Planning a laundry room refresh that makes chores easier

Laundry planning

Why laundry rooms deserve real planning

Laundry is one of the few household chores that repeats constantly, and the room where it happens is often the least considered space in the house. It may be a closet in a hallway, a corner of the garage, a nook off the kitchen or a narrow room with a water heater squeezed in. Because it gets so little attention in the original design, it often has the most room to improve.

A refresh does not have to mean a complete rebuild. For some homes the right change is new cabinets and a counter above the machines. For others it means relocating the laundry entirely, reworking venting, or adding a sink. The important step is deciding what problem you are solving before choosing finishes.

Start by listing the daily annoyances. Is there no place to fold clothes? Do you carry baskets up and down stairs? Does lint collect on the floor? Does the room get hot and damp? Are the shutoff valves hidden behind the machines? Each answer points to a design feature worth considering.

This page is general planning guidance for homeowners. Requirements for venting, drainage, electrical and water connections vary by city and building, and the work itself should be done by qualified trades. Use the ideas here to ask better questions.

Where the laundry should live

Location is the largest decision. Laundry near the bedrooms reduces the distance clothes travel, because most dirty clothes come from bedrooms and bathrooms. Laundry near the kitchen or garage may keep noise and humidity away from sleeping areas and can double as a drop zone for muddy shoes and pet towels.

Moving laundry means moving water supply, drain, power and a vent to the outside. Each of those has limits. A drain needs slope and a vent path, and a dryer vent needs a short, straight route to an exterior wall or roof. Ask your contractor what is inside the walls and floor before assuming a favorite location is possible.

In multi story homes and condominiums, a laundry on an upper floor needs protection against leaks. A drain pan with an outlet, a moisture sensor and an accessible shutoff are worth discussing. Noise and vibration travel through floors, so consider the room below. The page about laundry in the wrong place explores how to think about moving it.

Condominium buildings often set rules for where washers and dryers can be installed and how they are vented. Ask your association what applies before planning any relocation, and read about condo association approvals to prepare your questions.

• Trace the path a basket of clothes takes from bedroom to machine and back.
• Check what shares a wall or floor with the proposed location.
• Ask where the dryer vent can reach the outdoors with a short, straight run.
• Confirm what your association or city requires before relocating plumbing or vents.

Sizing the space and the machines

Before deciding anything else, measure the room and the machines. A washer and dryer side by side need width, but also clearance behind for hoses, vents and cords, and in front for doors to swing open. Front loading machines need room for the door, and top loading ones need clearance above the lid.

Stacking a dryer over a washer saves floor space and lets you add a counter or cabinet beside the stack. Side by side machines allow a countertop across the top, which is useful for folding. Neither is universally better; it depends on how much floor you have and how tall the users are.

Machine dimensions vary from model to model, so choose appliances before cabinets are drawn. The appliance selection and timing page explains why. Ask for the manufacturer's installation documents and have the actual numbers written on the plan.

Think about the way you actually do laundry, too. Some households wash a little every day, and others do large loads once a week. A family that runs several loads in a row benefits from a sorting station and a place to hang items straight from the dryer, while a couple who washes small loads may be content with a compact stack and a shelf. The routine should shape the room, not the other way around. Think about future replacement. Machines wear out and new ones may be larger. Leaving a bit of extra width and a sturdy connection arrangement will make the next swap easier.

Cabinets and storage that earn their place

Good cabinets turn a laundry room from a utility space into an organized one. Upper cabinets hold detergent and supplies at a height that is easy to reach. A tall cabinet can hold brooms, a vacuum or an ironing board. A base cabinet beside the machines gives somewhere to put things out of sight.

Consider what you actually store. Cleaning products, light bulbs, batteries, pet supplies and seasonal items often end up in the laundry room. Count them and design shelves and drawers around them. Pull out shelves and deep drawers make heavy things easier to reach. Adjustable shelves allow for change.

Finish choices matter in a humid room. Cabinet materials should tolerate moisture, and edges near the floor should be protected from splashes. A toe kick in a durable material and sealed cut edges help cabinets last. The cabinet construction guide describes boxes, panels and finishes and what to ask about each.

Do not forget open space. A drying rack that folds, a hanging rod for delicate items and a rolling hamper that tucks under a counter can reduce clutter. Leave room for a basket or two for sorting, because that small habit speeds up a busy household. For more thinking about storage in general, see storage planning in remodels.

Counter space and a place to fold

A counter above or beside the machines is the single most appreciated upgrade in most laundry refreshes. It provides a flat place to fold clothes straight from the dryer, to sort items and to set down a basket. Without it, the bed or a dining table becomes the folding station.

A counter above front loading machines is simple, but top loading machines need room to open the lid, so a removable or hinged counter may be required. Ask your cabinet maker how the counter will be supported and whether it can be removed for service. Machines vibrate, so the top must be secure and not rattle against the wall.

Material choice depends on moisture and use. Laminate, solid surface and quartz all work. Stone needs sealing and stains from bleach or dye, while wood may swell if water sits on it. The laminate versus solid surface counters comparison helps when a modest laundry counter is the goal.

A deep sink is a bonus. It allows hand washing, soaking stained items and rinsing muddy gear. A sink needs a drain and a vent, so if you do not already have one nearby, ask what it would involve. Choose a faucet with a tall neck so large items fit comfortably.

Venting, humidity and lint

A dryer pushes warm, moist air and lint out of the house, and the path it takes matters. A short, smooth, straight duct to the outdoors moves air well and collects less lint. Long, twisted runs trap lint, slow drying and can become a maintenance concern. Ask your contractor how the vent will run and where it will exit.

Never let a dryer vent into an attic, crawl space or wall cavity. The moisture and lint cause damage and create risk. The requirements for duct materials and length are set by local codes and the manufacturer, and they vary, so ask your city building department and read the appliance instructions rather than relying on a general rule.

Humidity is a bigger concern in Florida than in dry climates. A closed laundry room that holds warm, damp air invites mildew. Good air movement helps, whether through a vented door, a louvered panel or an exhaust fan. A condensing dryer, which does not vent outside, is another approach some households consider. Ask about the trade offs.

The bathroom ventilation guide explains how exhaust fans work and how to judge whether a fan moves enough air, and many of the same principles apply to a laundry. Mention your concerns about moisture early, because venting affects wall and ceiling planning.

Water, drains and shutoff access

Behind every washer is a pair of supply valves and a drain. The details here determine whether a leak is a minor event or a disaster. Valves should be accessible without moving the machine, and a recessed box with built in valves keeps hoses neat and protects them from kinks.

Consider a drain pan under the washer, especially on upper floors or above finished spaces. A pan with a drain line carries away small leaks instead of letting them reach the floor. A leak sensor with an alert is another sensible addition. Some households also install a shutoff that closes when a leak is detected, which involves plumbing and electrical planning.

Make sure you know where to turn off the water to the laundry and to the entire house. Mark those valves clearly, and keep the area around them clear. In a hurry, nobody should have to dig behind a cabinet to find a shutoff. Ask your contractor to note valve locations on the plan.

Floor drains and slope can help in garages and ground floor laundry rooms, though requirements vary. The page on moisture planning in Florida homes gives more background on why water control is a theme throughout a remodel.

Floors, walls and lighting

Laundry floors take spills, drips and hot, damp air. Tile, sheet vinyl and luxury vinyl plank are common choices because they tolerate water. The luxury vinyl plank guide and the flooring for humid climates guide compare the choices. Whatever you choose, make sure the floor is flat and sealed at the edges.

Walls behind and beside the machines should be easy to clean and resistant to moisture. Paint with a washable finish helps, and tile on a splash zone adds protection. Ask about the wall surface behind the washer valves, since a leak there can go unnoticed.

Lighting should be bright and even, with no dark corners. A ceiling fixture with a diffuser, supplemented by a light under the upper cabinets, makes stain checking and folding easier. Lighting also makes a small room feel larger. The lighting layers guide explains how layers fit together.

Electrical planning belongs here as well. Machines need outlets of the right type, and the dryer in particular has specific power requirements that depend on the model and on whether it is electric or gas. Add outlets for an iron, a steamer or a small fan, and think about a switch at the door so you are not feeling for a light with an armful of towels. Ask your electrician to follow the requirements of your city and the instructions for each appliance. Color choices can lift the mood of what is often a dull task. A bright cabinet color, a patterned floor tile or a window with a view makes the room pleasant. You do not need to spend heavily to make the space feel considered.

Doors, sound and neighbors

Machines are loud, especially during spin cycles. If the laundry is near bedrooms or a living area, sound control is worth planning. A solid door, insulation in the walls and a tight seal around the doorway reduce noise. Placing machines on a stable surface helps limit vibration.

Think about the door itself. A pocket door or sliding door can save space where a swinging door would block a machine. A louvered door allows air to circulate but lets sound through. A door with a window brings light in. The doors and hardware guide compares these options.

In a condo or townhome, noise matters to your neighbors as well. Some buildings restrict hours for laundry, and others specify the type of floor underlay beneath machines. Ask your association what applies, and tell your contractor so the plan can include any required sound treatment.

If your laundry sits in a garage or off an exterior wall, consider the effect of heat, salt air and pests. Seal gaps, protect metal parts from corrosion and keep the area dry.

Turning your laundry list into a plan

When you are ready, call to tell us about the property, the space and what you want the laundry area to do. Bring a list of annoyances, the model numbers of machines you plan to use, and photographs of the area including the wall behind the machines if possible.

The conversation covers layout, materials, storage, lighting and existing conditions. A plan and selections follow, and then preparation for construction by going over the plan and the information needed before work begins. Ask how venting, drainage and shutoff access will be handled and shown on the drawings.

Laundry upgrades often combine with other projects, such as a kitchen or a bathroom, since they share walls and plumbing. If that applies to you, ask how the related work will be coordinated so trades do not open the same wall twice. The design and planning service helps organize decisions before construction starts.

A well planned laundry room will not make laundry exciting, but it will make it easier and more orderly, and that is a real gain.

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