If the room in which it was decided to install the washing machine has a smooth concrete floor, then the owner will not have any problems. However, it often happens that the flooring in a certain part of the room is not up to standard. In this case, some decide to place pads under the legs of the washer or slightly adjust the legs, however, this is the wrong decision. Experts say that before installing a washing machine on a wooden floor, it is necessary to evaluate the evenness of the coating, because the service life of the device directly depends on it.
Wood is the most common flooring material, but if installed incorrectly or during operation, its level may change slightly, which will negatively affect the quality of the device.
How to choose the right place to install household appliances
Choosing a location for washing machine installation is required to be carried out not only on the basis of design decisions. You also need to take into account certain nuances that will allow you to use the equipment without problems. These include:
- Availability of an outlet near the installation site. This criterion must be taken into account, since the length of the washing machine cord is short. Usually it does not exceed 1.5 meters. And in this case it is inconvenient to use extension cords, especially if it lies on the floor next to the equipment.After all, sometimes machines can leak, which can easily cause a short circuit.
- The area where the machine will be installed must be level and level. Any, even minor, deviation in this case is unacceptable, as this can lead to rapid breakdown of the device or its poor performance. Experts say that to prevent the machine from vibrating and jumping during washing, it is best to install it on a flat concrete base.
How to install a washing machine on a wooden floor
As mentioned earlier, if the floor covering is uneven, simply twisting the legs is not enough, since the device will still deteriorate with each wash. It is impossible to ignore the unevenness of the surface, since the vibration from the washing machine, which appears when spinning clothes, can worsen the condition of the floor and ruin your nerves - and this is already a serious problem. Moreover, after 2-6 weeks it is quite possible that the device will break down, which is quite expensive for the owner of the washing machine.
The vibration that appears during spinning is a destructive force, which, if installed incorrectly, negatively affects the parts of the device, gradually leading to their failure. If the floor under the washer is level, the vibration will be dampened slightly - in this case, the operating life of the device will increase by 2 times. And if you install the device in a house where the wooden floor is shaky, this will lead to strong jumps in the device, and it will also sway a lot during the spin cycle.
Mistakes made when installing household appliances:
- Before installing the device on the boards, many people put a thick mat to reduce vibration. But you should not do this, since it will not be able to dampen the force of vibration - this will only lead to a decrease in the sound that appears during spinning.
- The second, no less common mistake is considered to be strengthening the floor with metal corners or pipes. You should not do this, since after only 3 months the device will loosen the boards, which will again cause a problem for the owner of the device.
- Some owners put a large concrete slab weighing at least 150 kg to quickly level the wooden floor. Thus, the owners of washing machines believe that it will reduce vibration and level the uneven floor. But to achieve this, the slab must be at least 2 square meters in diameter. Otherwise, the device will rock the plate during spinning, which will negatively affect the wooden flooring and the operation of household appliances.
- Some craftsmen try to attach the legs of the washing machine directly to the boards using screws. This is prohibited, since when vibrating, the device will still rock and jump, which will cause a strong cracking of the floor and a rumble. In addition, the device can easily break the boards over time, which will require a complete change of the flooring.
Installation methods
To prevent the machine from jumping and vibrating, it is recommended to install it on a concrete surface, because it is more durable and reliable in comparison with wooden beams.
If you want to make a wood floor, you must properly prepare the base for it. This is usually done in two ways:
- installation on pipes;
- concrete screed.
How to make a concrete screed:
- first you need to choose a location for the washing machine; to do this, make several marks on the floor or wall;
- then you need to mark out the space for the platform, which should be several centimeters larger than the diameter of the machine - in this case, the edges of the plate will not break due to vibration of the device;
- carefully remove the boards and install wooden formwork along the edges of the platform - it can be made from scraps of boards or slabs;
- if possible, you can weld the reinforcing mesh to give strength to the platform;
- pour cement mortar onto the marked area, level it and compact it a little;
- You can put logs along the edges of the platform - this is necessary so that the boards do not hang in the air.
After this, you need to wait until the solution has completely hardened, and then lay the boards on the surface, not forgetting to attach them to the joists.
Also washing machine can be installed on a concrete slab that will lie on top of the boards. In this case, it must be laid on steel pipes - they must come out of the boards and be of the same diameter and height. Moreover, metal pipes must be driven deep into the ground and cemented, which will further strengthen them. After this, you need to correctly install the washing machine, which should be positioned strictly in the center of the stove.
