So my dying Bosch dishwasher is stuck in its cubby. Originally the house had linoleum floors in the kitchen, I had them replaced with tile several years ago. Now I can't get the dishwasher out, because there isn't enough clearance. What's the best way to resolve this?
Options that come to mind:
1) tear off the counter. This has some mega downsides, although I need to get new countertops anyway. But it seems like only a temp-fix.... should any problems appear again, the dishwasher would still be stuck in there.
2) cut the tile out further. Possibly cut a removable tile section that would fill the space immediately in front of the dishwasher... just caulked in place or something? Not sure how to do that without it looking like E36 M3.
3) Fire
This is the step I can't get the dishwasher over. Feet are all the way up, and when I lift it, they don't clear. I could probably use a multi-tool to cut the feet off to get this one out, but I don't know if I could get a new one in? The black line on the tile is where the closeout panel comes down, so thats about as far forward I could cut without any other changes. Not enough to get it out.
I had to do this at my last house. I cut the grout with a cutoff wheel, carefully pryed the tiles out and reinstalled them after the dishwasher was swapped out with a quick set mortar and some grout that was a close enough match. Actually I might have used construction adhesive instead mortar.
Ignore the dirty dishes.
I second RacetruckRon. Cut the grout and try and pry the tile off. I did this and luckily the installer barely put any thinset and the tile popped right off without breaking.
Do you have any leftover tiles just in case?
I'd cut the feet off to get this one out, then do the tile removal if I couldn't get the new one in
Any chance you could lift the countertop enough to do this swapperoo, and then when you're doing the new countertop properly (at your leisure) pull the dishwasher back out and tile in there to bring it up to level, and spacer the new countertop up one tile-thickness?
ralleah
PowerDork
7/31/23 12:41 a.m.
How big is the section of counter (how long), above the washer, and does it include the sink opening? Backsplash sitch?
I've got this problem at my house. When I re-tiled, I did it under the entirety of the old dishwasher knowing that I'd have to raise the whole counter top 3/4" to get the new one in.
For the love of all that is holy, make stuff serviceable, people. For yourselves, for posterity, for the greater good,
Remove the fasteners for the countertop. They are frequently installed from the bottom. Use your floor jack to coax the countertop up high enough to clear the dishwasher.
This assumes you have a countertop that can stand some flexing without cracking.
Steve_Jones said:
I'd cut the feet off to get this one out, then do the tile removal if I couldn't get the new one in
I can't think of a better answer. I mean, it's Monday.
Is the top of the dishwasher frame attached to the countertop? All the dishwashers I have dealt with had some sort of bracket or plumbers tape attaching the frame assembly to the underside of the countertop. If there is a bracket, you might be able to get a little more space to lift the dishwasher over the tile lip.
