Thread: Free standing cabinet for laundry

You'd need at least 600 overall width to fit a dryer inside, I don't see a problem with that being 2000 high. If you can drop a few screws through the back into the wall studs you can really do whatever you want.

Hi D
it all depends on where the centre of gravity is for a free standing cupboard

I would go with Es suggestions about fixing to studs if a dryer is included

Rob

Originally Posted by Tahlee

Hi D
it all depends on where the centre of gravity is for a free standing cupboard

I would go with Es suggestions about fixing to studs if a dryer is included

Rob

The weight will be the dryer which will make up the bottom half of the cabinet. I would rather avoid drilling into studs if possible.

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Originally Posted by Dibbers

I would rather avoid drilling into studs if possible.

Just curious, why?

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

Just curious, why?

Wet room and dont know much about waterproofing, more than likely paint the place sometime in the next year so one less thing to worry about...

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Where will the drier vent to? If the drier is enclosed in the cupboard it will get very wet in there.

Originally Posted by Treecycle

Where will the drier vent to? If the drier is enclosed in the cupboard it will get very wet in there.

There wont be a door or backing at the base of the cabinet where the dryer will sit, only sides. I hadn't decided if the cupboards above will be cupboards or shelves yet...

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Originally Posted by Dibbers

There wont be a door or backing at the base of the cabinet where the dryer will sit, only sides. I hadn't decided if the cupboards above will be cupboards or shelves yet...

A freestanding cabinet with no backing that houses a dryer... I wouldn't recommend it.
Even if you made a 4 sided box (to house the dryer) that sat inside a tall cupboard i.e. full length side panels the were attached to the 'dryer box', I would still be fixing the tall cupboard to the wall.

What material(s) do you plan on using?

There will be backing on the top half of the cabinet (where the cupboard/shelves are) just none behind the dryer for ventilation purposes. I could always put diagonal bracing behind it though.

Was planing on using mostly plywood (17mm for the box, and 9mm or 12mm for the shelves and doors if i put doors on).

Here's a quick sketch i did last night (its not too great, my 2yo kept asking me to draw him elephants instead of cabinets)
20170827_171538.jpg

FWIW unless you have a condensing dryer, then a dryer in a cabinet is a recipe for disappointment down the track...
If you do go ahead then use MR Melamine...it's your best bet..and use the plastic adjustable feet, just acouple of bucks each to get the level...

Originally Posted by Dibbers

There will be backing on the top half of the cabinet (where the cupboard/shelves are) just none behind the dryer for ventilation purposes. I could always put diagonal bracing behind it though.

Yeah, I figured but that is still too much weight and vibrations on the 17mm 'legs'. At a minimum, I would be constructing something like this:
LaundryDryer-Cabinet.png
Even then, I would still be fixing it to the wall.

Originally Posted by Dibbers

9mm or 12mm for the shelves and doors if i put doors on

Minimum I'd be using would be 12mm and 15mm

Originally Posted by Dibbers

my 2yo kept asking me to draw him elephants instead of cabinets

Who doesn't love elephant drawings...

Originally Posted by Junkie

Yeah, I figured but that is still too much weight and vibrations on the 17mm 'legs'. At a minimum, I would be constructing something like this:

Even then, I would still be fixing it to the wall.


Minimum I'd be using would be 12mm and 15mm


Who doesn't love elephant drawings...

That's pretty much what i intended to build. Are you saying 12mm & 15mm minimum for the shelves and doors? I was planning on 17mm for the frame and slightly thinner ply for the shelves/doors, as well as making a base frame out of the 17mm ply (i have some thicker ply laying around i could use, or maybe i just get some 2x4s to make the base frame).

And i would also use the adjustable legs doodads like you get on a fridge to keep it all level.

Originally Posted by Dibbers

Are you saying 12mm & 15mm minimum for the shelves and doors?

Yep. If I was constructing this, I would be using MR particleboard (as david.elliott mentioned) or a combo of HMR MDF and MR particleboard depending on the overall aesthetic and whether it was to be painted etc.

We would normally use minimum 16mm MR particleboard for carcass, shelves and doors, although we rarely use 16mm particleboard for doors, mainly 18mm (sometimes 25mm) HMR MDF.

17mm ply for the base is fine.

Originally Posted by Junkie

Yep. If I was constructing this, I would be using MR particleboard (as david.elliott mentioned) or a combo of HMR MDF and MR particleboard depending on the overall aesthetic and whether it was to be painted etc.

We would normally use minimum 16mm MR particleboard for carcass, shelves and doors, although we rarely use 16mm particleboard for doors, mainly 18mm (sometimes 25mm) HMR MDF.

17mm ply for the base is fine.

Yeah i know the stuff. It's more a functional piece rather than a visually appealing piece. I'm still new to everything so would rather give it a go with cheapish (while still suitable) materials and learn from mistakes rather than stuffing up with more expensive MR Boards. If it comes out looking half decent (and i don't stuff up the build too much) i'll look to rebuild it in the future with MR Boards.

Thanks for the input though, Much appreciated and very informative. Now to convince the wife that i need a table saw, maybe a router, another cordless drill, more clamps (and i may even throw in a Drill Press just cos i want one) so that i can build her some custom furniture... and convince my son we don't need elephants painted on it... Giraffes are far more suitable for a laundry i reckon.