Designing a New Laundromat: A Practical Guide to Ergonomic, Code‑Compliant Floor Plans

Written by jd

Nov 12, 2025

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(615) 885-1115

What to consider, how to size equipment and space, and evidence‑based rules of thumb with citations.

1) Core Goals

Comfortable, intuitive customer flow from entry → washers → dryers → folding → exit.
Enough capacity to meet peak demand without feeling crowded; design for bottlenecks (typically at dryers). [2]
Compliance with accessibility and life‑safety codes (ADA, IBC) while meeting manufacturer ventilation/utility requirements. [3][4][5][6][7][8]
Durable, easy‑to‑clean finishes; clear sightlines for security and supervision.
Future‑proofing: flexible utility rough‑ins, electrical and make‑up air allowance for equipment upgrades.

2) Market & Site Selection Essentials

Before sketching the floor plan, validate the business case: demographics, renters vs. homeowners, income bands, traffic, parking, nearby competitors, and visibility. The Coin Laundry Association’s demographic guide outlines how to structure this analysis. [1]

Prefer highly visible neighborhood retail with easy in/out circulation and generous frontage (for natural light and street presence).
Check local parking ratios and zoning for “Laundry/Laundromat” or Mercantile occupancies. Confirm grease/lint interceptor and sewer requirements early.

3) Program: Equipment Mix & Capacity

Match equipment to local laundry basket sizes and family use: a healthy mix of small/medium front‑loaders plus large (40–80 lb) washers for bulky items. Drying is a common bottleneck; plan ample dryer capacity and consider stacked units. [2]

Rule of thumb: keep dryer capacity at least proportional to washer throughput, and keep folding capacity on par with dryer frontage (see §5). [2][12]
Provide space for changers/payment kiosks, soap vending, carts, seating, and ADA‑compliant service counters. [3][4]

4) Space Planning & Ergonomics

Aim for layouts that feel open but efficient. Use straight, readable aisles and avoid dead ends.

Clearances & Aisles

Minimum accessibility: maintain a continuous clear width of 36 in. for accessible routes; provide 60 in. diameter (or T‑shape) turning spaces at key nodes; doors need 32 in. clear opening. [3][4]
Comfort target: main customer aisles at ~48–60 in. to accommodate carts and baskets without crowding (industry practice). [9][10][1]
Provide clear floor spaces (30 in. × 48 in.) at accessible machines and payment points; controls within reach ranges (typically 15–48 in. AFF). [4]
Leave door swing zones clear so washer/dryer doors can open fully without blocking the accessible route. [3]

Folding, Seating & Amenities

Folding surfaces: 34–36 in. comfortable height for most users; where feasible, include a seated‑height option or knee clearance for inclusive use. [11]
Provide seating near folding and waiting areas without obstructing aisles; consider a small kids corner visible from folding areas to reduce stray carts.
Add hand‑washing sinks, soap/ATM/refreshment vending in a front “convenience zone.”

Washer/Dryer Placement

Arrange washers toward the front and dryers deeper to promote flow washers → dryers; avoid crossing streams at the entrance. [10]
Group large‑capacity machines to one side to reduce congestion from longer dwell times.

5) Accessibility & Inclusive Design (ADA/Access Board)

Follow the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design for public accommodations. [3]
Accessible washers/dryers: provide compliant clear floor space, operable parts within reach, and door hardware usable with one hand; see Access Board Chapter 6 guidance. [4]
Counters and transaction surfaces must meet reach height and knee/toe clearance rules for accessible portions. [3]

6) Folding Capacity: A Practical Rule

The industry rule of thumb is to provide folding table frontage approximately equal to total dryer frontage (e.g., 450 in. of dryers → ~450 in. of folding). This keeps customers from circling for space at peak. [12]

7) Life Safety, Occupant Load & Egress

Classify occupancy and calculate occupant load per IBC §1004.5 using Table 1004.5 factors (often similar to mercantile). Coordinate with the AHJ. [5]
Size exits, corridors, and door swings accordingly; ensure accessible means of egress. [14]

8) MEP: Ventilation, Exhaust, Utilities

Dryer exhaust: follow manufacturer limits on duct size/length and elbows (e.g., some Alliance/Speed Queen guidance shows max ~65 ft straight with deductions per elbow—confirm per model). [8]
Make‑up air: manufacturers specify minimum free area per dryer (e.g., ~1.0–1.5 sq ft per dryer or model‑specific sq in requirements). Undersized make‑up air causes long dry times and yellow flames. [6][7]
Provide adequate combustion air for gas dryers and maintain neutral to slightly negative pressure to control lint migration; include clean‑outs and lint management strategy. [13]
Utility capacities: verify peak electrical demand, gas service, water service and sewer sizing against your exact equipment schedules.

9) Lighting, Acoustics & Finishes

Use bright, uniform lighting (high‑CRI LED) with higher vertical illuminance at machines and folding areas.
Acoustic control with durable absorptive surfaces (baffles, acoustic ceiling tiles) to keep the space from feeling harsh.
Slip‑resistant flooring with integral base; radius corners; easy‑clean wall guards behind carts.

10) Security & Operations

Maintain clear sightlines from the entry and attendant station through the entire sales floor.
CCTV coverage of entries, payment points and rear service corridors; avoid creating blind corners.
Locate an attendant counter near the entrance with power/network for POS and vending oversight.

11) Right‑Sizing Example Workflow

Estimate peak hour demand from demographics and expected turns per day (TPD). [1]
Select preliminary washer mix; compute concurrent dryers needed (dry time is typically longer than wash time → plan more dryer pockets). [2]
Lay out main aisles at ~48–60 in., verify ADA minimums and turning spaces, and protect door swing zones. [3][4]
Count folding inches ≈ total dryer inches. [12]
Check occupant load & egress capacity per IBC; finalize door swings and exit widths. [5][14]
Engineer exhaust, make‑up air, and utilities to manufacturer specs; verify on model submittals. [6][7][8]