Setting Up a Laundry Room

Intro

A washing machine needs hot and cold water and a drain. You'll need to install washing machine valves, which look like outdoor hose bibs but point straight down. The washer drain hose hooks to a sink or a standpipe. The drain for either of these must slope down at a rate of 1/4 inch per running foot.

Many washing machines are self-leveling. Grab the machine by its control panel at the top rear, pull forward to slightly tilt the machine, and let it drop back solidly on all four feet. Adjust the front legs to make sure the machine is level in both directions.

Prestart Checklist

Time
About half a day

Tools
Screwdriver, groove-joint pliers, propane torch, hacksaw, tubing cutter

Skills
Working with copper and PVC pipe

Prep
Locate supply and drain lines

Materials
Utility sink, washing machine, solder, flux, PVC primer and glue, trap, pipe, fittings

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Step 1

Shut off water to the supply pipes and drain the lines. To tap into a copper supply pipe, cut the pipe with a tubing cutter to install a tee fitting.

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Step 2

Apply flux and sweat the tee fitting in place. If there is not enough movement in the pipe, a piece of pipe and a slip coupling (shown above) may be necessary. Or try a compression fitting.

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Step 3

Add lengths of pipe to reach the laundry tub, including tees to run pipes to the washer. At the end of each supply pipe, sweat on a brass supply stub out. Anchor the stub outs to the wall with masonry screws.

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Step 4

Run copper lines to the washer. Add supply stub outs and anchor them to the wall with masonry screws. Apply pipe-thread tape and hand-twist each hose bib into its stub out, then tighten it with a wrench.

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Step 5

A plastic utility sink is inexpensive and easy to put together. Assemble the sink. Install stop valves on the sink stub outs. Install a faucet onto the sink and connect supply tubes to the stop valves.

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Step 6

Tap into a drain line with a tee fitting and run a drainpipe (sloped at 1/4 inch per foot) to the sink. Glue an adapter to the pipe end and attach the trap.

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Step 7

Set the washing machine in place and level it. Screw the machine's supply lines to the valves and tighten with pliers. Drape the drain hose over the side of the utility sink and clamp it firmly in place.

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