You know you need to get stuck in and renovate your laundry. I mean, seriously, you spend so much time in there doing the daily grind – you really deserve something a BIT better than what you’ve currently got. Not only that, you know as well as I do that top-notch laundry is one of the big-ticket items to truly add value to your house.

So where do you start?

Do you get a Cabinet Maker to quote?

Sure, that’s a good starting point. They have all the skills you need to get the project underway. The problem is that we find that many cabinet makers aren’t interested in doing laundry as they are too small for them to call it a decent job. They will either turn you down or sting you with a whopping bill. That is exactly why we developed our range of Modular Laundry. They’re cost-effective and come out of our factory fully built and ready for simple installation. If you are a DIY sort of person you will find installation easy.

Things to remember when planning your design.

There are two things to base your design on – where are you going to locate your washing machine and laundry tub. To make you remodel as cost-effective as possible it would be best to retain their existing locations to save you from having to move plumbing points. Once you’ve worked out their locations then start filling in the rest of the space with cabinets.

Top Loader or Front Loader?

Which do you have? If you use a front-loading washing machine, get some extra bench space by running the benchtop over the top of the machine. Our cabinets are all 870mm high to the underside of the benchtop which is the standard height for all front loaders. Most front loaders are 600mm wide, we recommend a 650mm gap to leave space on either side for installation. Top loaders vary quite a bit in width. Measure yours and allow at least 50mm clear space. In fact, for front loaders, it would be safer to push this up to 80mm in case you choose to get a larger one at a later date.

Tumble driers, up top or down low?

Just like an under-bench washing machine, you can do the same with your tumble drier. They too are always 600mm wide so will fit perfectly into a 650mm gap. Of course, you can mount them on the wall over your washing machine if you prefer it at eye level. If you’re planning on mounting it on the wall, it would be good to check that there are studs in the wall at your chosen location so that you can securely fix the wall bracket.

Laundry tub size and type?

When choosing a laundry tub, this is what you need to look for. Ask your plumbing store to show you some ‘Drop In’ tubs or check out our ‘Drop In’ tub in our Laundry brochure. Your plumber will need to cut a hole in the benchtop and drop it in the tub during installation. You need at least a 600mm wide cabinet to fit a tub. While I’m sure you want a good size tub, there are some massive ones on the market. To fit it in a 600mm cabinet you don’t want to go over 500mm wide. The depth (as in front to back on the benchtop) should also be no more than 500mm.

What cabinets go where?

Once you’ve placed the washing machine, drier, and tub you’re ready to go crazy with maximising your storage space. In the back of the Timberline Laundry Brochure you will find some handy little cut-outs that let you ‘cut and paste’ your layout. After placing the cabinets, you can then work out your benchtop length.

What is a fill panel and why do you need one?

If your cabinets are butting up to a wall on one or both ends, a filler panel is a little strip that goes on the end cabinet and butts up to the wall. It allows you to trim the cabinets neatly to the wall and can also be planed down during installation if your measurements were out by a few millimetres.

Can you get custom-sized cabinets?

Of course, we know that everyone’s laundry is different. Any of our cabinets can be ordered in a custom size. For example, maybe you need an 822mm cabinet  – all you need to do is order a 900mm one and tell us to make it at exactly 822mm. No problem!

All still a bit confusing?

Don’t give up yet! If this isn’t clear or needs a little extra help – just do a very rough sketch of the cabinets you think may work. Then have a chat with your preferred Timberline dealer or shoot us an email at sales@timberline.com.au. We have some smart guys and girls on our team that would be more than happy to do a drawing for you to ensure it will work. Some things we will need to know are – the overall size, window location if there is one, and where you will be placing your washing machine, tumble drier, and laundry tub.

You’re a few steps closer to your new laundry!