Apt.1 Laundry Room Vol.2: Door Installation

u270fufe0f Originally published: November 28, 2021 / ud83dudd04 Updated: May 8, 2026

2026 DIY Dad’s Note: Creating the New Laundry Room & 2021 Year in Review

Alongside the bathroom renovation, the laundry/changing room was built from scratch. 2021 was also a landmark year for DIY Dad as a landlord-renovator.

Creating the New Laundry Room (Partition Wall)

Apt.1 had a bathroom on the ground floor, but no dedicated laundry/changing room. A new partition wall was built to create one.

Partition wall installation steps:

1. Mark out the wall position (check for square and plumb)
2. Attach the bottom and top plates to the floor and ceiling
3. Install studs at regular intervals
4. Attach plasterboard to both faces
5. Fill joints and screw holes with putty
6. Finish with wallpaper

Building a partition wall changes the floor plan u2014 but it’s fully achievable with DIY. The key is thorough vertical and horizontal alignment checks.

Door Installation Tips

• Pre-hung door sets (door + frame as one unit) make installation much simpler
• Bi-fold doors work well in tight changing room spaces
• Sliding doors are space-efficient and easy to use

The flow from bathroom u2192 laundry room u2192 hallway directly affects livability. Think from the tenant’s perspective.

2021 in Review u2014 DIY Landlord Style

Main work completed by hand in 2021:

• 2nd floor Japanese rooms: full renovation of ceiling, walls, floors, and fittings
• 1st floor Japanese room, kitchen, toilet, bathroom, and laundry room
• Staircase ceiling and wall painting
• Various fixture replacements (toilet, bathtub, vanity, etc.)

Renovating a full apartment entirely by hand over the course of a year was an enormous experience u2014 in both DIY skill and the mindset of being a hands-on landlord.

Base Treatment After the Partition Wall

• Fill plasterboard joints with mesh tape, then putty
• Extra waterproofing on the wall adjacent to the bathroom
• Confirm supply and drain pipe positions for the vanity

Since this is a wet area, moisture-proofing the base layer is especially important.

ud83cudfe2 Thinking About Apartment Investment or Renovation?

For apartment renovations, return on investment is everything. DIY Dad dramatically cuts costs by doing the work himself.

Marutoku Shop u2014 Renovation Materials & Timber Online u00bb

Hey there u2014 DIY Dad here! The 1st-floor laundry room renovation continues. With the new partition wall up, the next step is installing the door.

Door Installation

Come in through the kitchen and head toward the entrance u2014 there’s the door.

u2191 The door, front view.

Upper section u2014 front view:

u2191 Door u2014 upper section.

Lower section u2014 front view:

u2191 Door u2014 lower section.

Where the new partition wall meets the existing wall:

u2191 New wall meeting the existing wall.

From the back:

u2191 Door frame u2014 rear view.

Cost-Saving Tip

The door itself is new, but I used a standard off-the-shelf (or clearance stock) unit and adjusted the wall opening to fit u2014 rather than ordering a custom-sized door. Custom doors get expensive fast. Fit the wall to the door, not the other way around.

That’s all for today u2014 see you next time!

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