Is it possible to place a sink above a washing machine?

washing machine under sink Saving living space in small apartments or houses is a sore point for a considerable number of people. When there is not enough space to accommodate the most necessary things like a washing machine, you begin to come up with various tricks to make the most of the available square meters. Placing a washing machine in the sink is one of the good solutions that will save space and conveniently place the “home assistant” where it won’t disturb anyone.

Is it possible to place the machine in the sink?

washing machine under sink Many people doubt whether it is technically possible to place a washing machine in a sink. And indeed, it doesn’t cost anything to push a washing machine under the sink, but what to do with communications, where to place the siphon? Under normal conditions, the siphon is located vertically and goes down into the drain pipe right in the center of the sink, but we put the machine there, so how will the waste water go down the drain?

In fact, this is not the only question that may arise for a beginner who is faced with the problem of installing a washing machine in a sink for the first time. What will happen to the machine if water gets on it, because the sink cannot be called a dry place. Just a few milliliters of water that gets on the control unit and the machine may well end up in the trash, not to mention the risk for the owners associated with electric shock.

Important! The control unit is very sensitive to excess humidity, like any electronics, and considering that its cost can reach up to $100-120, you don’t really want to risk such an expensive part for the sake of convenient placement of the machine.

In fact, with the correct selection of components and proper installation, the machine can be placed completely safely under the sink. The main thing is to carry out all installation work in strict accordance with the rules and advice of professionals. What do we need?

A matching lily pad sink with a drain that is offset from the center back to the edge of the sink.
Special siphon.
Special fastenings for the sink.
A washing machine whose dimensions will be smaller than the dimensions of the sink.
Wardrobe made of moisture-resistant materials with doors.

Keep in mind that the sink should be wider and deeper than the body of the machine on all sides by at least 3 cm, preferably a little more. Firstly, there is less chance of water getting on the machine, and secondly, it is easier to install the cabinet. In general, experts do not recommend placing a washing machine under a sink without a cabinet, because its walls and doors provide additional protection for the “home assistant” from splashes.

For the same reason, you should give preference to deep shells rather than shallow and flat ones. From a flat sink, water sprays quite heavily around. You may not notice it, but your washing machine will. Subsequently, you will notice when, at the most unexpected moment, you receive an electric shock by touching the control panel. The siphon also needs a special one.

It should be compact and easily fit under the sink along with the machine, while there should be a gap between it and the body of the machine.
Parts of the siphon should bend so that it can be more conveniently placed in the sink between the wall and the washing machine.
The siphon should be vertical, since horizontal siphons are more likely to become clogged, and often cleaning the siphon with a machine under the sink will be inconvenient.

Also you need special fastenings for the sink, with which it can be securely attached to the wall. In this case, rigid fixation of the shell is strictly necessary. The cabinet under the sink must be made of moisture-resistant materials; it will hide the washing machine from prying eyes and at the same time become an additional barrier to splashes.

For your information! When choosing a washing machine, immediately compare its size and the size of the sink under which it will be hidden, and you can always order a cabinet later.

Pros and cons of this type of placement of the washing machine

We have made sure that it is technically quite possible to place the washing machine in the sink. You just need to have the right materials, calculate everything correctly and carry out the installation at a high professional level, but is it worth doing? Let's look at the pros and cons of installing a washing machine under the sink; perhaps this will help answer such an important question, and we'll start with the pros.

The washing machine will not take up much space if you hide it under the sink, and in the freed up space you can place some other necessary things.
If you put the machine in the sink, the bathroom will look much more aesthetically pleasing, especially if the machine itself does not match the room in color or design.
If you properly close the machine in a cabinet under the sink, it will be less audible during operation, for some people this is very important.

washing machine under sink Having talked about the advantages, it is necessary to note the disadvantages of such placement of the washing machine, especially since there are quite a few of these disadvantages.

To install the machine under the sink, you need to redo almost all communications in the bathroom. It is necessary to provide a connection to the washing machine, which means making an outlet, partially recessing the pipes into the wall and making connections for the machine, raising the mixer higher, since under normal conditions it is placed too low.
An ordinary siphon is not suitable, you need a special one, in addition, if there is a need to clean such a siphon, it will be difficult to do since it will be covered by the washing machine.
An ordinary washing machine most likely will not work and you will have to buy a special narrow one with front loading, since you cannot place a top-loading machine under the sink.
There is a chance that a mishap will occur and the water from the sink will flow onto the electrical and electronic parts of the washing machine, causing a short circuit and damage.

Note! In order for the machine to fit under the sink, you need to hang it at a sufficient height. Some people don't like the sink to be too high, but there's not much you can do about it.

Features of the work

There are not many options for installing a machine in a sink; we will give the most common one, which is used by craftsmen throughout Russia. What should be done?

We are preparing communications for connecting the washing machine. The task is this: you need to calculate the position of the pipes and outlets so that it is possible to connect the inlet and drain hoses and at the same time they should not interfere with installing the machine under the sink. We separately prepare safe electrical communications so that you can safely connect the washing machine to electricity.
We securely screw the sink mounts to the wall. Here you must calculate the height at which the sink will be placed so that the machine will fit under it, and there will be a gap between the bottom of the bowl and the top cover of the “washing machine”.

Important! Install the fasteners, maintaining the width between the fasteners and level so that the sink lies perfectly flat on them.

If you plan to use one faucet for both the bathroom and the sink, then you need to make sure that it is located at a sufficient height.
We install a sink with a mixer and connect it.
Next, we connect all the hoses and pipes necessary for the operation of the washing machine.
We connect the siphon and make sure that it does not interfere with the installation of the washing machine.
We install a cabinet under the sink and move the machine towards it.
We connect the inlet hose to the machine, and screw the drain hose coming from the machine to the siphon (or sewer pipe).
We slide the washing machine under the sink, connect it to the network and do a test run.

Remember! The gap between the body of the washing machine and the sink, as well as between the side walls of the cabinet, should be at least 3 cm, so that when the machine operates as intensively as possible, the body dangling and does not touch the sink.

In conclusion, we note that installing a washing machine in a sink, of course, has a lot of nuances that you will have to deal with during the work process, however, you can do everything from start to finish with your own hands. If you are stuck at any stage of the work, you can always seek advice from specialists.