Build a Laundry Folding Table Over Your Washer and Dryer

Use these simple building plans to build your own folding table over your washer and dryer.

The other day you caught a sneak-peek at my new folding table in my unfinished laundry room.  I know, I know, I’ve built a laundry dresser/folding table before, but the thing was a beast and it blocked the doorway into the room, so it had to go.

This time I measured for a free-standing folding table (meaning you don’t have to attach it to the wall) that would hold laundry baskets and sit over top of my washer and dryer.

Laundry folding table over your washer and dryer

To build this, you will need two sheets of 4′ x 8′ x ¾” plywood.

Cuts:

• (1)  30″ x 86″ for the counter
• (3)  29″ x 41 ¼” for the sides
• (2)  26 ¼” x 18″ for the shelves
• (1) 4″ x 86″ for the counter back (I pieced together scrap ply to make this)
• (1) 26 ¼” x 41 ¼” for the shelf back

I had my local home improvement store make the large cuts for me, like the 30″ x 86″ rip and the three 29″ pieces.  From there I was able to use my table saw to cut everything else down to size.

This laundry folding table is compact in that it won’t take up much more of a footprint than your washer and dryer, but it is large and will have to be built in your laundry room.  Because of this, I pre-drilled all of my pocket holes in the she-shop (all spaced 6″ apart), then primed and painted each piece before assembling.

If you follow me on Instagram then you’ll know that I drilled every hole wrong.  Like EVERY. SINGLE. HOLE!  UGH!!  I forgot to reset my pocket hole jig to ¾” wood so every hole was drilled proportionate to a 2″ x 4″ – which makes a horrible mess if you try to use them…. trust me, I tried and wood was splitting everywhere.

Once all of my pieces were down into the laundry room, I started by attaching my 4″ backsplash to the counter top.  1 ¼” pocket screws were drilled from the backsplash down into the top of the counter.

I then assembled the outer sides by drilling 1 ¼” pocket screws up into the base of the counter top.  The counter over the washer and dryer is 30″ and the sides are 29″ – this will give you a 1″ overhang.  Line your sides up with the back of your countertop.

If the sides of your laundry folding table are solidly in place, measure in from one side 26 ¼” and line up your third 29″ board at that spot.  Check for square.

Attach your laundry basket shelves approximately 13″ apart and flush with the front edge of the side panel – check for square and level on each shelf.

I didn’t add the final piece of plywood (the shelf back) to my laundry folding table, but if your build is going to be free-standing (aka, not attached to the wall or framing) then you’ll really want to add the back for rigidity.   The laundry basket shelves are shallower than the overall folding table, so tuck your back in from the back and then screw into place with wood screws.

You could leave your laundry folding table just like this, but since you’ve gone to this much effort, adding a little trim to finish it off is nice.

I had some pre-primed mdf baseboard in my garage.  Since I hate to make more than one trip to the home improvement store waste wood, I decided to rip down the baseboard to 1 ¼” widths to use as my trim.  (baseboard were ½” thick)

Cuts:

• (1) at 86″
• (3) at 40″
• (2) at 25 ½”

I attached the trim under the counter overhang first using wood glue and 1 ¼” finishing nails.  The trim on either end of the laundry folding table lined up flush with the outer edge of the side.  The trim on the third panel was centred over the ¾” plywood.  Finally the shelf trim was lined up flush with the shelf surface.

I puttied the nail holes and seams and, once dry, sanded the trim and the counter top smooth with 220 grit sand paper.

UGH!  Look at those double holes where I screwed up.  Makes me nuts!

Because your laundry room gets a lot of moisture and humidity, it’s important to prime your folding table well.  No shortcuts or you’ll regret it in the end.

I applied two coats of Zinsser® Bullseye 1-2-3 primer to the counter top, sanding with 320 grit sandpaper between coats.  The trim was pre-primed, but I did add an additional coat just to be safe.

I then applied 3 coats of BM’s Advance formula paint in a plain un-tinted white – again, sanding with 320 grit between coats to get as smooth a surface as possible.

What do you think?  (Ignore that my washer and dryer don’t match)

A GIANT folding table over my washer and dryer, with plenty of room for laundry baskets to be tucked underneath!

The counter itself – just ¾” plywood – came out beautifully thanks to the extra sanding.  Much better in fact, than I’d even hoped.

The extra trim work makes this piece look more like a piece of furniture than just 4 boards slapped together.

My laundry room folding table was attached to the wall with a couple of wood screws so it’s  not going anywhere, but if you find that your side panel (without the shelves) doesn’t seem rock-solid, attach a cross brace across the back corner – depending on where your water pipes and/or dryer venting is.

It’s still an unfinished basement laundry room, but it is a LOT prettier than what I started with:

There’s still more to come – I have ugly cabinets on one wall that need a facelift too!

Have a great one!