Gap for washing machine, is 600mm ok

[cwr]

Hi all,

I'm about to start fitting some units in the utility which includes gaps for the washer and dryer (neither purchased yet). Nominally 600mm wide, but is that the normal gap to allow? They will be raised up with drawers cupboards above so will be easiest to make the gap exactly 600mm. Or is that a bit tight?

Thanks 

[Big Jimbo]

600mm is fine

[ProDave]

Are these built in appliances or free standing?

[cwr]

Free standing.

The existing washing machine is 595mm, but it will in due course get replaced.

[saveasteading]

600 is fine  though I once struggled to get a 598mm machine out as the units had spread. Most seem to be 595 which makes all the difference.

[AdamSee]

I would leave more than 600. Eg. 620 for the first machine, the 600 for the next.

 

Learnt this from a recent annoying mistake. Left 1200mm for the two machines under a utility counter (my utility is essentially a hallway with a door either end). But once I had fitted the architrave on the door in front of the washing machine you could no longer open the detergent drawer. Certainly couldn't get any skirting down the side. 

 

 

[Mr Punter]

I always go 610 unless it is integrated.

[TonyT]

If it’s free standing I would allow 605mm internal width for both machines, gives some room for wiggling  in and out and some clearance when it goes into Mach 2 spin mode.

 

 

with appropriate timber support in between, I think 1200mm unsupported worktop is too much

[TonyT]

Make sure you fit 2 single sockets for the washing machine and dryer and not a double socket

[saveasteading]

39 minutes ago, TonyT said:

appropriate timber support in between

 When we first changed machine, we found that the new one hit against the batten at the back, holding up the worktop. 

The old machine had a cutout for this, the new one not. What a pain to replace.

Yet another thing to bear in mind.

[Alan Ambrose]

>>> we found that the new one hit against the batten at the back

 

Yeah agree, the last kitchen I designed had 650mm deep counter tops to avoid this problem.

[joe90]

Unless using an integrated machine (which I dislike) I always left more than 600mm, makes it very awkward to move in and out and as washing machines get old they rattle and wobble about and need more room (IMO) a friend of mine had an integrated washing machine fitted and within 6 months the cupboards were being bashed and falling apart (he didn’t listen to me).

[cwr]

Thanks for the replies and advice.

 

There will be cupboard units above and below which largely dictate 600mm, unless I'd shimmed them out. They are now fitted at 600mm.

 

There'll be a vertical board between the two so each appliance will be supported independently on 600mm wide boards with some 50mm angle iron underneath. 

 

Power is by two trailing leads, switched from an accessible point. 

 

I'll post some photos at some stage.

[dpmiller]

make sure the trailing lead is sized correctly for the load.