to store a variety of small items. A built-in drawer with wheels made of laminated chipboard can also be installed in the niche beneath the podium. Pull the handle, and the drawer rolls out from under the washing machine, revealing laundry detergent, fabric softener, and even dirty laundry. Overall, it's a very convenient addition.

A podium of a similar design can be made in a small toilet of a Khrushchev-era apartment., but there will be nowhere to put the box. The gist of the idea is as follows.

1. Lay bricks on the drain pipe lying on the floor (it is advisable to replace it with a plastic one first).
2. We build two high, narrow, parallel walls behind the toilet with our own hands.
3. We cover the walls from above with a slab.

Once finished and tiled, it will look like a ledge above the toilet with the washing machine on top.

Some people don't like this washing machine placement option, but see for yourself how much useful space it saves and how convenient it is to use this appliance. Another good option involves making a podium from polycarbonate sheets and blocks. There are currently many companies that sell such materials; simply choose the blocks and slabs you need, and they'll deliver them to you promptly.

In this case, you don't even have to do anything special. Just build a podium of the required size from blocks, screw the slabs and blocks together, and enjoy. Monolithic polycarbonate and similar materials are very durable and moisture-resistant, and are also very difficult to destroy through mechanical action. It's perfect for our purposes. The only downside is the price, but that's not a dealbreaker for everyone. We're making a caster box out of laminated chipboard to resemble a podium and installing the washing machine on it.

Whether you need a drawer under the podium or not is up to you. A drawer is a convenient feature, but you can easily do without one. For example, factory-made Miele podiums come with a drawer, but we can make our own for next to nothing. Experience with washing machine podiums shows that a drawer isn't particularly necessary, but again, it's up to you. You might want to build a podium instead of a podium. a cabinet for a washing machine – it's a matter of taste!

Features of installation and operation of the machine on the podium

Now let's talk about the installation and operation of a washing machine mounted on a podium. At first glance, it might seem like there's nothing special about it. We just raised the machine slightly off the floor, and that's it. We didn't change anything about its design! Not so. Some DIYers, after installing their machine on a branded or homemade podium, later discover to their dismay that their appliance refuses to wash or can't be connected at all.

Let's start with something simple: the location of the outlet. It may sound trivial, but when installing a washing machine on a stand, some people completely miscalculate the length of the power cord, as the machine was previously installed without a stand and connected normally. And then it turns out the cord doesn't reach the outlet. Therefore, experts recommend paying attention to this issue from the start and considering the location of the outlet and the distance from the washing machine to it.

With the water supply outlet, everything is simpler; the inlet hose usually comes with a reserve length, but you can purchase and install a longer hose. The main thing is that the pedestal does not block the terminals, otherwise the inlet hose cannot be screwed to them., accordingly, the machine will not be connected to the water supply, and the podium will have to be moved or removed.

If you're buying a new inlet hose for your washing machine, get a double one with the Aquastop system—it's leak-proof.

When installing a washing machine on a podium, it's also important to raise the drain pipe. This is necessary to prevent a "siphon effect" and prevent water from draining out of the washing machine's drum. Raise the drain pipe so that it's 40 cm above the podium cover. To achieve this, you can:

• install a knee on the old pipe;
• connect another piece of pipe of the required length to it;
• Insert the drain hose into the sewer pipe and use the machine without any problems.

Now about operation. Some people are concerned that the machine will slip off the platform during intensive use and, consequently, intense vibration, with all the ensuing consequences. Experts note that this can happen, so any platform should include side rails. At a minimum, there should be a side at the front to prevent the car from falling forward and breaking.

Some opponents of washing machine stands are daunted by the prospect of reaching for the detergent drawer, especially when it comes to installing the machine on a high pedestal behind the toilet. While this does present some inconvenience, it does make it much easier to load dirty laundry into the drawer. It's a double-edged sword: some wins and some losses, but the benefits outweigh the disadvantages!

To summarize, washing machine stands are a great option not only for saving space by positioning the machine more efficiently, but also for compensating for some of the shortcomings of washing machines. Specifically, a properly designed stand can dampen vibration and noise while the machine is in operation, which can only benefit the user. So, don't be lazy and build your own stand—after all, you can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars on brand-name furniture.

   

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