Once basic assembly was complete (glued and screwed), I temporarily screwed the top on and moved the platform into position on its base in the laundry/mechanicals room. I took off the top so that I could screw the platform to the base and to the studs in the walls. You can see that the platform is extensively cross-braced to resist out-of-balance loads during the washing machine's spin cycle (although when the machine detects unbalanced spinning, it stops and slowly rotates the drum in an attempt to redistribute the load).
With the platform securely fastened, I screwed the top on, added reinforcing pieces of 2x4 lumber to the front edge, and put on trim pieces. A coat of sanding sealer followed that.
After that, two coats of semi-gloss paint. No fancy wood trim; this is a laundry room, and future home to the water heater and air handler. I also finished applying joint compound and paint to the walls (everywhere except where the washing machine hot and cold water lines will be installed inside the wall).
There are four openings in the front of the base. The two narrower ones (painted on the inside) are cubbies for laundry detergent and bleach (on the left), and for a small wastebasket for lint (middle right). The two wider openings will each (eventually) get two drawers.
I'm going to let the paint harden for a week before I loft the clothes dryer up onto the platform (easier said than done, but still much easier to do than lifting the much heavier washing machine). When the dryer is in place, I'll start putting down the floor tile. In the photo below, I've put the pieces of tile I have (still need to order much more) on the floor for a first look. Notice the floor is flat in the foreground, but in back, there is a rise that is bad enough to need more remedial work than adding some extra mortar. Can't escape that awful dusty grinding . . . Ugh!
I like the space. The tile will look great in this room with the platform.
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