How to add a laundry bench?

[daisyinthewild]

Hi, I have a very small laundry, there is existing cabinetry, however the laundry was built with a top loader washing machine in mind, but now we have a front loader. I would like to make a sort of table for the washing machine to sit under, providing usable bench space that joins up to existing benchtop. I know they won't match, and would consider using mosaic tiles to cover the table top. 

I'm looking for recommendations of materials and basic instructions to be able to make this please. Also, if it's possible to add shelves from the tabletop/bench as the one wall stud is off centre and I can't install floating shelves or bracketed shelves. Space is 60cm deep, 69.6cm wide and the finished tabletop/bench will need to be 90cm high. Any advice is appreciated. 

[JacobZ]

Hi @daisyinthewild,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

I would be happy to help you with a basic design that you can use to construct the laundry table you are after, but I'll need to know the dimensions of your washing machine to ensure the framing for the table fits over it.

A simple design like this one in How to build table with reclaimed floor boards (eucalyptus) would be easy enough to put together and can be altered to fit your space.

Typically, for any tables, I would recommend using framing pine as both your table legs and a frame for the top. 70 x 35mm Framing MGP10 Untreated Pine is usually a good option.

Instead of using floorboards like in this example, you would just use a piece of Tile Underlay as your table top, which you can then tile over.

If you have some photos of the space and a few details about what you are looking for in terms of your shelving, I would also be happy to assist with this.

Let me know if you need a hand uploading images.

I'll wait for your response and then assist further.

Jacob

[daisyinthewild]

Thanks @JacobZ 

The machine is 59cm wide and 85cm high. 

The laundry is very small, I've attached photos of the space. 

The shelves would only need to be about 30cm deep, really just enough to hold empty washing baskets and some detergents etc.

 

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @daisyinthewild,

Could I trouble you to mark on your photo where you were hoping to add some shelves? I am not 100% certain where you mean.

For your table/bench I've rethought things after looking at the space and would say that something made of CUSTOMpine 16 x 2400 x 1200mm White Matt Carcass Particleboard MR would be the way to go.

Start with a basic shell, which will consist of two side panels and a back panel. They can be screwed together using Zenith 8G x 30mm Countersunk Rib Head Chipboard Screws. 

With the full back sheet, you'll need to put a hole in it for the washing machine's cable to pass through. You can do this with a drill and a holesaw.

Next, add a top made of the same particleboard and screwed on with the same screws.

You can then attach a sheet of Tile Underlay with 20mm Fibre Cement Screws.

Then tile over the top.

This design assumes you use 10mm thick tiles. You'd have to account for the different sizes of the materials if you use a thicker tile.

Any exposed cut edges can be covered with iron-on melamine, and screws can be covered with Taskmaster 15mm White Self Adhesive Screw Caps. 

Let me know what you think and if you have questions or would like to alter anything, please let me know.

Jacob

[Jason]

Hi @daisyinthewild,

Looking forward to seeing this project progress. 

Just thought I'd add that we have a step-by-step guide How to install a laundry benchtop by @Adam_W that you should also find useful.

Jason