Any Builders Out There?

[muchlovex]

We have a very small house and would like to gain some space under our kitchen sink by relocating our washing machine. The only place it would have room to go in is upstairs in a hallway cupboard. This cupboard already has a waste pipe and is next door to our bathroom, so access to pipework would be easy.

Just wondered whether the cupboard floor would need strengthening as when the washing machine spins it may cause cracks in the house.

[ummmm]

I did exactly that in my old house. I removed a toilet and had the washing machine fitted. We didn't need the floor strengthening.

Houses are designed to take great weights.

[Old_Geezer]

If an upstairs floor can cope with a, full of water, cast iron bath, a washing machine ought not faze it. Do check the condition of the floorboards though.

[muchlovex]

i am not concerned about the weight of the washing machine. My concern is of it spinning and causing cracks.

Any help anyone?

[Mosaic]

You're right to have concern about the effects of many spin cycles. Lots of low-level vibration could lead to damage but it depends entirely on the build of the house and the running of the machine. If you've got a well-balanced machine in a solidly built house it should be fine. The bigger thing to plan for is what will happen when (not if because it always happens at some point) the machine has a flood. What kind of ceiling damage might happen, how easy to put right etc.
Also, noise transferring along joists when on spin - might you get annoyed at that, and is there any way of testing it out before you plumb the machine in?

If the machine isn't to be on view, you could do something like put a couple of layers of old carpet down underneath it. This might dampen vibrations and noise, and also act as a bit of a spong if there was a spillage.

[Marktheharp]

We had ours upstairs in our old house and put some strong chipboard across the floor first. I'm nit a builder but you would be wise to check that the machine is as close as possible to a load-bearing wall as (apart from anything else) it will be a firmer support. important to make sure the vibration won't upset your neighbours if you are not in a detached house.

A plus point is: upstairs is an excellent place for a washing machine as you won't then have to bring it downstairs and then up again afterwards. When I put mine upstairs I wondered why anyone ever bothered putting them anywhere else.

[Mick-Talbot]

May a piece of Kingspan on the floor then a piece of thick ply would reduce the amount of vibration transferring through to the joist. Reducing noise and the chances of the ceiling cracking.

[Mick-Talbot]

Maybe ^

[The Builder]

Just want to say that I think everyone has covered it very well. No problem with the weight of the machine......... more a case of how good the floorboards are.

I agree with the others about noise and vibration though. I've fitted these, and dishwashers in loads of strange places. The only problematic one was in a first floor flat with a conventional floor such as yours. When it started to spin, it was quite noticeable in the flat downstairs. That's where MT's post about vibration damping is worth considering.

[coccinelle]

Quite a few french homes have washing machines in their bathrooms. Mine is now in the cellar as I got sick of mopping up spills, though this new washing machines seems to be behaving itself.