How to Make a Portable Dishwasher

Living in a rental house with no dishwasher isn't the end of the world. The following details how to make a portable dishwasher that can be stored in the corner of your kitchen and wheeled over to near the kitchen sink when required.

18" Dishwasher

3/4" Plywood

Dishwasher connection kit

Power cord

Galvo band

Woodscrews

3 x 6" Blind flanges

4 x 1" caster wheels

Packet of 90 Degree Angle Bracket Fasteners

Quick connection hose

1/2" PVC Tee

1. Following the dimensions in the manufacturers install instructions for the dishwasher. Cut the 3/4" prefinished birch plywood sheets to the correct size to make a 6 sided cube. The side that the dishwasher will slide in will obviously left open. I got the boards cut to size at my local hardware store.
2. Use 90 deg. angle brackets to hold all the side together.
3. Install caster wheels on the base

When the dishwasher doors are opening down and the racks are pulled out the dishwasher needs a counterweight to prevent the cabinet tipping forward. The solution I found was to use very heavy pieces f metal that could be fixed to the back of the cabinet for the dishwasher. Luckily I knew a steam fitter that could get me three 6" blind flanges but you can use any means to make a weight such as old dumbbell weights

1. Tilt the box on it back and fix the weights to the rear using galvoband.
2. Put a thin strip of plywood at the bottom to prevent the weights slipping when it is upright

1. Using a dishwasher connection kit. Install the hose connections and electrical connections to the dishwashers.
2. Once this is complete slid the dishwasher into the cabinet box and feed the cables and hose out the rear

1. Using a T connection add a connection to you existing sink flex connection on the hot supply
2. Using a flex hose extend the connection out to the undersink door. In my case i hid the connection behind a false drawer front at the sink
3. On the other end of the add a quick connect coupling on the house and a similar connection on the hose connected to the the dishwasher.
4. On the waste outlet hose put a 1/2" PVC Tee to help reduce the water velocity. The hose and Tee will be placed in the kitchen sink when the dishwasher is in use.