Our "Stop Breaking Our Back" washer and dryer pedestals

The husband kept complaining that the washer and dryer were too low without pedestals. Well, no problem! I've got plans from Ana's site.

I measured to fit our machines and followed the plans. But somewhere along the way I screwed up. I think it might have been how I attached the legs with the "L" brackets. My legs were sitting away from the base, not flush with it. Anyhow, the way to correct my mistake was to attach the moulding along the sides, front and back of the base, not around the legs. But I don't mind the way it looks. Just an FYI: there was a lot of waste with the sheets of MDF, but that's not a problem because I'm using it in another project as I write. :)

First, I put on two coats of primer. Then I decided I wanted a splash of turquoise in the basement, so I mixed a blue and yellow paint until I got the color I desired. After a few coats of paint, I distressed and then decided to tone down the color a bit with a Valspar glaze. I put on two coats of poly, hoping that would be enough to withstand the inevitable water on the pedestal. I thought the piece was screaming for a quote, so I painted "The most memorable days usually end with the dirtiest clothes."

And you think with the new height he'd help me with laundry a bit more? Yeah, I think not.

Estimated Cost
$70
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Mixed a blue and yellow paint to get the turquoise. Put two coats of paint on over the primer. For the first time I thought I would try distressing with candle wax. I rubbed the candle down the edges of the wood and gently brushed away any wax crumbs. Then I painted over it. When it was time for distressing, I gently rubbed the sandpaper over the edges and the paint easily came off. Definitely looks different than distressing with just sanding. Finished up with a little glaze then 2 coats of polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

VeronicaGentry (not verified)

Tue, 08/30/2011 - 18:58

I love the color! I'm usually not a fan of quotes on furniture but this is really cute and it fits perfectly! Great job!

BethG (not verified)

Sat, 09/10/2011 - 17:44

What a great idea, and I love the color choice! We have front loaders and bought the drawers for the bottom. While they are decent storage, they tend to travel open at times. This has so much more personality and adds a real built in look to the laundry area. I'm sure you saved quite a bit doing it this way over drawers. How is it holding up to the moisture and vibration of a the washers? Keep those great ideas coming.

In reply to by BethG (not verified)

debandtom25

Tue, 09/20/2011 - 18:38

I've been waiting for my machines to "walk off", but the pedestal is holding up well. I made sure to add poly to help protect it from the moisture. So far, so good.