# Leveling a washer



## Ultrarunner2017 (Oct 1, 2008)

Hi;
I just installed a new washer in the basement.
Unfortunately, the floor is sloped to the extent that the rear of the machine sits 1/2 inch higher than the front before extending the leveling feet.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the floor is also sloped from right to left as the washer sits in a corner.
Long story short, the feet have only 1 inch of adjustment range, and the one at the left front of the machine ends up pretty much fully extended. And even when this is done, the machine is not perfectly level.

To make matters worse, the machine will always be less stable, and tend to vibrate move when the feet are extended. So what I did was to place a 1/2 inch piece of plywood under each front foot. That allows the front feet to be screwed back into the machine, making it more stable.

I am thinking about a better solution:
Building a perfectly level platform for the machine out of self-leveling concrete.
It should be pretty simple. I only need to pieces of wood to make a box to hold the concrete pour, because I am working in a corner of the house.

Would this be a viable solution?
Second question: Is having the machine installed on a perfectly level surface and therefore having the leveling feet at their shortest position going to make the machine more stable, perform better, and last longer?

Thanks for your input

FW


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

In my opinion, a washing machine that is not properly leveled and stable will not spin properly (experience with top-loaders only). I also agree that if the leveling feet are near their limit they will be more unstable.

If it is in an unfinished basement, I suppose you could go with self-leveling concrete if you want but I'd be satisfied with the wooden shims. If you have any forstner bits you could recess a little well into the wood just slightly larger than the foot - that way if it does get a little out-of-balance and try to walk away it may be more likely to stay with the wood.


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## Ultrarunner2017 (Oct 1, 2008)

Thanks for your input. I did some searching around the house, and found some plywood that is only 1/4" thick, so perhaps I can use it along with the 1/2" to improve the leveling.
So far as I can tell, the machine is spinning properly. The clothes aren't coming out dripping or anything that would indicate a slower than normal spin.

I am probably being too much of a perfectionist. We have had several washers installed by "professionals" in exactly the same location, and none of them even had shims. I believe that the Kenmore this new machine replaced had longer leveling feet. That machine also had "self-leveling" rear feet. I only needed to level the front feet by hand. The rear would level when you pulled the machine forward so that the rear feet lifted a few inches and then let it down again. But checking that machine, I never found it perfectly level.
I honestly doubt that any installer sent by the retailer would spend as much time as I did trying to get the best level.

I don't have any forstner bits, but I think I could find enough uses for at least a couple of sizes to justify investing in at least 2-3 sizes. I could then bolt the wood shims to the floor to create an even more stable setup.

At this point, the machine is not moving on the floor. It just vibrates a bit more than I would like it to. 
But when I open the lid, I can see that the tub is not exactly centered. It isn't far off, but I know that I can bring it to exact center with a little creativity.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I like the concrete idea but wouldn't go to that much trouble unless shims don't work.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Cut holes in 2 pieces of 1/4" plywood for the front feet to set in then glue those to additional 1/4" ply pieces to achieve whatever height you need. A hole can be cut in 1/4" ply with a Sabre saw or even a coping saw and boring a hole to start the cut isn't even necessary in this application. The expensive Forstner bit that will get used 1 time could stay in the store. 

I wouldn't attempt to fasten the wood shims to the concrete. I see that as un-necessary and a complete pain in the arse.


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## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

You could use some isolation pads and you won't have to drill anything. Attaching 4 small items in concrete under a washer sounds like you will have issues. They also sell mats that go under washers as well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Ultrarunner2017 (Oct 1, 2008)

Thanks guys; I think I'll try the plywood first. I don't have a coping saw or sabre saw, but I do have some pretty large auger bits and a few wood bores I could use to cut the holes. I also have a can of contact cement that I haven't used yet, so this looks like a good use for that.


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## Andiy (Jan 13, 2013)

Ultrarunner2017 said:


> Hi;
> I just installed a new washer in the basement.
> Unfortunately, the floor is sloped to the extent that the rear of the machine sits 1/2 inch higher than the front before extending the leveling feet.
> 
> ...


The concrete basement in my 100 year old Chicago two-flat has more compound curves/slopes than a skateboard park. Every bit of construction or organization downstairs is an exercise in creative leveling. I'd be happy to see only a 1/2" pitch over the width of a washer. I've got areas that dip 2" in one dimension while dropping an inch in the other. The most stable (and least confounding) option for me was just to build a plywood/lumber platform with multiple legs of varying heights. It doesn't sound like you need something as "extreme" but if leveling multiple appliances gets too tricky, a platform is a good way to go.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Ultrarunner2017 said:


> I am thinking about a better solution:
> Building a perfectly level platform for the machine out of self-leveling concrete.


 That's basically what my father did in the house where I grew up. Actually it was a pedestal about 5" tall. Standard concrete, not self leveling for sure. Self leveling concrete is not all that self leveling --- you need to give it some help. Better to use standard concrete and screed across the box frame. You should also anchor the new to the old. Maybe just drill a few holes in the old floor and a few short pieces of rebar.


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## Ultrarunner2017 (Oct 1, 2008)

For now, I just used wood shims. I had to purchase a new level. The one I was trying to use is 24 inches long, and couldn't be set in the correct location on the machine to get the proper level. The 10 inch level worked out great, and I now have it properly leveled using the shims and the feet.

That seems to be working pretty well. I also contacted GE about the vibration, and they are sending me a set of feet they say should solve the issue. What I suspect is that the feet supplied with the machine have rubber bottoms to dampen vibration on wood flooring. But while the rubber does help cut vibration transmitted into the floor, it allows the washer itself to shake more.
The feet they are sending me probably don't have the rubber, so they should allow more of the energy of vibration to be transmitted into the floor, with less to shake the machine itself. That's fine since my machine is on a concrete floor in the basement.
I'll see what happens with the new feet.


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