Before
Your laundry room doesn't have
to be a dingy, disorganized
place full of cobwebs and dust
bunnies. In this article, we'll
show you the first steps for converting
an unfinished laundry
area into a finished room. We'll focus on the most
useful upgrade - replacing your old laundry tub
with a new, tidy countertop and sink. It involves
rerouting plumbing in the walls and installing
new cabinets. However, we won't go into detail
about cabinet installation, lighting, wall finishing,
flooring or moving electrical outlets. Look
for details about these subjects in other stories
posted on our Web site.
A total laundry room makeover is an ambitious
project, since it involves
both electrical and plumbing
skills. It's not for a beginner.
Altogether it'll take four
to five weekends to finish.
If your plumbing system is
all plastic, you'll only need
basic carpentry tools. If you
have copper water supply
lines, you'll need a tubing cutter
and soldering tools. A hole
saw might be required to drill
2-1/2-in. holes through studs.
The cost of materials for this
8 x 12-ft. room was about
$2,000. This includes about
$1,000 for cabinets, countertops
and shelves, and $500 for
the vinyl floor tiles.
FIGURE A Plan for new plumbing
Click Image to enlarge.
Planning
Replacing the freestanding laundry tub
with a drop-in sink frees up space and
makes it easier to install a usable length of
countertop. Adding a washing machine
outlet box at the same time allows you to
tuck the washing machine's
water supply
and drain hoses neatly
out of sight when you
cover the bare studs
with drywall. If possible,
leave the dryer
in about the same
spot so you don't
have to move the
dryer vent and
electrical or gas
connection. Also keep the washing
machine and the new sink on the same wall
as the existing plumbing. You can easily
move the sink and washing machine drains
several feet, but relocating them to a different
wall will sharply increase the difficulty
(and cost) of this project.
Measure your laundry room and draw a
floor plan showing the new cabinets, sink
and appliance locations (Figure A). Use
the plan to determine the location of the
drains and supply lines. Center the sink
plumbing on the sink base. Locate the
plumbing box for the washing machine
slightly below the top edge of the
machine.
Draw a sketch of your proposed piping
layout, including pipe sizes, and show it to
the inspector when you apply for the permit.
Use Photo 4 to help with the drains.
Remember to call for an inspection before
you cover the pipes with drywall.
While the wall cavities are still open,
add countertop outlets and new lighting.
The electrical code requires a separate
20-amp circuit for laundry outlets and
GFCI protection for outlets within 6 ft. of
the sink. Put all light fixtures on a separate
circuit.
For the tidiest appearance, rework the
dryer vent to fit within the wall. Use 4-in.-
diameter aluminum or galvanized metal
ducting, not the flexible kind.
Start by disconnecting the washer and
dryer and moving them out of the way. If
you have a gas dryer and you're unsure
how to safely disconnect it, call the gas
company or a plumber for help. Use a
hacksaw or a reciprocating saw fitted with
a metal-cutting blade to cut the old drain
and vent pipes (Photo 1). Cut the drainpipe
about 2 in. above the bottom wall
plate. Cut the vent pipe at 50 in. from the
floor. Don't worry if your drain and vent
pipes are metal rather than plastic. Just
choose the appropriate size transition
coupling (Photo 2) to join the metal pipe
to the new plastic pipe.
Shut off the main water valve before
cutting the hot and cold water lines. Be
prepared with a bucket and rags to catch
any water that's left in the pipes.
Install the plastic drain
and vent pipes
Start by laying out the pipe route.Here are
a few plumbing code requirements and
tips to guide your plan:
• Run a 2-in.-diameter drain to the
washing machine.
• Slope drainpipes down 1/4 in. for
every foot they travel horizontally.
• For 1-1/2-in. drainpipe, limit the distance
from the P-trap to the vent to
42 in. For 2-in. pipe, limit the distance
to 60 in. (Photo 4).
• Install any horizontal section of a vent
pipe at least 6 in. higher than the overflow
level of the fixture it's venting (for
laundry sinks, this is the top edge).
• Slope vent pipes slightly downward
toward the drain.
• Position the sink drain about 3 in.
below the bottom of the sink. In most
cases, a height of about 16 in. from
the floor will work.
• Locate the top of the washing
machine outlet box just below the top
edge of the washing machine, usually
42 in. from the floor.
• Before you buy your plastic fittings,
note the subtle differences in the
types required - sanitary tee, cleanout
tee, etc. (Photo 4).
Mark the pipe route on the studs. The
easiest way to run drains is to notch the 2x4 studs for the new plumbing pipes.
Then add 2x2 strips to reinforce the studs
later (Photo 5). But don't notch the studs
if your laundry room wall is a "bearing"
wall - that is, if it supports a floor or roof
above it. If you're not sure, consult a
building contractor or architect. If your
walls are 2x6s, you can skip the notching;
it's generally easier to drill holes in the
center of each stud for the pipes. You'll
need a 2-1/2-in. hole saw or auger bit and
a powerful drill. One disadvantage of the
hole method is that you may have to cut
long horizontal pipes into shorter lengths
and join them with couplings to fit them
in. Install metal nailing plates to protect
any plastic or copper pipe that is within
1-1/4 in. of the face of a stud.
Start the drain and vent pipe installation
by cutting and gluing the pipe and
fittings that fit between the existing drain
and the vent pipes (Photo 3). Begin at the
drain and work up. At the top joint, roll
the rubber sleeve on the transition coupling
back onto itself to provide clearance
for the vent line connection (Photo 3).
Then roll the rubber sleeve down onto the
plastic pipe, slide the metal band over the sleeve and tighten the band clamps.
Complete the drains and vents by cutting,
priming and gluing the remaining
pipe and fittings (Photo 4).
1. Shut off the main water valve and
open the laundry tub valves to drain
the water. Cut out the old water supply
lines. Disconnect the old trap and cut the
drain and vent pipes with a hacksaw or
reciprocating saw.
2. Mark the drain and vent pipe route
and notch or drill the studs for the
drain and vent pipes. Cut a short length
of plastic pipe and attach it to the drainpipe
with a transition coupling.
Click Image to enlarge.
3. Cut, prime and glue together the
plastic piping and fittings to fit
between the existing drain and the vent.
Connect the new pipes to the existing
pipes with transition couplings.
Click Image to enlarge.
4. Cut and glue the remaining drain and vent parts. Slope drains about 1/4 in. per foot downstream. Position the laundry
P-trap so that the washer box will fit flush with the finished wall.
Run the supply lines
Start by planning the route of the supply
pipes and drilling 3/4-in. holes
through the studs. For serving the sink
and washing machine, 1/2-in. pipes will
do. Cut and solder in copper lines and
fittings. (Glue CPVC pipe.) Mount a
copper strap, available at home centers,
about 4 in. below the stubbed-out sink
drain (Photo 6). Then solder the
stubbed-out copper pipes to the strap
to support them. To avoid melting the
plastic washing machine outlet box
with the torch, solder the vertical
lengths of copper tubing to the laundry
valve before mounting the valve in the
box. Leave the pipes long and cut them
to fit later (Photo 5).
When you're done with the copper
water piping, close the laundry valve
and open the main water valve to check
for leaks. If there are no leaks, you're ready to call for a plumbing rough-in
inspection. At this point, complete the
wiring. When the plumbing and electrical
rough-in work is complete and approved
by the inspectors, hang and finish the drywall
and install the base cabinets.
5. Screw the laundry box to 2x2 furring
strips. Solder copper pipe to
the shutoff valves and mount the valves
in the laundry box. Solder the remaining
copper supply lines and fittings.
6. Stub out the copper water lines
about 6 in. and cap them. Solder
them to a copper support strap. Call for
a plumbing inspection. Then cover the
walls with drywall.
Install the sink cabinets
Before you install the sink base cabinet,
lay out the positions of the water and
drain stub-outs on the back of the sink
base. Drill clearance holes for the stubouts,
working from the inside of the cabinet
so any splintering will be hidden.
Then install the cabinet.
When you're done installing the base
cabinets, cut the countertop to length and
fit it to the walls. Then mark the sink
cutout on the countertop following the
instructions included with the sink. Some
sinks include a cutout template. Otherwise
use the sink as a template. Mark
around the perimeter. Then draw a second
line about 1/2 in. inside the first. This will
be the cutting line. Drill 1-in. corner holes
and cut the hole with a jigsaw. Support the
cutout to prevent it from falling as you finish the cuts. Put the countertop back
onto the cabinets and attach it from below
with screws. Make sure the screws aren't
too long or they'll pop through the top of
the counter!
Next, shut off the main water valve and
cut the capped ends of the stubbed-out
copper pipes. Install compression-type
shutoff valves ("angle stops," Photo 7).
Install the faucet on the sink according
to the manufacturer's directions and
attach the water supply tubes before you
mount the sink in the countertop (Photo
8). The plastic sink we used did not have
any faucet holes. We drilled them with a
hole saw to fit our faucet.
Test-fit the sink. Then place a bead of
tub-and-tile caulk around the perimeter
of the sink cutout before you set the sink
permanently in place. Attach the supply
tubes to the stop valves. Then trim the
length of the tailpiece and the waste arm
as needed to connect the sink trap (Photo
9). If either the tailpiece or the waste arm
is too short, you can buy longer ones or
add extensions. Turn on the water and test
for leaks.
Reconnect the washer
and dryer
Connect the washer to the new valve
with hoses (Photo 10). (For an extra
measure of security, we recommend you
buy "no-burst" laundry hoses.) Use a
sharp utility knife to cut out the plastic
cover over the drain hole in the laundry
box. Then place the end of the drain
hose from the washing machine about
3 in. down into the drain hole. A new
washing machine may include a clamp
or gasket to secure the drain hose to the
washing machine outlet box. Otherwise,
drive a self-tapping sheet metal screw
into the plastic box and wrap a zip tie or
wire around the screw and hose to keep
the hose from falling out.
At this point, you've done the hardest
part. Finish wiring the electrical outlets
and lighting, install flooring and hang
your wall cabinets and shelves.
7. Fit the sink base over the stubouts.
Then cut the copper pipes
about 2 in. beyond the cabinet back
and install the angle stop valves. Cut
back the PVC drainpipe and glue on a
1-1/2-in. trap adapter.
8. Make the sink cutout in the countertop
with a jigsaw. Mount the
faucet, the supply lines and the drain
on the sink. Then lay a bead of caulk
around the cutout and drop in the sink.
9. Connect the sink to the drain with a
plastic trap assembly. Hand-tighten
the slip-joint nuts. Then tighten them an
additional quarter turn with a large slipjoint
pliers. Connect the supply lines.
10. Connect the washing machine
to the shutoff valves with "noburst"
hoses. Set the drain hose into
the drain opening in the washer box.
Use the gasket or clamp provided with
the hose to hold it in place.
Buyer's Guide
• IKEA base cabinets, wall cabinets, countertop
and shelves. www.ikea.com
• Swanstone drop-in laundry sink. Model DIT.
(800) 325-7008. www.swanstone.com
• American Standard Colony model 4275 faucet.
(800) 422-1902. www.americanstandard-us.com.
• Oatey washing machine outlet box. (800) 321-
9532. www.oatey.com
• Tuff-Seal floor tiles. (877) 779-2454.
www.tuffsealtile.com.
