Optimum door height from floor

[dougyg]

I am in the market to purchase some 25 or 30 lb front loaders. What I have noticed is that the height from the floor to the bottom of the door is generally 14 or 15 inches for all brands. The base I am placing the machine on is 5 inches high thus the height will be approximately 19 or 20 inches. Is that too low? I had always thought the idea was to have enough height so that a basket would fit underneath. The washers I am looking at are IPSO, Wascomat and Dexter.

[pete f]

My machines are mounted so a cart is easy to put in front of the door and pull the load to a cart. I would make the door height somewhere near the height of the cart basket, I do not have that handy. I do not think you have to have the door opening above the top of the cart basket, but you want it up there. I think my 25's are on 6 in bases, if I can remember I will measure and report back. In the mat I am working on I never even asked, the installer built the bases. But I have worked with him for years and trust his judgment.

[dougyg]

My Dad always said the same thing. My problem is that the base is existing and I currently have SQ SuperLoad IIs which have the opening about 24" off the floor + the 5" base = 29". None of the washers I have looked at have the opening even close to that height. Do I have any options other than building the base higher?

[pete f]

I remembered to measure.
my bases were 7". They had 5 SQ supers mounted on them originally. Now they have 2 Dex 40's. 2 Dext 25's. and still one super. Most machines seem to have the bottom of the door at around 23" in that mat. I am not sure if you cut 2 " off it would be a big deal. A 2" base is the only option I can think of. Then again, R&B carts sells the front load basket cart, so maybe that is another option

[ajay]

I got my dexters 25lb and 40lb on a 6" base. The 55lb dexter are on a 3" base.

ajay

[Kitty]

Have you looked at other brands? I think the 25's I have seen have been on a higher pad than the larger fronts. Is your pad concrete? Wouldn't it be easiest and thrifty to add to the pad if concrete, or fill a concrete pad for optimal height?

[dougyg]

Yes it would be somewhat easy to add to the pad to get the correct height. I was trying to avoid having the machines out too long. If I added to the pad it would be probably be a couple of days to set and cure and then I would have a 1 or 2 day installation period. This is without the inspections that my town would require. Potentially 4 or 5 days out of commision for these washers would be hard to bear since my customers really like the larger machines.

[pete f]

I am not an installer, but adding 2" of concrete to a concrete base does not sound like a viable option. 2" does not seem to be thick enough to hold up. Steel bases could be made, and bolted to the existing concrete. This would be quick, and easy, and only 1 machine or 2 out at any given time..