DIY Laundry Pedestal

Washing and drying clothes have come a long way from the old by-hand, washing board and tub method of doing laundry. Front-load washers and dryers make laundry a little more convenient than the top-loading option, yet the back and neck strain from bending down and pulling out wet clothes is why many people add a laundry pedestal underneath their laundry machines. If you're handy with a saw and a drill, you can make one yourself. Does this Spark an idea?

Raising the Height

Laundry pedestals come in heights between 7 and 15 inches--7 inches to simply raise its height and up to 15 inches to accommodate laundry detergent bottles. If your laundry room is tight on storage, you may need a dual-function laundry pedestal. Choose your own height requirements after determining the functionality you need in your space.

Extra Storage

Think about what type of storage space you prefer your laundry pedestals to offer. Adding a draw front is a step up in convenience and concealment, but it also requires the extra steps of knowing how to build a drawer frame, a drawer and installing the drawer hardware so that it is easy to pull out and push in.

If you prefer a simple model that affords extra storage space, and you do not mind its contents being in open view, then leave the front of the laundry pedestal open to fit items inside of it, much like an open shelf box. The difference between the drawer and open shelf method is simply the presence or absence of the actual drawer.

Putting It Together

Determine your desired height, either by deciding a convenient height or by measuring the height of your favorite laundry detergents. For the detergent measurements, add a buffer of at least 3 inches to accommodate the wood parts fitting together and for maneuvering the containers into and out of the space.

With your height measurement, you will need to measure the width and length of your machines. A simple laundry pedestal is a box--a top, a bottom, four sidewalls cut from plywood and added structural supports inside, all secured together with wood glue and screws. While a washer and dryer may seem rather light for a large appliance, keep in mind what they could weigh once clothes and water--or wet clothes--are added inside.

Therefore, use strong supports for your laundry pedestal--either 4-by-4 inch wood posts or at least 2-by-4 inch wood studs--cut to fit the height within each of your pedestal's four corners and at the middle of each side and the back.

Finishing the Look

This is where you can add a little flavor to your laundry room. Stain and polyurethane or paint your laundry pedestals. If staining, coordinate the stain with other wood tones in or near the laundry. If painting, choose a durable, water-resistant, mildew-resistant paint.

Match the paint color to the exact color of your laundry set, or contrast the colors with a spunky complement to your laundry room. For both finishing options, apply a few coats and allow drying before setting them in place and mounting your laundry machines on top.