Follow us
Fagor Professional Blog | Equipment | Correctly designing a self-service laundrette

Correctly designing a self-service laundrette

Self-service laundrettes must be designed to make the most cost-effective use of the area, without forgetting that the shop should, at the same time, be designed to offer profitability, and to provide a certain amount of comfort to the customer, encouraging them come again.

Some of the aspects to be considered when designing a self-service laundrette are listed below:

– Access and visibility: customers must be able to access the premises in the easiest and most convenient way possible. Doors must be large enough and sufficient. The visibility of the whole premises without intermediate obstacles improves user perception.

– Interior mobility: make sure that the interior space is large enough to permit access with shopping trolleys, but not too large, as this would be a waste of valuable space. It is a good idea to place the largest washing machines in the area closest to the door, so that the customer does not have to cross the entire premises dragging a large volume of clothes.

– Lighting: the premises must be well lit, making the laundrette appear cleaner and as attractive as possible to the general public. Large windows to the exterior will serve to enhance this.

– Vending machines: some users bring washing products and softeners from home, but the majority expect to find them in an automatic vending machine that should be installed in the laundrette. If the self-service machines are equipped with coin slots, a machine for changing notes and coins will be required.

– Graphic information: it is important that users who are not so accustomed to using a self-service laundrette are quickly and easily able to understand the steps for washing or drying their clothes. Therefore, the steps to be followed should be explained using a highly graphic but simple format on a large instruction panel mounted on the walls above the machines.

– Auxiliary zone for folding clothes: the premises should have a counter or tables for folding clothes or large items. It is also important for the laundrette to have plastic baskets, in which users can carry their damp washing to the dryers.

– Chairs for use while waiting: customers who wish to remain at the laundrette while their clothes are being washed or dried should have a waiting area equipped with chairs and a small table. Magazines or other material for passing the time could be left on the table.

– Machine alignment: the washer extractors installed may be of varying sizes and heights. If they are aligned so that the top of the machines are all at the same height, this will give the user a zone to use as a support counter. This may be useful for putting down objects at any given moment, thus improving the ergonomics. Also remember that the detergent drawer is on the upper part in many washer extractors (as is the case of Fagor). This helps to improve aesthetics and design when fitting rear walls. So it is a good idea to mount smaller machines on a baseboard to bring them up to the height of the larger machines. As dryers are easy to use, it is only necessary to make sure that the loading doors and the control panel are accessible, so that alignment of the front panels on the wall is much easier to achieve.

– Technical area and storeroom. The doors, control panels, and product drawers, i.e., the elements on the machines which the customers will be using, should face towards the public area of the premises. But, in addition a room or interior technical zone is required, separated by dividing walls from the public zone, and with access restricted to authorised personnel. This technical area will be used to:

  • Access parts and zones related to the electrical connections, water and gas connections, machine extraction fans, and access to the interior of the machines for their repair and maintenance.
  • Contain water and gas meters, water accumulator and electrical connection box.
  • Access the vending machines and the pay centre.
  • Store products for cleaning the premises. It may be useful to have a sink for filling and emptying buckets used in cleaning the premises, a wash basin and a cabinet for the storage of miscellaneous materials.
  • Access the automatic detergent dispensers and dispenser pumps, if the washer extractor is equipped with wash product dispensers.

The technical area should be deep enough to permit repair work behind the machines, including the removal of mechanical components (belts, pulleys, etc.). A minimum distance of 800 mm from the rear of the machine to the wall is recommended.

Complementary security elements. Including alarm, security cameras, fire extinguishers…

Examples

Two examples are given below of designs for self-service laundrettes.

–          The first is a 40 m2 premises with the machinery arranged in a lineal layout.
–          The second is a 50 m2 premises, in which the machines are arranged in an L: washer extractors on one wall and dryers on the other.

 

Example 1 – Self-service laundrette with automatic pay centre in 40 m2 premises

1-Ejemplo LAVANDERIA 1

The machines to be installed to equip premises of this nature are as follows:

– One hot water operated washer extractor, with 11 kg load capacity, model LA-10 MA AC by Fagor.
– Three hot water operated washer extractors, with 14 kg load capacity, model LA-13 MA AC by Fagor.
– One gas dryer with 11 kg load capacity, model SR-2-11 MP A G by Fagor.
– One double dryer stack, gas operated, with two dryers with a 16 kg load capacity, model SR-2-16 MP A G by Fagor.
– A Fagor pay centre, with interface plates for controlling a total of seven machines, with wall frame and card dispenser.
– One product vending machine (detergents, softeners…).
– One work counter for folding clothes (can be obtained with MC-147 type tables by Edesa).
– A set of chairs and a small table, for customers’ use while they are waiting.
– Plastic baskets for carrying damp clothes.

In the interior technical room:

– A water accumulator, gas-operated, with a capacity of 250 litres/hour.
– Connection boxes, switches, meters and shut-off valves for water, electricity and gas.
– Extraction system and pipes for removing smoke and steam and for gas dryers.
– One cabinet for cleaning products, type AL1P-66 by Edenox.
– One sink-waste disposal unit, type FV-66 by Edenox.
– One wash basin with built-in soap dispenser, type LP-44 D by Edenox.

Ejemplo lavandería 2

Ejemplo lavandería 3

Drawings of a self-service laundrette in premises of 40 m2

Example 2 – Self-service laundrette with automatic pay centre in premises of 50 m2

Ejemplo lavandería 4

The machines to be installed to equip premises of this nature are as follows:

In the public zone:
– Two hot water operated washer extractors, with 11 kg load capacity, model LA-10 MA AC by Fagor.
– Four hot water operated washer extractors, with 14 kg load capacity, model LA-13 MA AC by Fagor.
– One double dryer stack, with two gas-operated dryers with a 11 kg load capacity, model SR-2-11 MP A G by Fagor.
– One double dryer stack, with two gas-operated dryers with a 16 kg load capacity, model SR-2-16 MP A G by Fagor.
– A Fagor pay centre, with interface plates for controlling a total of ten machines, with wall frame and card dispenser.
– One product vending machine (detergents, softeners…).
– Two tables for folding clothes, type MC-147 by Edenox.
– A set of chairs and a small table, for customers’ use while they are waiting.
– Plastic baskets for carrying damp clothes.

In the interior technical room:

– A water accumulator, gas-operated, with a capacity of 260 – 300 litres/hour.
– Connection boxes, switches, meters and shut-off valves for water, electricity and gas.
– Extraction system and pipes for removing smoke and steam and for gas dryers.
– One cabinet for cleaning products, type AL1P-66 by Edenox.
– One sink-waste disposal unit, type FV-66 by Edenox.
– One wash basin with built-in soap dispenser, type LP-44 D by Edenox.

Ejemplo lavandería 5

Ejemplo lavandería 6

Drawings of a self-service laundrette in premises of 50 m2

Leave a comment.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *