70cm walkway gap between laundry cabinets - enough??

Hi folks

I kind of asked this a couple of months ago, but back then I wasn't sure how much space we would have because I wasn't sure of the layout... now I know that if we did the laundry how I would like it and allowing for all the cupboards that I would need... it means we would only end up with 70cm (maybe 75cm) in between the cupboards on either wall.

Is this enough do you think?? Keep in mind we will be having a front loader so need door to swing open and room to manouvre (but it will be in the corner and will have the opening towards us so we don't actually need to get around it, as such).

Anyway, I think last time a few people thought 80cm should be about the minimum but just thought I'd open it up again.

HHCIB

That's pretty tight IMO.
Our proposed laundry will have about 1000mm between and I'd actually prefer 1200 given the WM is deeper than our 600mm floor cupboards.
We are going to keep our old top loader so the space between is even more critical for your situation seeing as you are going to go for a front loader.
You don't want it to look like you are walking into a tunnel and after the kitchen, it is probably the room that has to be the most practical in a house.
Upload a pic of the proposed layout.

Stewie

Hi,

We have 80cm between ours as we built in a linen cupboard on one of the walls and benchtop etc on the opposite wall. Where the washing machine is there is 70cm (as it sticks out a bit from under the bench) and I was worried about that but it is perfectly functional.

The 80cm is fine, so I imagine 75 would be ok too, 70cm all along might be pushing it a bit so if you can go 75 to 80 it might be a bit better.

My laundry was originally 2m wide. The previous owners added a 50cm cupboard, so that leaves us with 85cm walkway gap. We're currently storing some sporting equipment in front of the dryer, so I only have 50cm for the washing basket. It's tight but I manage because I know it's temporary, plus it's only in front of the dryer.

Can you use some boxes (or similar) to mock up the 70cm walkway?

Thanks Lee75 and valleygirl123....

Lee, that's what I was hoping to squeeze in - a tall linen cupboard and a broom cupboard on one wall, with bench tops (washing machine and trough) on the other.

valleygirl - yes I could use some boxes, and I had already thought of that (great minds ) - we have some boxes in our shed... but just haven't dragged them out.

Actually whilst typing this post, I just re-measured and our laundry is 180cm wide... so if I had 60cm bench tops (I think that is the norm??) and a 40cm wide cupboard on the other side for linen and brooms (our current broom/linen cupboard is only 40cm and I can manage with that) then that would leave 80cm walkway which sounds like it might be fine?? I just have to check how wide our new washing machine would be (going from top loader to front loader, I think). But even if that is a smidge wider, like yours Lee, sounds like it might still be OK because it's only one section (and for us, will probably be in the back corner so you don't need to be walking past it, as such).

OK... feeling a bit better about it now. I really need to get some benches in my laundry - sick of folded washing and baskets etc out in my living area. It will be a lot more closed in with the cupboards on both sides but more functional and it's not like I hang out in there .

Thanks guys. Much appreciate your input.

HHCIB

HHCIB - just thought I would post a photo, sorry not a great one with the sun coming through the door but you can see the space you will be working with.

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab144/lee75_2009/DSC00584.jpg

Thanks so much for posting that pic Lee75 - much appreciated.

So that is 80cm between the benches and the opposite wall/cupboards? And 70cm where the washing machine is?

Looks like it would be enough room. Our laundry will be similar except cupboards opposite won't be built in as such (need to leave room for our door opening and also the manhole is above that side of the laundry ceiling). And we will have continuous bench on the other side with tub dropped in.

Do you have overhead cupboards? I can see the dryer but not sure if there are cupboards back closer to the entry.

Thanks again for the photo - lovely of you to take the time to post it.

HHCIB

Hi again,

Yes thats right with the measurements.

Yes next to the dryer on the side where the camera was we have 2 overhead cabinets.

Not sure what stage you are up to but the dimension on our plans were 2m x 2.3m (2m was the sides with the doors). I was conscious of making the doors in the middle so we could fit the linen in as there was no where else to put a linen closet in the house.

Hope that helps, good luck

Hi Lee

We have an existing house - just that the laundry has next to no cupboard space - and absolutely no bench tops which is a pain, so am wanting to install cupboards with benches ASAP (although I just realised that it might have to wait because I don't want to buy a new washing machine until my nappy washing days are over - my youngest still in cloth nappies. I'd rather my shiney new machine not have to deal with washing pooey nappies ) And, I currently have a top loader but wanted to convert to a FL to allow for extra bench space. But we'll see about all of that.

Our laundry measurements are about 2.5 long x 1.8 wide. Hence 1.8 wide - 60cm cupboards on one side, 40cm cupboards on the other (for linen and brooms), 80cm walkway (less if washing machine sticks out further than 60cm cupboard). Most machines seem to have a depth of 590mm - but not sure if you need to allow extra for pipes/plumbing at the back of that??

Your laundry layout is very similar to ours. We will probably do overheads same as yours (ie halfway along one wall). I would love to do without the 40cm cupboards on the other side (maybe one small one in the corner as we have now just for brooms) but unless I can come up with another spot for linen, I need to have them.