A stylish interior is as important for the bathroom as it is for other rooms in a house or apartment. Not the last place in this matter is occupied by the location of the washing machine. It is quite large, and the influence of the machine on the design cannot be overestimated. Below we will tell you how to arrange and cover it in such a way as to preserve the idea of arranging the bathroom and save maximum space.
Kinds
The optimal solution for small rooms is a cabinet for a washing machine. If you draw up a successful project, you can find space to install internal shelves, cabinets, and a symmetrical arrangement of the drying machine. The design of the furniture depends on the availability of free space and the size of the washing machine. In modern housing, equipment is placed in the kitchen, bathroom, and hallway. These conditions determine the design features of cabinet models, the choice of materials and decoration, and the design of doors, if they are provided for in the design drawing.
According to the material of manufacture
To install a washing machine, you need to take into account the humidity of the room when choosing materials for making furniture. Installing equipment in the hallway allows you to implement any solution, but for the bathroom you need moisture-resistant materials with a long service life. Another important point is the dimensions and weight of the machine. To install heavy models, it is necessary to use durable base materials, high-quality fittings, and stable structures. Types of cabinets for washing machines according to the material they are made of:
- MDF boards are a standard solution for the kitchen and hallway, but in the bathroom furniture parts at the joints are exposed to moisture and do not last long. An MDF cabinet can be given any shape, choose an interesting color scheme, or use spectacular decor;
- natural wood treated with special moisture-repellent compounds. Wooden cabinets fit perfectly into the interior; they are distinguished by their noble shade and environmental friendliness of the natural material. Furniture made from natural wood is stable and durable, but does not tolerate moisture;
- glass combined with metal is an interesting solution for installing built-in units. The washing machine behind the glass doors looks unusual, neat, and expensive. Modern glass processing technologies give the material additional strength, hardening, texture, matte, satin effect;
- plastic cabinet is a ready-made option. Such models are not uncommon in houses and apartments due to their low cost of products. Plastic does not deteriorate from exposure to moisture, and mold and mildew do not appear on it. You can choose a cabinet for a washing machine of any color. A significant disadvantage of plastic furniture is its fragility;
- furniture panel is an unusual, but completely justified option for installing a washing machine in the kitchen or hallway. Furniture board is a natural material made from oak, beech, ash, and birch wood. The tree is cut into small strips, which are securely glued together. The shield is durable, strong, beautiful.
The materials used to manufacture cabinets for built-in appliances must meet the operating conditions of the furniture. Moisture-resistant materials are suitable for wet rooms; in rooms with normal humidity and stable temperature conditions, you can install furniture from any materials. Functional content, equipment, and installation location are of great importance.
Wood
MDF
Glass
Chipboard
By location
There are not many places in an apartment, house, or country house where you can install a cabinet for a washing machine. Of course, at the whim of the homeowner, equipment can be placed even in the living room, but such a solution is irrational, aesthetically unattractive and impractical. To install large equipment, you need to select suitable furniture and install the product in the most convenient place. There are only four acceptable options for installing washing machines in a closet - bathroom, kitchen, hallway, toilet (extremely rare). In addition, furniture can be arranged in different ways in the free space:
- wall-mounted option - the cabinet does not touch the floor with its legs, it has a countertop under which the washing machine is placed. On one side of the furniture structure there are drawers or shelves. There are no doors, the model is suitable for mounting front-loading machines. It’s difficult to call furniture a full-fledged closet, but the solution is often implemented in narrow bathrooms, combining appliances, a sink, and shelves. Another option is to mount an oversized washing machine with a small load on the wall;
- a base cabinet is the most common way to integrate household appliances. The free-standing design allows you to hide communications, a washing machine, and place hanging shelves, racks, and other furniture above it. Suitable for completing bathrooms, kitchens, corridors. If the room's capabilities allow you to install doors, the unit will not become dusty or dirty. A small cabinet is sometimes called a washing machine cabinet due to the compact size of the product;
- tall cabinet column (pencilcase) built-in or stationary type. The model is placed in a narrow space of a bathroom, kitchen, or less often a hallway. The lower part of the furniture is used to install a washing machine, on which a dryer is mounted. On the mezzanine tier there are shelves for storing household chemicals, bath textiles, cosmetics and other necessary items. The upper module can be equipped with hinged doors;
- module or niche of a kitchen unit. Options for permanent installation of furniture, full or partial embedding are allowed. When fully built-in, the machine can be hidden behind the front doors, giving the room a neater look, the effect of a spacious room. There is a wide choice of installation of appliances - the end of a kitchen unit, a bar counter, if the machine is vertical loading, a module with closed doors. When partially built-in, the equipment is placed under the tabletop in a free niche.
In a narrow hallway, you can install a built-in wardrobe across the width of the room, place a washing machine in the lower part, and use the upper tier to install a mirror with lamps, shelves, and a mezzanine for accessories. Based on their location, cabinets for washing machines are conventionally classified into floor-mounted, wall-mounted, column-mounted (pencil cases), cabinets, and based on the installation method - free-standing stationary-type models, fully or partially built-in furniture.
Column
Floor
Modular
By design
The design of cabinets for built-in appliances is determined by the size of the furniture and the installation location. At the same time, the aesthetics of the model should correspond to the overall style and design of the room. Ready-made furniture for washing machines can only be conveniently placed in large rooms. A variety of design ideas can be realized in custom-made projects. The most popular cabinet design solutions:
- corner design - two sides of the cabinet are in contact with adjacent walls of the room, two more serve as front panels. One front panel can be equipped with doors, and the second can be left open to accommodate a washing machine and shelves;
- straight built-in wardrobe from floor to ceiling with two or three sections. An open niche is left in the lower left or right corner for installing a washing machine. The model will fit compactly in the hallway;
- narrow cabinet for installation in a bathroom with extension. The lower part of the furniture accommodates a washing machine, closed with doors; in the upper superstructure there is a mirrored cabinet with shallow shelves for small items;
- vertical cabinet for installing equipment with a front loading drum. The furniture belongs to the classic free-standing stationary type products. Depending on the availability of free space, the product is equipped with one or two doors;
- In most cases, the horizontal floor option is installed along the length of a free wall, combined with a sink and functional shelves. The machine can be closed with doors or located in an open niche.
When choosing a cabinet design, you need to consider the presence of doors. If the furniture is equipped with hinged doors, there should be enough space for the doors to open freely.
In a small area, you can install a cabinet with folding fronts or hang a panel that moves along the top guide like a sliding compartment system. Too narrow rooms require a non-standard approach to installing equipment - it is convenient to use a cabinet with a washbasin built into the countertop.
Vertical
Horizontal
Straight
Angular
To size
The cabinet for installing appliances is made according to the dimensions of the washing machine. The dimensions of the model are the starting point when choosing the design, shape, and size of furniture. All automatic machines are classified into vertical (top loading) and horizontal (front drum) units. This must be taken into account when designing furniture. In addition, models of equipment can be built-in, with removable top covers, or free-standing. You can place any washing machine in the interior space of the cabinet if you correctly calculate the dimensions of the equipment and connect the communications. Features of calculating furniture dimensions based on unit dimensions:
- frontal full-size model - standard height is 890-900 mm, there are options with a height of 850 mm. The depth of the machine is standard 600 mm, there are narrower models with a smaller drum capacity - 350-400 mm, ultra-narrow ones - 320-350 mm. At the same time, almost all frontal models have a width of 600 mm, except for compact copies (680-700x430-450x470-500 mm);
- The overwhelming majority of vertical models have a significant height of 850-900 mm, compact dimensions in depth - 600 mm and width - 400 mm. When installing vertical models, no additional space is required on the front side of the cabinet, that is, in the area of the doors. Often the convex hatch of the drum prevents the installation of front-facing equipment - there are no such problems with vertical units;
- The dimensions of the cabinet must correspond to the dimensions of the equipment with an additional gap between the walls of the furniture and the body of the machine of 20-30 mm, so that when vibration occurs during the spin cycle, the unit does not break the furniture structure. It is not recommended to install a cabinet with a plinth - the equipment will vibrate, gradually moving to the side, front or back walls of the furniture;
- installation of horizontal cabinets involves installing furniture under sinks in the bathroom. Then a compact machine (700x450x500 mm) is suitable for installation. If the unit is installed under a kitchen worktop, its height must be at least 1000 mm - the tabletop does not lie on the body of the machine, but is attached to the rear wall. For vertical units, you need to leave room for opening the hatch;
- installation of cabinets of a vertical design allows you to install a module measuring from floor to ceiling, but the width of the product must be at least 650 mm, the depth varies from 350 mm (narrow appliances) to 650 mm (deep front models). For vertical units, a height of 850-900 mm and a cabinet depth of 600 mm plus a gap of 20-30 mm on the side are required.
Manufacturers of built-in appliances indicate dimensions for installation in the instructions. If you need to install a stationary unit, the furniture is made according to the dimensions of the machine, taking into account the space for the convex drum hatch if the model is mounted behind closed facades. To compensate for the corners of the room and the furniture set, it is convenient to install a structure with radius doors; select a washing machine with a convex front panel and place it in a cabinet niche.
Using a curtain
A simple and affordable way to disguise a washing machine is to use a decorative curtain, behind which you can hide both the unit itself and the plumbing lines. The curtain is chosen to match the tone of the wall tiles - variegated or plain, depending on the pattern on the tile.
It is better to choose curtains made of vinyl or textiles impregnated with a hydrophobic composition. They are more durable and have dirt-repellent properties. The curtain is hung on hooks or eyelets, installed on a straight or circular rod.
Anti-vibration stands
Since this problem is not new, there has long been a simple and inexpensive solution to it - anti-vibration stands. For the most part, these products are small circles made of durable polymer that absorbs vibration, thereby ensuring stability and reliable fixation of the case on a smooth surface.
These stands have an attractive appearance and will definitely not spoil the impression of good repairs and high-quality household appliances. There are different models of stands available for sale; they differ in shape and color, so it’s easy to choose the ideal solution for any interior.
The process of installing anti-vibration products is not particularly difficult; moreover, you don’t even have to turn off the device. To prevent the machine from wobbling, simply tilt its body to one side and place a stand under each of the legs. Then the same actions are performed for the other side. There is no need to re-align the case; the material of the stands itself will ensure its horizontal position.
Choosing a built-in washing machine
All automatic machines are divided into:
- built-in;
- free-standing.
They differ from each other in their design features. Moreover, the entire functional “set” is the same in both cases.
Fastenings on the facade of a built-in washing machine
On the facade of the built-in machine there are fastenings for the door, and at the bottom there is a deep ledge for the headset base. Externally, an uninstalled “machine gun” looks unsightly and is transformed only after installation.
The dimensions of the machine are based on standard tabletop dimensions (b – 60 cm, h – 85 cm), taking into account all the necessary clearances. Narrow built-in models are rare, since it is necessary to rationally use all available space. The width of built-in units is usually 58-60 cm.
Advice. Before choosing a built-in washing machine, carefully study the dimensions given in the instructions. They should be slightly smaller than the kitchen cabinet for the car.
If you have not yet purchased furniture for the kitchen, choosing a machine model is simplified, because it is much easier to “adjust” the dimensions of the cabinet.
The remaining parameters of the washing machine (allowable load, energy saving class, availability of additional functions, etc.) do not in any way limit you in choosing a built-in model.
Features of repair and replacement of fasteners
All installation work on connecting water must be carried out with the supply to the apartment (house) shut off. There is an inlet tap in most residential premises. Where it is absent, a cut-off is made for the entire riser or in the well.
No repair work can be carried out while the machine is plugged in.
When going for new door mounting parts, you should take the old unit with you. Even on machines of the same type from different series, discrepancies occur. Sometimes it’s millimeters, but it’s impossible to replace it.
When repairing a drum or door, you need to check, at least superficially, the remaining components, open and clean the pump filter, and check the heating element for scale.
Installation, connection, fastening and ongoing minor repairs of components can be done even by a not very experienced person. As a rule, all it takes is a wrench, a screwdriver and some care. Here, as elsewhere, it is important not to overestimate your strength. If the breakdown is obviously related to the electrical part or electronics, it is better to seek the services of a specialist.
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