UPDATED [finished product] 3/4" birch plywood "Box" as washing-machine stand?

Moving into a new place with a small laundry room, basically room for a Washer/Dryer side by side and not much else. I need a laundry tub, so the solution is going to be a "All in One" washing machine on the left, a little replumbing and a simple laundry tub on the right.

I'd like to have the machine raised for easier access and storage... LG Sells a pedestal, but it is only ~ 13" high on the inside and costs $300. Not tall enough for what I want and kind of steep for a metal box/drawer.

I'm thinking I will make my own, no drawer, open on the front and tall enough so I can slide the one of those plastic laundry baskets under it. Now to the question:

I'm thinking a simple box; ~ 30"x30"20", open on the front and bottom. If I used nice 3/4" birch plywood, screwed and glued butt joints, say 2"x2" reinforcements inside the 4 corners and two 1"x2" stringers to strengthen the top would this be tough enough to support a 200 lb washer and the associated vibration, shifting weight etc?

I am going to seal/paint it real good of course but my concern is a few years down the road the subtle shifting forces of the machine = a catastrophic collapse. Maybe add some select Simpson Strong-Tie brackets for good measure. I don't want to go too crazy, doubling up the walls and doubling material costs

Link to the machine here (Fingers crossed it works out for me): LG 4.5 Cu. Ft. SMART Electric All-in-One Washer Dryer Combo in Black Steel with Steam & Turbowash Technology

 

Wood should hold up if you glue, screw and seal to protect against water in the even of a leak. That's a long span for plywood alone but it sounds like you already figured that and are planning to reinforce it. If it were me, I'd probably frame it out with 2x4s and then just apply paneling and trim over that to finish it out. If some of the wonky travel trailers and campers I see going down the road have held up to the abuse of public infrastructure I imagine this would too.

 

All the weight is going to be distributed to the 4 legs. (The ones you level).
Build it stong under the legs. Maybe put the 1x2 under the legs.

My math says you have a 66% chance it will be just fine.
33% chance it works
33% chance it doesn’t work
33% the washer goes bad and the stand no longer matters
(They don’t build them like they used to)

Buid it and send it.

 

a quick search of Amazon shows similar items
maybe try and get some details for a comparison

 

This is a workout weight holder ... 20 inches tall, 21 inches square. 2x4s except for 1/2 in plywood on top of the crossed/slotted 2x4 support structure under the plywood.

2x4s screwed together form a solid frame, top is 1/2 pine with 2x4s at 90 degrees with 1/2-through cuts. I can stand on the top panel without it breaking, and it holds 100 lbs of weights for 1+ hours of workouts.

If you used 2x6s instead of 2x4s and used 2x4s as a bottom plate you *might* get away with your small laundry basket, but I would just accept the "all is just frame".

 

Update, I was THIS close to buying a metal universal one off Amazon and figured I would always regret it... Ended up getting it done just in time for delivery of the washer (So delivery crew could put it on the stand instead of me sucking bad trying to do it).

Ended up making 5 individual panels from 3/4" birch plywood with 3/4" oak reinforcement and Simpson Strong-Tie hardware. So far so good; time will be the true test... Next up: Now that I have the 29" clearance I wanted/needed; a freestanding laundry tub. I'll have to figure out how to tie the supply and drain lines into the adjacent washer plumbing.

$219 Freestanding Stainless Steel Sink Commercial Restaurant Sink Single Bowl Outdoor Sink with Cold and Hot Water Pipe Undershelf Faucet for Cafe, Bar,Hotel,Garage,Laundry Room,28.3"D x 19.3"W x 31.5"H

Freestanding Stainless Steel Sink Commercial Restaurant Sink Single Bowl Outdoor Sink with Cold and Hot Water Pipe Undershelf Faucet for Cafe, Bar,Hotel,Garage,Laundry Room,28.3"D x 19.3"W x 31.5"H

 

That's badass. Love the simple storage of the basket as well.