Elevating your washing machines and dryers with a laundry pedestal is an easy home improvement hack.
It adds some extra storage space to your laundry room and makes it easier to load and unload laundry. We collected a list of 10 DIY laundry pedestal plans below- scroll through and click ‘View Plans’ to see the step-by-step project instructions.
One thing we learned researching the pedestals is that you have to ensure the pedestals you build are completely level and strongly reinforced to ensure the washer dryers don’t wobble off the platform.
Some hobbyists installed caster caps and anti-slip mats for extra traction.
It’s also important to plan for water runoff issues- perhaps by installing a drain pan.
10 DIY Laundry Pedestals
1. Laundry Pedestal Blueprint
If you’re looking to recover some floor space or give your washroom a more finished look, try embarking on this project.
You will need plywood, a melamine shelf, beadboard panels, and a wooden frame. Exact measurements are given, but you should follow your own washer and dryer’s dimensions.
Add two inches to their combined length when making the frame and measure your laundry baskets (or anything else you would be storing) when cutting the legs.
This can be painted any color to match your machines or just left white. This DIY project is beginner-friendly and much cheaper than buying something from Home Depot.
VIEW PLANS2. Basic Laundry Pedestal Idea
This DIY idea claims to only take an hour and is built out of standard lumber found at places like Home Depot.
Tools needed include a circular saw, drill, plywood, screws, and construction adhesive. To make, simply build and fasten the frame, attach a joist in the middle, then attach the top.
You can finish this a variety of ways with paint, stains, crown molding, etc. However, make sure to sand or level the top — it must be level before placing your washing machines on top.
This project is a great way to save money and create something completely unique.
VIEW PLANS3. Organized Laundry Room Project
This DIY plan only costs around $120 to make and will last for years and years to come. A great way to neaten things up, this will create space in your laundry room and help you coordinate your wash days.
If you choose to follow after this designer, get a few baskets and label them “towels”, “lights”, “darks”, “delicates”, etc instead of having one large hamper and having to sort through clothes.
Keeping these directly below the machines is a great idea.
If you are painting the wood, pick out the correct type of paint and be sure to prep and polish it.
VIEW PLANS4. Back-Friendly Laundry Pedestal Plan
The builder was inspired to make this stand after her shoulders and chest started aching from bending and reaching over to load the detergent into the washers.
This elevates your machines to a comfortable height and isn’t difficult to create. You’ll need plywood or medium-density fiberboard, screws, angle brackets, and wood glue.
This is a good DIY project for those who aren’t super handy but looking to get more experience making things around the house.
Again, you will need to base this off of your own machine’s dimensions and the bins you chose to store underneath.
VIEW PLANS5. Easy Laundry Pedestal Plan
This is another beginner-friendly tutorial. Once you have your exact measurements, you can cut your wood yourself or have them cut it upon purchasing.
This builder recommends using deck screws over wood screws, as they are easier to install and are just as sturdy.
To make this, create a frame, attach a top and bottom, join the legs, and add the finishing touches. When attaching the legs, make sure they’re flush against each side of the frame.
The builder also warns that the final product will be very heavy — be careful when handling and moving it into your laundry room.
VIEW PLANS6. Straightforward Laundry Pedestal Blueprint
If you have a front-loading washer and find it annoying to load and unload your clothes, consider following this DIY project. This shouldn’t take more than a few hours to complete, even if you have no experience.
Standard materials like a hand saw, screw gun, sandpaper, clamps, and wood filler are required. This builder suggests painting all of the elements, letting them dry, and then assembling everything together.
It will save time in the long run and ensure a more thorough paint job.
This plan has three support beams, though you could modify this depending on the weight and size of your machines.
VIEW PLANS7. 12 Step Laundry Pedestal Idea
This stand is easy to make and cost the builder only $150 to create. Supplies include wood screws, medium-density fiberboard, plywood, paint, and wood filler.
To make this yourself, build the frame, attach the top and legs, add bracing and bottom paneling anchor points, add the trim, attach the bottom panel, apply the wood filler, then sand, prep, and paint.
While you want the top to be perfectly level and straight, this designer warns you to not to over sand — this will run the wood and throw off your desired measurements.
VIEW PLANS8. Quick and Easy Laundry Pedestal Blueprint
If you’re an experienced builder and know how to plan everything out, this DIY idea should only take around two hours to complete.
As this can be quite heavy and awkward to move, try building it inside your washroom.
Using some medium-density fiberboard, or MDF, build a skeleton supported by one or two joists — this will ensure the weight of the machines will not cause the wood to bow in the center.
The only difficult part of this project is getting the washer and dryer up onto the stand. To do, you will definitely need more than one person and a dolly or lever if you have it.
VIEW PLANS9. Inexpensive Laundry Pedestal Idea
As many other DIYers can attest, this is a beginner-friendly project that will save your back and shoulders whenever you wash your clothes.
Commercial stands often cost over $300 and aren’t one size fits all — if you get new machines, you will have to get a new stand or modify your existing one.
To make this one, you only need around $100 and a few hours of your time. This is also great if you’re looking for a more rustic and classic look, as the legs for this are very wide and rounded.
VIEW PLANS10. Chic Laundry Pedestal Project
This DIY project is perfect for those who want a professional and flawless addition to their laundry room without paying hundreds of dollars.
This stand is comprised of plywood, medium-density fiberboard, and nails.
To construct it, you will need some paint and primer, caulk, a miter saw, a pneumatic nailer, and a baseboard trim.
Assembly isn’t difficult and this can be done on a Saturday afternoon. Of course, you will need to scale all measurements to fit your machinery.
However, depending on your washer and dryer’s placement, you can cut out a hole for easy outlet access like this builder did.
VIEW PLANSWhat is Reddit saying?
Over in the Reddit DIY community, a poster submitted step-by-step project plans for a basic washing machine pedestal. The finished product is very modern looking.
Basically, two large, white bins with silver handles that support a washing machine and a laundry dryer. Because the pedestal is made from one solid frame, rather than a pair of separate ones, Reddit posters thought that it would be a lot more stable.
Comment from discussion My take on basic washing machine pedestal..
A bit of advice that was offered was to fasten castor caps to the bottom of the dryer and washer respectively to limit wobbling when the loads get heavy.
Indeed, it is a consideration any prospective hobbyist building a laundry pedestal from a PDF should take note of- you want to add some resistance to keep the washer or dryer from walking off of the laundry pedestal platform.
Another DIY carpenter said that it’s a good idea to add a drain pan so that when your washer inevitably leaks and floods that your wood pedestal isn’t destroyed.
Indeed, Reddit users shared some horror stories about flooding in their entryway and foyer- users say the potential is there to cost them thousands of dollars in floor and wall damage restoration.
If a leak trickles backwards, other Reddit users say that you won’t even notice all of the damage occurring as it infiltrates the plaster and flooring, rotting joists, studs and sill plates causing significant and profound structural damage to your home or apartment.
Bare Bones Stand
Other DIY submissions show more bare-bones construction options- they don’t include storage bins with drawer pullies.
Laundry Pedestal from DIY
One poster did say that in their experience it is not a good idea to store anything near or under a washing machine because they will get softener, water or soap all over them. Again, posters were concerned about an over-weighted washer or dryer vibrating itself from the pedestal platform on account of poor weight distribution.
Stabilization Issues
In another area of Reddit, we found a poster who had built a pair of washer dryer pedestals and posted the entire build to Instructables.
He was looking for some guidance concerning how to best stabilize it.
He had enhanced support by installing two by fours along the back and front but still found that his front-loading washing machines spin so incredibly fast that there is a lot of shaking.
His idea was to use some L brackets in the lower corners of his pedestals as well as bolting them together.
The top responding poster suggested attaching the separated stands with three-quarter inch plywood and reinforcing it with metal brackets, anchoring it to the floor, as well.
He advised getting a ramset and nailing the plywood into the concrete and reinforcing with metal sheets screws and strapping tape.
Another poster criticized the dimensions saying that in his opinion as an electrical engineer the sides are a little bit too long in comparison to their effectiveness- he suggested adding diagonal beams or installing and being on the inside that sits between each wall to help reduce vibrations.
Another poster said that in his experience using store-bought manufacturer pedestals that if the level is even slightly off there’s a ton of shaking.
So he suggested that the original poster design be exactingly assessed for balance to the point where the level is dead on center. Another interesting suggestion was purchasing some anti-vibration pads from Home Depot or Amazon.
These strong utility pad slip guards could help stabilize laundry machines. A final poster said that he’d rather just set the machines on the floor, get used to performing squats when unloading clothing and bedding- it will probably be a better long-term play to increase the shelf life of these expensive home cleaning machines.
Washer Pans?
Over in the Home Improvement section of Reddit, a user was looking for help installing a washer pan for the pedestals because the laundry room is on the third floor of their home and he wanted to install one before the delivery people would come and deliver the washer and dryer units he had purchased online.
He had looked at purchasing a pan with a removable front, buying some anti-vibration pads with a 1.5-inch clearance, and purchasing a low-profile washer tray. He ended up purchasing a pan from Home Depot that still enables him some clearance to open the pedestal drawer.
Over in the home-improvement area of Reddit, one poster wondered whether he could put his washer and dryer machines on blocks.
He was concerned with flooding in his basement from snow melts and heavy rains- and was wondering whether anyone could advise him on installing a temporary solution to protect his washing machines. The top response came from a user who has constructed a platform from pressure treated 2 x 4 plywood.
He says in his case it doesn’t rock ‘n’ roll and even with unbalanced loads he hasn’t experienced it getting close to tipping over. Another user upcycled plastic pallets to ensure that there wouldn’t be any issues with trapped moisture destroying the wood- so that is why he went with plastic instead of wood. Finally, a user recommended purchasing a washing machine pan from home depot.
This furnished drain adapter combo is designed to provide protection in the event of a hose failure or washing machine overflow.
Submit Yours!
Indeed there are a bunch of interesting designs here as well as some important precautions you should consider before building and installing one of these DIY laundry pedestals. If you end up constructing one, send us an email and we will add you or build to this page.
Hi, my name’s Elena Coolidge. I’m a DIY enthusiast who loves building fun woodworking plans. These DIY plans are fun hobby projects for enthusiasts or even more advanced builders that want to build things like bunk beds, end tables or even a duck box!
