Laundry Room Counter Length Calculator

Laundry Room Math: What happens when you face a blank wall and discover that laundry room math is actualy a lot more complicated then it looks? Just buy a washer, buy a dryer and be done with it. Nope, not so simple.

There’s the gap between the cabinet and the wall. There’s the sink. There’s the counter. And then there are the two machine that need to fit in there. Easier said than done.

How to Measure Your Laundry Room

It is easy to order a countertop that’s too long. It is easy to order a countertop that’s too short. A countertop that are too short creates a gap. A gap is ugly. If it is too long, you have to cut it in the garage. You want it right the first time so the room feel like it was meant to be.

The layout starts with appliance widths, but there is more to consider. 54″ is a normal width for a standard front-load pair but this ignores any width on either side of the appliances. Heat and vibration are very real issues here. If the washer shakes too much or the dryer heats up too far it’ll rub up against its neighbor. That means worn out components sooner.

So enter in some side clearance as well. An extra inch or two isn’t much, but it is the difference between a machine that last ten years and one that rattles itself apart in two.

And there’s that handy sink. You know, everyone want a practical sink and seems to think that a basic twenty four inch cabinet fits the bill. Most do, but you need to use the actual width of the cabinet instead of just the width of the basin. The basin itself is narrow, but the cabinet containing the plumbing are wider. So unless you remember the difference, you’ll find yourself with a counter that’s too short at the sink end.

The reference table shows why a wide family laundry wall require a different run than a more compact closet pair. It also helps you see the pattern before you start measuring your own space.

Another thing is depth. Laundry machines aren’t exactly skinny. How many times do you see people measuring length along the wall, only to completely forget about the depth? And here’s what happens, you’ve got this awesome new counter top that’s only twenty-four inches deep… but your dryer is twenty-eight inches deep. So now the damn machine stick out beyond the counter and it looks weird AND is a safety hazard for your feet.

Make sure to look up the specs on the exact models you want and make sure you know their depth (not just width). The length math are done by the calculator, but the depth sanity check is your job.

And then there’s that whole support thing: You can’t just have one countertop going more than thirty-six inches without some kind of support. (A bucket of bleach and a sopping wet pair of jeans doesn’t help.) So if you have a long run, you’re gonna want to break up the span with either base cabinets underneath, or some vertical dividers.

The calculator calculate how many supports you need depending off overall length. You won’t have to guess whether one middle cabinet will be enough. It is a little detail, but it make a big difference for the install in the long term.

Lastly, consider the overhang. The typical overhang for most counters is approximately an inch-and-a-half all around (front and sides). Why? To account for minor inconsistencies in walls, plus it just looks good. Without accounting for overhang, you’ll have a raw edge where your counter meets the drywall. It will appear cut off short, as if bolted onto the wall, while this detail help to make the whole room feel built-in instead.

Measuring the wall is only half the battle when planning a laundry room; figuring out your expectations is the other half. You want to maximize your workspace. You also need to consider the size of your appliances. Additionally, plumbing can get in the way. The process is tedious, but knowing your numbers now will save you headaches later.

The day the installer drops by and everything fits into place, you’ll ask yourself why anyone would of skipped the math. Because it is all about respecting what these machines need in order to work.