Laundromat Design: Tips for Functional Laundry Equipment Layout

Whether you’re purchasing a new or used coin laundry facility, it’s important to understand how the layout of your laundry equipment will impact your overall laundromat design and the success of your business. Creating a user-friendly facility that has the right mix of commercial laundry equipment and ancillary products will keep customers productive and loyal. There are numerous things to consider when designing the layout of your laundry facility. Martin-Ray Laundry Systems has some laundromat design tips for a functional laundry equipment arrangement when taking on a new or existing laundromat investment.

New Laundromat Design: Equipment Layout

Offering the most flexibility in terms of laundry equipment layout, brand new laundromats are often the easiest to plan for. There are a few best practices to take into consideration when designing the equipment layout of your new laundromat. These include:

Have Enough Space to Fold Clothes: As a laundry owner, you are most likely focused on filling your facility with revenue producing commercial laundry equipment. It’s important not to remain too fixated on covering every available square inch of your laundromat with washing machines and dryers. Make sure that you’re providing a large enough area for customers to fold their clothes once they’re done drying. The Coin Laundry Association (CLA) suggests a good rule of thumb to follow is to have as much folding space as you have dryers. For example, if your facility has 450 inches of dryers, include 450 inches of folding tables in your laundromat layout.
Consider the Customer Flow: Depending if you are purchasing a brand new or existing coin laundry facility, make sure to consider the customer flow when designing the layout of your laundry equipment. Laundromats typically have two main types of layouts; a wider store front with a shallow interior or a narrow store front with a deep interior. How easy is it for your clientele to move from washer to dryer to folding table based on the dimensions of your space?
Include a Sitting Area: Providing a great experience for your customers is the key to retaining loyal clientele and steady profits. Make sure that you include a sitting area within your laundry room layout so customers have a place to relax while their clothes are being washed. Some extra amenities to include in this area could be Wi-Fi, televisions, and snack & beverage machines to provide added convenience and comfort in your laundromat.

Laundry Equipment Layout for Existing Laundromats

Compared to building a brand new laundromat, creating a functional laundromat design and equipment layout for an existing washateria can be more of a challenge. If you are reequipping and redesigning your commercial laundry room, changing the machine locations can be expensive. The best option to create a “new” feel for your existing facility would be to purchase upgraded commercial laundry equipment. There are countless advantages of replacing your laundry equipment, and this will help give your laundromat a fresh look and feel. If you have enough budget for a total redesign, make sure to consider these factors when deciding on layout design plan for your laundry equipment:

Design constraints on your building due to the historical nature of where your facility is located
Necessary work permits needed to move the existing locations of your commercial laundry equipment
Requirements of your city to begin the redesign process (i.e. requirement of a licensed contractor, architectural blueprints, and design inspections)
Extra sewer costs required with adding additional washing machines to your laundromat’s existing equipment layout

Let Martin-Ray Laundry Systems Help You with Your Laundromat Equipment Layout!

For almost 30 years, the team at Martin-Ray has been distributing more than just commercial laundry equipment. We are dedicated to supporting our customers with the business services they need to make their laundromats a success. When you partner with Martin-Ray, you gain access to a full-suite of tools to help guide you in investing, financing, and servicing your investment. If you are located in Martin-Ray’s sales & service area, contact us today!