I really dislike bending down to load the Laundry Machine. A great way to fix that is to add a Washer / Dryer Pedestal to bring them to a natural standing height. You can also use the bottom shelf for storage, laundry baskets, and laundry detergents. This is a tutorial on how to build Laundry Pedestals. This is a modified Ana White Plan from her website. I put my own spin on this project.
Washer Dryer Laundry Pedestal DIY
— Supplies —
2″ or 2.5″ Wood Screws: http://amzn.to/2Hr40Uu
Caulking or Wood Filler: http://amzn.to/2DkSnfc
Wood Glue: http://amzn.to/2A8ACQ3
Sand Paper: http://amzn.to/2sm8zMV
Felt Pads: http://amzn.to/2FvEssE
L-Brackets: http://amzn.to/2DjRymU
Polyurethane: http://amzn.to/2GjRkPZ
3/4″ Plywood
1/2″ Plywood
2x4x8 Lumber
4×4 Lumber
Wood Lath
White Paint + Primer Mix
— Tools —
Miter Saw: http://amzn.to/2zdkdfa
Power Drill: http://amzn.to/2xOU42M
Impact Driver: http://amzn.to/2GmrgDO
HomeRight Paint Sprayer: http://amzn.to/2Hpn7y4
Brad Nailer: http://amzn.to/2Dkboyr
JIg Saw: http://amzn.to/2p66rE8
Router: http://amzn.to/2FKhgpL
Table Saw: http://amzn.to/2FJneXZ
Microjig: http://amzn.to/2FGToUf
Orbital Sander: http://amzn.to/2BmNwwG
Shopvac: http://amzn.to/2Bmsiir
Clamps: http://amzn.to/2xNlztw
Big Clamp: http://amzn.to/2xNWOgE
Estimated Cost: ~$120-150
Instructions
Step 1: Building the Frame
- Cut List: 2×4
- (4) 62″
- (10) 26″
Attach the 26″ joists to the 62″ sides using wood glue, clamps, and 2″ wood screws. Make sure to pre-drill holes, countersink, and fill the holes with wood filler or caulking. I personally love my impact driver to drive screws into wood. I used to use a drill and it is so much easier with an impact driver. Highly recommend.
Repeat this process to make 2 sets of framing. This is an optional step but the bottom shelf of the pedestal had a cutout for the ventilation on the dryer. You only need to do this step if you need your pedestal pushed all the way back as far as possible to the wall.
Step 2: Bottom Shelf and Top Shelf
3/4″ Plywood for Top Shelf & 1/2″ Plywood for Bottom Shelf
Dimensions: 62″ x 29″
I used my a circular saw jig I made to cut straight lines to make the shelf tops. You can use my method or a table saw. The top shelf requires thicker 3/4″ wood due to the weight of the washer and dryer. The bottom shelf only needs 1/2″ plywood since it will not have to hold much weight. If you only have 3/4″ plywood you can use it on both top and bottom shelf.
Glue all the pieces together and use brad nails to hold it in place. I used wood screws in several spots to make it even stronger.
A jigsaw was used to cut out the ventilation square. This is optional step.
Fill in all your countersink holes with caulking or wood filler.
Sand down entire surface with 120 grit sand paper.
Step 3: Posts
4×4: Back Posts 19.75″ (2) & Front Posts 18.25″ (2)
Cut posts on the Miter Saw. The Front Posts are 1.5″ shorter to account for the attachments added later.
Cut out 4.25″ x 4.25″ squares (4) of them. One goes on the bottom and one on top of the 18.25″ post. Total height in the end should be 19.75″ (same as the back posts)
I used wood lath to create a shaker look to the post. I used my table saw and micro jig to cut thin pieces and attach them with glue and nails to the post. Once this was complete I added the 4.25″x4.25″ squares to the top and bottom of the front post.
I used floor trim to finish off the front posts.
To attach the back posts I used L Brackets and wood glue. I first attached it to the top shelf. Once the Back Post was secure I added Scrap Wood underneath with wood glue. Then I flipped it over and used a 2.5″ wood screw to drive into the scrap wood.
I followed the same process for the Back Posts with L-Brackets, Wood Glue, Clamps, and Scrap Wood. Next flip the top over and drive a 2.5″ through the shelf top into the scrap wood.
After driving a 2.5″ wood screw into the post, use wood filler or caulking to cover the hole.
Next wipe your project down to get all the saw dust off. I used HomeRight Paint Sprayer for this project. It is simple to use and relatively inexpensive. Its great for a weekend DIYer. After the paint drys I recommend doing a light sanding by hand or with orbital 220 grit or higher. You may want to consider adding a 2nd layer of paint, let it dry and then finish it off with polyurethane protection.
Thanks for stopping by and have fun building!
I am a self taught do it yourself project / woodworker. I want to demonstrate that DIY project can be doable and simple. I hope to inspire others to try to build and create new things! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel and this blog for more DIY projects! Thank you.
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Use all power tools with caution. Do not copy what you see in the video / instructions without proper safety precautions.
