DIY Laundry Chute UK: How To Build And Install A Laundry Chute (With Video)  

Watch The Video Here

The laundry chute or linen chute is a great way to send dirty clothes directly to the utility room. You can even install a laundry chute in your bathroom so you don’t have to step over wet towels when getting ready for the day.

If you're looking for an easy way to send your laundry downstairs, you may want to consider installing a DIY linen chute in your home and adding it to your linen chute plans. This is an excellent option if you have a lot of laundry to do or if you live in a home with two storeys or more. In this blog post, we'll cover everything you need to know in order to build and install your own DIY linen chute. For a detailed explanation, stick around to see the video tutorial at the end!

What Is A Laundry Chute?

A laundry chute or linen chute is a vertical (normally round) shaft that allows you to send your laundry downstairs (or outside) without having to carry it. Linen chutes can be made from various materials, but the most common is metal (ours are 316L grade stainless steel). The linen chute dimensions can be from 200mm to 900mm, and our most popular size - is 300mm (12 inches).

With linen chute kits, it's never been easier to create a modern linen chute in your home and how to make a linen chute has become the go-to query for homeowners. So whether you're looking to install a linen chute with a door horizontal or a wall linen chute, we've got you covered.

Why Install A DIY Laundry Chute UK?

There are a few reasons why you might want to install a DIY linen chute in your home. Sadly, over 700 people die every year in England alone as a result of a fall on a set of stairs and a further 43,000 people are hospitalised annually because of stair-related accidents. The report doesn't go into detail how most injuries happen but if you have ever carried laundry downstairs before you can imagine how easy this could happen. If you have a lot of laundry to do, having a linen chute can save you a lot of time from having to carry each load downstairs.

A fire-rated linen chute adds value to your home. As a linen chute is built with the house it will add around the same purchase price to your home as long as you purchase a stainless steel chute with a fire-rated door and it complies with fire regulations you are covered.

Finally, a home linen chute makes it simple to keep your home organized. If you have kids, you know that laundry can quickly pile up quick. By having a designated place for all of your family's dirty clothes, you can help keep your home tidy and organized, your kids may even use it. If you are not good at DIY you can request for the linen chute to be installed by a reputable supplier although the DIY option is better suited for most of our customers.

Are Laundry Chutes Legal? 

Are linen chutes illegal or legal to have in your home? The answer to this question depends on where you live. In the United Kingdom, linen chutes are legal as long as they follow specific guidelines. For example, all linen chutes are required to have fire doors fitted that are rated to at least half an hour according to the Building Standards (ours are 1hr minimum and also have a smoke seal). Fire doors will help to slow down the smoke or flames that may spread through the chute in the event of a fire. For an extra layer of safety, you can install a self-closing fire door to ensure that your linen chute is always properly closed. For a linen chute to be installed over three floors with two doors in the UK & Ireland this is mandatory. The hole opening where the chute goes through must be sealed with fire-rated material and the chute must be enclosed in a minimum of 30 min fire-rated material (normally plasterboard) in a domestic home.

Thankfully, by using the right linen chute kits, it's easy to create a safe and legal linen chute in your home.

How to choose the right laundry chute for your home

Send us your plans or a drawing with floor-to-ceiling heights and any other relevant information regarding the room at the top of the chute where it starts and the room at the end of the chute. If you don't have this give us a call 01563 555881.

How To Build A DIY Laundry Chute UK

Building a linen chute in-house is a relatively easy project that anyone can do. In this section, we'll cover each step you need to take in order to build your own DIY linen chute. A two-storey house chute should take around 1-2 hrs to install (not counting boxing in)

Choose A Location For Your Home Laundry Chute Without Obstructions

One of the most important things to consider when preparing to install a laundry shoot or chute is the location. You'll want to choose an area with no obstructions, such as windows or doors. This will ensure that your linen chute is safe and easy to use. You will also need to check there are no floor joists or pipes etc under the floorboards where the chute will pass through.

Remember if the size of the linen chute is around 300mm that you keep that in mind when choosing the location of your wall linen chute door. Once you've found a spot, you'll need to fit the wall bracket, including the 1m extension, followed by the front of the wall bracket. Lastly, fit the end piece of the chute laundry kit. If more than two floors you will obviously require more pipe. Our extensions come in 200mm, 330mm, 450mm & 1m lengths. They are also in the same adjustable sizes.

Ideally, you will want the chute to end near the washing machine. If it can't go directly down you can offset with 15° 30° or 45° elbows.

Ensure The Locking Band Is Fitted

The next step is to make sure that the locking band is fitted securely between the 1m adjustable extension and the end piece. This is an important safety feature that will ensure the integrity of your linen chute in-house. So while the wall brackets will hold the actual linen chute from moving, the locking band will ensure that it will not twist. Only our adjustable lengths require locking bands and come free with the extension. Our normal extensions are a tight fit and will not move or twist.

Install The 90° elbow

The next step is to fit the 90° elbow of the kit at the top of the chute if installing a vertical door. This should be done by pushing the male part of the 90 into the female part of the extension facing in the direction of where the door will be hung.

Install The Door

Now it's time to install the door! This is a crucial step in order to ensure that your linen chute is safe and secure. Start by measuring the chute's opening and then cut the opening to size using a jigsaw if there is plywood behind the door or add noggins around the 90 so the door can be secured to them. Again, it's essential that you get a snug fit, so take your time with this step. You may wish to remove the door again at this point for decorating and install it again at the final fix.

While there are many linen chute kits for sale, you'll want to make sure the one you choose is the right linen chute size, meaning that it is built to create a linen chute in-house versus larger commercial laundry kits. Finally, make sure that the linen chute liner is constructed from high-quality materials to ensure that it will withstand years of use. Wooden or galvanised linen chutes will rot through time and will have burr points which can cause blockages or damage to your clothes. Our linen chutes are seamless welded grade 316L stainless steel. They are then acid cleaned to remove any edges giving a smooth clean highly polished finish.

Wrapping It Up

This DIY linen chute is an ingenious way to get your clothes down the stairs without having to lift them over the banister. Simply slide your clothes through the hole and they'll fall safely down the stairs.
Features:
• Easy to install
• Can be used with standard laundry baskets
• Suitable for both front and rear staircases 

Benefits:
• Save space in your laundry room
• Easier access to laundry going into the washing machine
• Removes the risk of slip or trip downstairs while carrying laundry
• Adds value to your home

A DIY Linen Chute UK may seem daunting, but it's quite simple to do. By following the steps above, you'll be able to build and install your own linen chute in no time. And once it's installed, you'll wonder how you ever lived without a linen chute floor or wall chute in your home! We hope you got a few linen chute ideas from this blog post!

Finally, we provide a detailed drawing of your specific chute and if need be a video like the one below showing how your chute will go together. We also supply a mobile telephone number should you require guidance during the installation of your chute.

If you have any questions about DIY Linen Chutes or would like a custom chute to match your specific home or requirements, allow us to create a no-obligation quote and drawing of a DIY Linen Chute for you. If you have any linen chute repair requests feel free to get in touch also. Contact us today to get started.

For More Information, Watch The Video Below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glZRro-g1lc

Laundry chute in New Sandman Signature hotel Glasgow

Easyline laundry chutes are happy to announce the completion of 1^st fix for a laundry chute installation in the new Sandman signature hotel in Glasgow.

Northland Properties, are turning the old Pegasus House building at the corner of Holland Street and West George street into a 179-bedroom, 12-storey hotel complete with a first-floor extension, restaurant, gym and lobby whilst undertaking a significant overhaul of the rest of the building.

The proposal has been designed to make the best use of the existing structure whilst complimenting the character of the surrounding area.

The Hotel will have two entrances, one off West George Street with a bar and restaurant and the other from Holland Street with the main entrance and hotel lobby. 

The Sandman Group opened their first Hotel 50 years ago in Canada and has developed into a global company with over 50 locations around the world.

The benefits of this hotel to Glasgow are significant providing a deliverable development of the former office block. It will provide much-needed employment as well as make use of a long-term vacant site within the city centre.

Pegasus House will be the Sandman Signature group’s first location in Scotland’s central belt aimed at corporate travellers and families. They expanded into the UK in 2011 with the Sandman Signature Hotel in Newcastle and again in Aberdeen last year.

Presently work is being carried out to repair and protect the building’s façade which was constructed in 1970 and has deteriorated since being vacated in 2011.

First fix of this commercial laundry chute over 12 floors was completed in less than a week. There was initial consultation in regards to hole positioning and size require although as we are local to Glasgow we worked around our schedule to be onsite when the contractor was available. We still drop in once a month to check all is well in preparation for final fix which suits both us and the customer.

Our linen chutes are manufactured by Horizon Chutes PTV limited. We are their UK and European official suppliers and installers.

·       Manufactured & installed as per BS1703:2005, NFPA82 stainless steel grade S304 2mm 

·       Weatherproof Stainless-Steel construction.

·       Interlocking of chute-hoppers to achieve one user at a time with 'busy' indicators. 

·       Vent system to allow air movements for vacuum breaking.

·       Intake Hoppers are 90-minute fire rated as per UL Label10B which can be upgraded.   

·       Intake Hoppers can be L-hand or R-hand side hinged.

·       Discharge end fire door D Type.

·       Available in different diameters.

·       Optional sanitation system for internal cleaning of chutes.

 

 

We make laundry easy! Easy to communicate with, easy to buy, easy to install

Easyline laundry chutes.

First fix of one of the 12 floors

Easyline is excited to announce that we are demonstrating our laundry chutes at Self-build show in Northern Ireland held at Titanic Exhibition Centre (TEC) the 7th October to 9th October 2022 . Our booth is H9 which is near the main cafe when coming through the main foyer. 

You can claim your FREE tickets by clicking this link.

What is a laundry chute?

A laundry or linen chute or shoot as it’s sometimes called is a stainless-steel tube or duct that runs from upstairs of a building to another room downstairs. The purpose of the laundry chute is to transport laundry from an upper level of the home or building down to a lower ground or basement level where the washing machine is located. Ideally, the chute will have a straight drop although it can be offset using 15°, 30° or 45° elbows. It must be smooth enough inside the chute to allow clothing to slide smoothly down to the lower levels so we don’t recommend galvanised steel or timber as it will rot, smell and burr over time. Our chutes are seamless laser-welded 316L grade stainless steel. The elbows are then acid cleaned to avoid burrs unlike cheaper systems on the market. They come in a high gloss polished finish inside and out so would not look out of place and sometimes can be made a feature.

Why should I install a laundry chute?

We are not getting any younger so why carry heavy smelly laundry down a flight of stairs. Some will say ‘well I carry them back upstairs’, but they are usually neatly folded, more compact and lighter as they have been washed and dried. How many times do you go into your kid’s room to find dirty clothes that have been laying for days or even longer? They don’t take it downstairs as it’s a hassle or whatever. As the chute opening is probably less than their rooms length away, they may use it. If they don’t it's still less hassle for you. We would say the most important reason to install a laundry chute is safety. Every 90 seconds a fall on the stairs is recorded in the UK, there is no easy way to carry laundry without having one hand clear to stop you from falling. A laundry chute also adds value to your home. Typically, the value-added will be the same if not more than the actual cost of the chute. As it's built-in and manufactured with high-quality stainless steel it will be there for the lifetime of the house.

Where would I install a chute in my house?

For easier access to everyone in the house, the hallway or landing outside the main bathroom is the preferred option. Most new houses have a utility room downstairs with a bathroom directly above so this would be the ideal place. When building or renovating and you have a set of plans you can email them to us and we will provide a drawing of ‘how your chute will look’ as well as a detailed quote.

We recommend the bottom of the laundry chute to end inside a cupboard or press. It must be in such a way that the linen will not pile up in places it should not be. If landing onto the washing machine or dryer it can become a fire hazard. Most chutes are positioned over some sort of basket. This ensures all clothing is contained and off the floor. Ideally, the chute shall end above head height with a basket on a shelf below it. You can then have 2/3 baskets on shelves below this to separate the colours etc. Larger buildings like hotels or care homes will often have large, rolling baskets to collect laundry when it falls out of the laundry chute.

Are all chutes the same?

A laundry chute will vary in design according to the building in which it is constructed. The vast majority will include a door or other enclosure at the top of the chute, some also have a door at the bottom. Our doors are all 1hr fire-rated, can be hinged at the bottom, top or any side depending on the client’s preference. The opening direction can easily be changed at any time without disruption to the house. Our doors have surfaced, flush and beaded mounted frames, powder-coated white and can be painted any colour or if beaded tiled over. The door is built into a wall, usually in a hallway or bathroom, and encased in a minimum of 30min fire-rated material (plasterboard is 30min fire rated). Some laundry chutes have more than one opening so can be used in different rooms or floors. In larger buildings like hotels and care homes, the door is often located in the same place on each floor. These doors are interlinked so only one door at a time can be opened. They can also have a pin code so only authorised users can access the chute.

How big does a laundry chute need to be?

We advise in a normal 2 storey home a 300mm diameter. Basically, a 250mm (10”) will take a double duvet. A 300mm (12”) will take a king-size duvet. A 400mm we would only recommend in a very large house where there were several guests and the beds required to be changed every few days. A larger hotel should have a minimum of 600mm diameter.

 

If you can find a suitable location, consider installing a laundry chute. It can be a breeze if you have an unobstructed path between the two floors.

We make laundry easy! Easy to communicate with, easy to buy and easy to install.

Easyline laundry chutes

Reasons you need a Laundry Chute in your Home

Laundry chutes are a family’s best friend in all different ways – they help bring your laundry where it needs to go, they make sure it gets there, and they keep the laundry from piling up and causing an odour in your home.

If you’ve been wondering if a laundry chute is necessary for your home, this blog is for you! There are so many benefits to having a laundry chute throughout your home, and they just make life so much easier. No more lugging heavy, overflowing laundry baskets down flights of stairs, and no more leaving dirty clothes in your room for days because you don’t want to bring them downstairs. So, if you think you don’t need one in your home, here’s why you absolutely do need one…

1.     Convenience

One of the main reasons you need a laundry chute in your home is because of the convenience and ease it will bring to your life. Whether you are a busy parent with kids going all different ways, or you are an entrepreneur running multiple businesses, you may not have time or remember to bring your laundry downstairs and it will just build up in your room or bathroom. We are also not getting any younger so it’s all about planning for when it will be not as easy to get up and downstairs let alone carry something like a laundry basket. 

By installing a laundry chute, when you change your dirty clothes or bed linen, you can simply open the chute, insert your clothes, and off it goes. You don’t have to worry about bringing it down to your laundry room, and you get so much time back to your life. 

2.     They are safe

The thing we hear the most about laundry chutes is that they create a fire hazard due to their chimney-like construction – that is false. Our team of experts at Easyline Laundry Chutes are here to tell you that your stairs carry a more chance of risk of injury or worse. Installing a laundry chute is the safest way to move your dirty clothes around your home. If you are worried your laundry chute could cause a fire to escalate, you do not have to worry, we have strict fire codes we must abide by when we install a laundry chute, meaning you and your family can rest easy at night. 

If you think about it, your home doesn’t have a fire door at the top of the stairs? Our chutes have, Our doors are 1hr fire-rated, lockable and are child and vulnerable adult safe. They are manufactured to 1mm 316L Stainless steel grade. The melting point for this grade is between 1375°C – 1400°C.

 3.     No more stairs

In the UK there is a fall on stairs every 90 seconds with a large proportion of people carrying something. That’s one of the reasons we dislike about doing laundry, it’s definitely the most dangerous – lugging our heavy laundry baskets down to our basements or wherever your laundry room maybe is a chore in itself. What if we told you that there is a solution to this? Laundry chutes can be installed anywhere in your home that you need – meaning you can insert any dirty items down the chute, and it will all end up in your laundry room. No more lugging heavy laundry baskets downstairs!

 4.     Adds value to your home

Our laundry chutes are manufactured using Stainless steel grade 316L which contains molybdenum that provides corrosion resistance. Some suppliers sell or install wood, PVC, galvanized or lower grade steel which does not have the same fire rating. Our chutes are precision engineered smooth bore welded and acid cleaned, they are male/female couplings so no joins or snagging points and will last the lifetime of the house. A top-quality laundry chute like ours installed in a home adds the same if not more value than the actual cost. 

Why Choose Us

Here at Easyline Laundry Chutes, we offer a wide variety of laundry chute services - from planning, supplying, installation & maintenance. We are always available to take your call and you will not be diverted to a machine. What also makes us different is that we offer a free design of your laundry chute. Our free blueprints include a detailed quote itemising every part you will require to complete the job, we even take the time to thoroughly draw out every piece and part you require so you can see exactly what your laundry chute will look like in your home. If you would like to install yourself, we can walk you through the whole process from designing, buying, shipping, when you require it and installation. We can even provide a video of your specific chute going together. A typical 2 story house install would take around 2/3 hours.

We make laundry easy! Easy to communicate with, easy to buy, easy to install, Easyline laundry chutes.

2021 and the previous year have been challenging for everyone in the world but through these hard times, we have managed to keep our sales of laundry chutes (sometimes known as shoots or shutes) stable. One of our biggest customer region is Dublin in Ireland.

At Easyline laundry chutes, we have managed to increase our output herein keeping with government guidelines regarding COVID restrictions.

Brexit has also sent us challenges at the beginning of the year when sending a laundry chute to an EU city like Dublin in Ireland but has now gone back to a 2/3-day delivery as in the previous year. We send our laundry chutes with DHL who provide tracking information sent to a mobile or email address.

Customs require full clear documentation but as this is recorded electronically through our shipping company, we have not had any significant problems. The customs documents are uploaded when booking a consignment so they are always on hand should anyone from the shipping company (normally DHL) or the relevant countries customs office wish to see them. A tracking number is provided so all can see where the shipment is or has been at a specific point.

We work closely with our customers in designing their laundry chute as well as pricing and arranging delivery. We then follow up with emails and calls checking all our processes are working the way they should be. We believe that feedback, however, it has performed is the only way to run a successful business which is also what our customers want to hear.

To begin with planning a laundry chute we are normally contacted by a potential customer for information if not already supplied, we request a set of electronic plans including section drawings showing finished floor levels or (floor to ceiling heights). If the customer requests a chute length or something different like an offset, we design the chute to their specific requirements. If the customer is looking for advice, then through our extensive experience we provide a detailed drawing and quote showing the laundry chute we would advise for their project. The customer can then see what they are potentially buying. If the design and drawing are different to what they require or envisioned, we can easily change them.

Sometimes the customer has a vision of where the chute will go in their home and how it will look. We can look at their plans and design a chute to their request but can also add a suggestion on a position they may not have thought of or provide a cost-effective alteration to their idea.

Easyline laundry chutes. As in the name, Easy to plan, Easy to communicate with, Easy to buy and Easy to install.