Washer And Dryer Dimensions: A Complete Size Guide

Every modern home today has a washer and dryer for laundry purposes. If you plan to use the extra space in your home as a laundry room, you can choose from many options.

You can also pick from the many stackable washers and dryer machines if you have no space.

Most manufacturers immediately specify the washer and dryers’ height, width, and depth. However, when looking for the right washer and dryer for your house, you must consider clearance space.

Here is a simple breakdown of the dimensions of washer and dryer machines before setting up in your house.

Standard Washer And Dryer Dimensions

Standard washers and dryers are about 27 inches wide, 39 inches tall, and 32-34 inches deep if the machine is front loaded. Top loaded washers and dryers are 27 inches wide, 42-44 inches high, and 27-28 inches deep.

If you’re thinking about having both a standard washer and dryer machine side by side, you need at least 56-57-inches of width space as it’s recommended to have some space between the machines.

While measuring, ensure a 6-inch space between the wall and appliances for the hoses and ventilation.

Front-loaded washer and dryer machines have a door on the front. You need to open the door on the front to remove clothes from the units. So, you must consider the space in front of the washer or dryer. Keep it at least 24 inches to enable the full opening of the door.

Stackable Washer And Dryer Dimensions

Stackable washers and dryers are becoming very popular, especially for people who live in apartments and condos. These machines occupy less space than having a washer and dryer side-by-side.

There are two types of stackable washer and dryer units, they are;

  • freestanding
  • single units (unitized)

Freestanding units are usually composed of the same standard units mentioned above stacked on top of each other. Therefore, the dimensions of these will only increse in height, making them 78 inches tall.

A single unit washer and dryer machine is also called a unitized washer and dryer and is built into one unit. These machines usually have top-loaded washers with front-loaded dryers.

Here’s a video of how these unitized machines look:

A unitized washer and dryer is usually around 24-27 inches wide, 70-76 inches high and 27-32 inches deep, but you need around 40 inches of deep space to accommodate the plugs and hoses.

Compact Washer And Dryer Dimensions

Compact washers and dryers are meant to fit inside apartments, closets, and small homes. This makes it easy to stack the machines, place them side by side or place them under your counters to save space.

The dimensions of standard compact washers and dryers are most commonly around 24 inches wide, 33-36 inches high, and 24-26 inches deep.

If you want to stack compact washers and dryers on top of each other, the height will depend on the installation. But, you have to consider an area of about 24 inches wide, 66-72 inches high, and 24-26 inches deep.

Placing compact washers and dryers next to each other requires a width of around 40-50 inches (to leave an inch or two for space in-between), a height of 34 inches, and a depth of 25 inches. Whether you prefer to align or place them side by side, leave a six-inch clearance at the back for ventilation and hoses.

A ventless dryer is a good option for saving space with a shallow depth than vented standard-size dryers. They have around 1-3 cu. ft. storage size, about half the size of a standard washer and dryer machine.

All-in-One Washer And Dryer Dimensions

An all-in-one washer and dryer is a typical compact machine that washes and dries the laundry in one machine. You can save on space without sacrificing laundering capabilities.

All-in-one models are between 23-27 inches wide, 33-39 inches high, and 22-30 inches deep. The storage capacity can be around 2-4 cubic feet deep.

Large/Mega Capacity Washer And Dryer Dimensions

Large capacity washers have a bigger washing room, around five cubic feet, enough to wash a king-size comforter and bed sheets in a single load. These washer and dryer machines can have a capacity of between seven and nine cubic feet. This space is enough to dry 15-20 towels within one cycle.

The dimensions of large/mega capacity washers and dryers are between 28-30 inches wide, 40-42 inches high, and 32-34 inches deep with door closed and 55-56 inches deep with door open.

Washer And Dryer Pedestal Dimensions

Pedestals are made to be put under your washer and dryer it order to lift them further up from the ground. This reduces the amount of bending required to load and unload the units.

Some pedestals come with additional built in storage that can be used for anything such as laundry materials, or even a smaller “sidekick” washer built into the pedestal itself.

The pedestal will add height to your washer and/or dryer. On average, a washer/dryer pedestal has a height of between 10-15 inches. When measuring your laundry room’s for space make sure to take this added height into consideration before you decide to install your pedestal, to be sure you have the required space available.

Stackable Washer And Dryer Kit

If you have less space in your house, you can stack a freestanding washer and dryer to have a stackable unit. To use these two standard washers and dryers, you must have a stacking kit. The stacking kit is placed between the washer and dryer to keep them fixed together as a unit. They are built to distribute the weight of both appliances properly.

They absorb vibrations from the two appliances when using them. When you use a stacking kit for the washer and dryer machine, you will have a unit with the washing machine at the bottom and the dryer at the top.

You must use this configuration to distribute the weight of the appliances evenly when washing machines when filled with wet clothes and water are too heavy to be placed on top. In addition, when operating them, they vibrate more, so it is best to place the washer at the bottom.

Generally, stacking any freestanding washing and dryer units on top of each other is okay. You only have to ensure that the width and depth are equal. If one unit is bigger, you can still stack the two together, provided the bigger unit is placed at the bottom.

When you place the washer at the bottom, you must ensure it is not a top-loading machine. Stackable washers are front-loading so that you can choose the right one for your house. You can determine the total height if you stack the washer and dryer units by adding the heights of both units.

Measuring For a New Washer And Dryer Machine

Before measuring the dimensions of the washer and dryer machine, ensure you calculate the height, width, and depth of the laundry area for it to fit perfectly. When calculating, add six inches of space between the back wall and one-inch space between the two units in a side-by-side setup.

You will need;

  • A measuring tape
  • A pencil and paper

Step 1: Measure the width of the washer and dryer

Use the measuring tape to measure the width of the washer and dryer machine from left to right. For flexibility, consider an extra inch for buffer space between each sidewall. Place a one-inch gap to minimize noise when the appliances are operating.

Step 2: Measure the height of the washer and dryer

The next thing you should do is measure your appliances’ height from top to bottom. When calculating the height, add two feet for easy loading and unloading, especially for top-loading units.

Step 3: Measure the depth of your washer and dryer

The last step is measuring the depth of your washer and dryer machine from front to back. Remember to add six inches to the depth measurements for the hoses and venting at the back of the appliance. Front-load machines need approximately two feet for extra loading and unloading space.

If the appliances are placed inside a closet, ensure the closet doors can fully open and close without any obstruction.

Step 4: Map out and measure the path for washer and dryer delivery

After taking your measurements, choose the delivery path for your installation location. Measure the width of the doorways and hallways from the entrance to ensure the washer and dryer can be moved.

Can You Put a Stackable Washer And Dryer in a Closet?

Technically you can place stackable washer and dryer machines in a closet. You have to ensure it has the following things.

  • Enough wall sockets to plug the machine in
  • Water connection and drains
  • Room to place a dryer vent outside

If you have a small closet, you have to ensure that the washer and dryer can fit. You still have to account for the venting space. This space can be around 4-6 inches which is good for vent clearance, and this can be the difference between a unit that fits a closet and one that does not.

Be careful when deciding what fits without relying on the official measurements. Consider that a tight fit can make future maintenance quite technical. Installation could also be challenging.

If there is no room to vent, you might need a ventless appliance. These have a reservoir that collects water after laundry. The water will be pumped out manually later, and this might be the only option to getting a dryer if venting is not an option.

Conclusion

This guide can conclude that the average full-size washer and dryer machines are from 27 inches wide and upwards. This category includes top- and front-loading washers.

Most stackable dryers have a width of around 27 inches. However, there are mega-capacity and compact options as well. Compact washer and dryer machines are at least 24 inches wide, with mega-capacity units being 30 inches wide.

The height and depth can vary between appliance models and styles. You have to check the machine specifications to know what you want. While most manufacturers try to size their equipment with standard installation in mind, there is no standard size that dictates the same size.