Using laundry machines kept on the floor can be tedious, especially if you are tall. Also, old people or pregnant women might find it hard to bend over in order to load or unload the machine. This is particularly evident while using front-loading washers. Hence, you might want to get a pedestal to raise the height of the machine.
Plus, if you have a combo dryer and washer draining into the wall instead of the floor, a raised machine is a must or else your clothes won’t dry properly. The storage space that comes with a pedestal is an added bonus!
You can always shop for a pedestal, but convenience doesn’t come cheap. So, be ready to shell out a hefty fee for a riser that fits your washer and dryer.
You know what would be better though? Making a laundry pedestal on your own. Yes, we mean you should do-it-yourself, aka, DIY.
Bonus Read for DIY Lovers: A collection of the coolest DIY Projects.
For you to find a DIY idea that you want to try, we have collected 14 of the most elegant and nicest DIY laundry pedestal plans. Take a look at them.
1. Easy DIY Laundry Pedestal Plans With Storage
This plan is basic and requires minimal equipment to start building. All you need is plywood, a melamine shelf, some wooden boards, and a wooden frame, and you can easily add to the storage space of your laundry room besides raising your machines off the floor.
While the plan provides precise measurements, it would be better to measure your own machine and customize the plan accordingly.
Additionally, you should cut the legs to fit the laundry baskets you own. You can paint the frame to match the decor of your laundry room or stick to the plan and keep it elegantly white.
2. Organizer DIY Laundry Pedestal Plans
For the ones who love to keep everything organized and labeled, this DIY plan is a great way to tidy things up. It will help your laundry room get a cleaner look, and you will be able to coordinate washings easily.
Needless to say, the labels on the front of the pedestal are customizable. You can use vinyl to make the letters by cutting them out or you can buy peel-n-stick alphabets to save your time and effort.
As well as that, you can paint the frame with a color of your choice or simply leave it as it is for a timeless wooden look. The key is to give a nice polish and finish to the wood, for a glossy appearance.
Avid DIYers can try: 15 Amazing DIY Workbench Plans for Woodworkers
3. Washer and Dryer Pedestal Plans
The only problem with pedestals having storage space is that you will need to clean the area underneath the washer quite frequently. If you do not like that or if you have your laundry machines in tight spaces, making it difficult to move around, you can try this DIY plan. The pedestal is simply a raised block and has no cut-outs or dedicated storage space.
Using medium-density fiberboard, the builder suggests creating a frame with a couple of joists to support it. These ensure that the weight distribution of the piece is ideal and it does not pit in the middle.
One thing you should remember while building this project is that since the pedestal is made of a solid wooden block, it can be quite heavy to maneuver. As such, it helps to put together the piece in your laundry room itself.
4. Elegant DIY Laundry Pedestal Plans
Do you want your laundry room to be as chic and elegant as the rest of your house but don’t want to spend a lot of money on it? Try this DIY laundry pedestal plan by ClassyClutter.
Using a miter saw, cut 2x10s to size according to the measurements of your washer space and the height you want to raise it to. These cut pieces are joined with a pneumatic nailer or brad nailer to build the sides. To the top, add an MDF (medium-density fiberboard), after cutting out some vents in it.
Assembling this piece is not difficult, but it can have a substantial weight when put together. Thus, if you can do the assembling in the washroom, it will mean less work for you.
Want to know how to use a brad nailer properly? Read this comprehensive guide on brad nailers.
5. 12-Step DIY Laundry Pedestal Plans
Literally done in 12 super-easy steps, this DIY creation is the no-frills design you need. It does the job and suits the minimalistic look so in vogue these days.
Supplies for this plan include a fair amount of plywood, an MDF board, wood filler, paint, and a few screws. When you finish the assembly of the boards, apply the wood filler to fill up any holes or scratched surfaces on the wood, allow it to dry completely, and then add two coats of paint for a smooth and shining finish.
If you want, leave the wooden surface as it is, but don’t forget to sand it down to remove any rough surfaces and edges. Over-sanding should, however, be avoided as that could lead to a change in the dimensions of the pedestal.
6. DIY Laundry Pedestal Plans With Drawers
If the open storage spaces of the previous pedestal plans seem unsuitable to you, you might like the look of drawers attached to the base instead. In that case, this beautifully contrasted wooden construction is a perfect DIY project for you.
These plans are also well-suited to those with tall-enough machines or top-loaders, as the pedestal is not too high. But, if you do need pedestals with more height than these, you can tweak the measurements of the sideboards.
To make the placement of washing machines on top of the stand secure, the builder suggests cutting holes for their feet to fit in. This will prevent them from vibrating too much while they are in operation.
7. Laundry Pedestal With Large Drawers
This radiant and elegant all-white pedestal features two large storage drawers. That extra storage space you’ve always wanted without compromising the look of your washroom becomes an assurance now!
2×4 boards are cut using a miter saw and joined together with the help of screws. The frame thus created is covered with plywood. Install drawer slides into the boxed frame and fit in drawers to these. You can cover the outside of the frame with trim pieces to hide any rough edges.
Lastly, two MDF boards are glued and nailed to the front of the drawers and topped with trim pieces, before covering the entire piece in smooth, white paint.
Interested in buying a miter saw for your next woodworking project? Read our best 10-inch miter saws reviews as well as best 12-inch miter saws reviews for ample guidance to help you pick one.
8. Simple DIY Laundry Pedestal Plans
Going back to simple designs, this thin-framed laundry pedestal is made using elaborately detailed plans that make the process of creating one seem pretty easy.
Starting with 2x4s to create a frame, with joists in the middle for support, the builder then proceeds to add two sheets of plywood, one each to the top and bottom of the frame. To make the frame lighter in weight, you can use thinner plywood for the bottom shelf as it does not have to carry the weight of the washer like the top shelf does.
Any holes are filled with a wood filler or caulking before being sanded all over for a smooth finish. As for the side posts, you can use 4×4 wooden blocks cut to size and with trims added to them.
9. DIY Laundry Pedestal With Partition
Featuring simple partitions in the storage space, this pedestal plan is ideal for those who do not have laundry baskets since the partitions themselves act as a box in their own right. But the striking feature of the design is undoubtedly the surrounding frame that perfectly encloses your front-loading washers from top to bottom. Neat, isn’t it?
Even with so many features, the plan is ultimately super easy-to-follow. You need to use pocket holes to screw the chopped 4×8 plywood boards together. The partitioning boards are nailed in as well. Lastly, a baseboard is attached to the top, the entire piece is painted, and to secure it all together, you can add L brackets to the sides flush with the top.
10. Distressed DIY Laundry Pedestal Plans
If you had an eye out for distressed wood designs, you’ve probably skipped through all the previous plans to arrive at this one. Well, you will be pleased to know that this is also as simple enough to recreate.
You need to build two-tier frames for this design. The top frame has central joists to help distribute the weight evenly across the length of the board, while you can skip the joists for the bottom frame. Screw the plywood to the top of these frames and add posts at all four edges. You can leave them bare or add moldings to the top and bottom of these legs for a more detailed look.
Paint the frame in a brown tone and when it is semi-dried, rough up the edges using sandpaper or a detail sander such as this one. This will help you achieve the classic distressed appearance you love.
11. Single Laundry Pedestal Plans
This design features separate base stands for the washer and dryer, to help you move them around individually. What’s more, you do not need expensive supplies for creating these stands. In fact, they can be bought at Home Depot or your local hardware store at low prices, making your DIY project all the more economical.
The top and sides of the washer are built using plywood boards and 2×4 posts are used to create legs. Use a brush or a simple can of spray paint to finish the exterior of the stands.
If you want, you can close-off the front of the pedestal with a piece of plyboard. This is for those who want a lightweight frame but do not need a storage space underneath their washers.
12. DIY Basic Washer Pedestal Plans
Another sturdy and extremely simple design, this washer pedestal can be made in a matter of hours. Supplies that you will need to finish this include a circular saw, a drill, some plywood, and screws.
The frame is fitted with joists to help support the entire structure. Add a few layers of paint on top and voila! Your extremely simple and nice laundry pedestal is ready for use.
13. DIY Laundry Pedestal Plans With Top and Bottom Drawers
For lovers of extra storage space, this plan seems like the perfect fit. It has not one, not two, but a total of four drawers, not to mention the open storage in the middle, ideal for the placement of your laundry basket. Besides, it also looks graceful when painted in white.
To enhance the look of the pedestal, you can add trims to all sides as well as the front of the drawers. And for added convenience, attach handles to the drawers.
14. L-shaped Laundry Pedestal Plans
This design is basically a storage box with partitions, and can be used as a pedestal but also independently as a low-rise storage table.
Plywood boards are used to create the base, the sides, as well as the top of the stand, with the extra detail being the supporting joists on the underside of the top frame. The sides have a deep dish design with posts used to create the look of raised bars.
Painting the frame in a greyish hue makes the piece fit in with most modern home decors with grace.
Conclusion
Laundry pedestals are essential elements of a functional laundry room in modern homes. They help home-owners save on space as well as allow your washer & dryers to function better. If you’ve been thinking of acquiring one, but don’t want to spend a lot of money, DIY is the solution for you.
Our DIY laundry pedestal plans are easy to create. Whether you need one with a storage space or without it, one of these plans will surely inspire the DIYer in you to get a-building!
Also read: How To Distress Wood? 11 Easy Ways For Woodworkers
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