An Easy DIY Shelf for Behind the Washer and Dryer
Add a DIY floating shelf over your washer and dryer with this simple tutorial and hide the hoses while adding extra storage.
Last week I shared simple ideas for a laundry room refresh and this week I bring you a DIY that can be done in minutes to hide hoses and other washer and dryer connections plus add a little storage.
So if you’ve been looking for a shelf above the washer and dryer or want to DIY a wood shelf on a budget, I’ve got the project for you!
DIY Shelf for Behind the Washer and Dryer
Welcome back to the New Year, New Refresh where eight bloggers are giving a room an easy makeover in four short weeks. A big thanks to our hostess Stephanie from Casa Watkins Living for organizing this fun challenge every January!
Update: You can find all of the articles and reveal below:
- Laundry room plans and ideas on a budget
- DIY shelf for behind a top load washer and dryer (you are here)
- Wallpaper accent wall and paint
- The Laundry Room Reveal
What you need for a floating shelf over washer and dryer:
- A 9 inch by the length of washer and dryer space piece of pinewood board
- A pair of shelf L brackets roughly the same depth
- Screw driver
How to Make a DIY Wood Shelf Over Washer and Dryer
P.S. This easy DIY is if you have a top-loading washer and/or dryer. I’ve placed an IKEA desktop over a front load washer and dryer set for counter space before and it worked like a charm. 😉
Prepare your space by pulling the washer and dryer out from the wall as much as you can. Use an extra set of hands and be careful!
- First, measure the wall behind your washer and dryer. Second, grab a pine wood board at your local hardware store and have them cut it to size.
- Use two “L” shelf brackets to install it in place. Either measure and mark where the studs are and where you want the shelf to sit on the wall or place anchors in the wall first about 12″ from each end.
It was easier to attach the “L” brackets to the shelf first and then to the wall. Again, make sure to use drywall anchors if you aren’t screwing into a stud for extra support.
Leave 1/2 to 1″ clearance at the bottom of the shelf to easily slide the washer and dryer back into place when installing your shelf.
I found that the L brackets didn’t really show when the washer and dryer were in place and gave the shelf an appearance of being built-in which is what I was hoping for.
You can see the choices from my inspiration and mood boards last week.
To create an even more built-in costume look, paint any existing cabinets and shelf the same color. Later on, I mixed paint I already have to create a Parisian blue and had my husband attach a wood shell to a wire caddy to fit between the washer and dryer in the same color. You can read all about it in this story.
DIY Floating Shelf Above Washer and Dryer
Create a beautiful built-in look with a DIY floating shelf above the washer dryer. Hide unsightly cords and connections and add more storage!
Materials
- A pine fir board 1 x 9 by the length of washer and dryer
- A pair of L shaped shelf brackets
Tools
- Drywall anchors
- Measuring tape
- Screwdriver
Instructions
- Measure the wall behind the washer and dryer and have a piece of wood cut to size. Stand depth for shelves or 8-12 inches deep and thickness is style preference but at least 1 inch.
- Measure and mark where you want the shelf to hang on the wall. Make sure there's an inch or two of clearance between the top of the washer and dryer and shelf to easily slide the appliances underneath when complete.
- Find two studs in the walls on either end or install drywall anchors where the L brackets will go.
- Attach the L brackets underneath the board at each end and then to the wall.
- Paint or stain to match the rest of the laundry room!
Q&A for Shelf above Washer and Dryer:
- What do I put on the shelf above washer and dryer? Store your laundry detergent, stain remover, and dryer sheets/liquid in a pretty bin or in decorative containers if you need the storage space. Otherwise, place every day decor that is personal to you to enhance your time in the laundry room. It might even be fun!
- What kind of wood is used for laundry room shelves? Be careful with boards made of mixed wood, contains a lot of knots, or doesn’t lay flat (I always test this on the hardware store floor!). The best choices are a board made of pine, oak, walnut, cherry, alder, or hickory which can easily be stained or painted and look beautiful.
- How deep are laundry room shelves? Standard laundry room shelves are 12″ but you can use between 8 to 12″ depending on how much space you have. To make the best use of a smaller space, go with 8″.
- How thick should a laundry shelf be? This is a style preference but at least 1 inch for durability.
Join me on Instagram for behind-the-scenes, DIYs, decorating tips, room tours, and home inspiration. I’ll see you over there!
I’ll be honest with you. Last week I had planned on getting a major start with the refresh by painting the entire room but a hectic schedule got in the way and I still haven’t decided on my final paint colors.
But I hope this easy DIY helps you solve the problem of decorating/designing around a top load washer and dryer.
Here’s the to-do list:
Build shelf with a plank of wood and two metal L brackets.- Paint walls and trim white with leftover paint.
- Paint cabinets and shelf blue or green with leftover paint.
- Install a small section of wallpaper.
- Frame stored art prints and find a new rug with a store gift card.
Make sure to check out the other participants!
Casa Watkins Living // Up To Date Interiors // House by Hoff // Our Fifth House // Jeweled Interiors // Blue I Style // Domicile 37 // Delineate your Dwelling
UPDATE!! I snuck a few of the final reveal photos in to show how gorgeous the shelf above the washer and dryer looks! Make sure to check out the full Parisian-inspired laundry room reveal article to see more. I did this entire challenge with leftover supplies.
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Can you tell me about the cabinet between the washer and dryer? Did you build that or buy it?
Hey Lindsay, it is a wire rolling cabinet (maybe from Lowe’s?) that we attached boards to with hinges on top. You can see the before and after in my reveal post. https://uptodateinteriors.com/diy-laundry-room-makeover/