Stand back and look at your laundry room. Chances are it could use better organization, better lighting and more storage. These simple upgrades give you all that.
Everything you need is available at home centers. Start with a stock countertop (you can order colors that aren't in stock, but you'll pay two to three times as much). Don't forget to buy end caps to cover the raw ends of the countertop.
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| Close-up of floor tile Bright, resilient floor tiles snap together for easy installation |
To support the countertop, build super-simple shelf units from 8-ft. lengths of 23-1/4-in. wide shelving. We chose Melamine shelving, which has a tough plastic coating and doesn't need painting. Size and space the shelves to suit your laundry baskets (we made ours 14-1/2 in. apart and 35 in. above the floor). Cut the parts and screw them together with 2-in. screws. Cover the screw heads with plastic caps (sold near the shelving).
Next, hang a pair of inexpensive 18-in. x 30-in. utility wall cabinets over the countertop to hold detergents and other cleaning supplies. Fasten an adjustable clothing rod between them for clothes hangers.
You'll want especially bright lighting to help you sort clothing and spot stains and other problems. Fluorescent tubes work well because they cast light evenly with few shadows. We recommend a four-bulb fixture that's 4 ft. long with a prismatic plastic cover for extra brightness. Make sure to buy fixtures with electronic ballasts to avoid the annoying hum that goes with magnetic ballasts.
TIP: Equip the fixture with 90-plus CRI (color rendering index) bulbs to better see the true colors of your clothing. These fluorescent bulbs are more expensive ($8 to $10 each) and may drive you over budget. Order them online.
Finally, soften and brighten your floor with rubbery plastic floor tile. Used mostly in garages and commercial buildings, this flooring is tough, but easy on your feet. And it may be the world's easiest to install floor: You simply snap the tiles together; you don't have to glue it down. The 12 x 12-in. tiles come in several colors and surface patterns. Look for them at home centers or online.
Cost: 6-ft. countertop, $70; 3/4-in. Melamine supports and shelving, $40; two 18-in. wall cabinets, $150; adjustable clothes rod, $10; light fixture, $54, plus $45 for four high-CRI bulbs; flooring, about $3.50 per tile.
Time: One or two days.
Cutting List for Shelving
- Four 3/4" x 23-1/4" x 34-1/2" Melamine supports
- Four 3/4" x 23" x 22" Melamine shelves
- Two 1/4" x 23-1/4" x 34" plywood backs
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Laundry Center Equip your laundry room with a spacious foldingtable, more storage space, better lighting and a durable floor in one weekend. |
Original Article: The Family handyman - Affordable Home Improvement Ideas
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