Wood – Best way to fit a clothes washer under a counter

appliancestoolswoodworking

The under the counter space for the washing machine in our laundry room is slightly too low for our washer. I can't push it in any further because the enclosure isn't perfectly square and the washing machine is too high.

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I've already lowered the feet at the bottom to the lowest possible level. To make enough room, I'm thinking of shaving 1/2" or so from the plywood that between the countertop and the machine itself.

The floor is made of tile, and I could also pull out that tile to get the clearance I need, but I prefer to keep it in case of a leak.

Could I remove a layer from the wood under the granite countertop? Since it's already installed, I would have to do it upside down. I have a Dremel tool (with a router bit), a Dewalt Oscillating tool, an orbital sander, and I'm happy to rent something else if I need it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Best Answer

I had the exact same problem and rather than removing the wood from under the counter, I totally removed the feet from the bottom of the washer and that gave me an extra 5/8". I put some thin furniture felt pads on the corners of the washer and it slid right into the space.

If that doesn't float your boat, the Dremel with a routing bit will be accurate but will take a lot of time whereas a belt sander will knock off the job fast.