Washing machine shaking usually has one of four causes, and I'd check them cheapest first. Shipping bolts are still in a new machine, the feet aren't level and locked, the load has bunched on one side, or the floor gives under the spin. A wrench, a spirit level and a few minutes sort out most of them. A worn part inside is the fifth cause, and the one that needs a technician.
A washer shakes when the weight in the drum isn't centred as it spins, or when the cabinet can't hold still against the floor. I'm Michael at Merit Home Furniture on Vancouver Island. I write from Duncan, and our washers are listed at the Campbell River and Port Alberni stores, which carry Merit's laundry appliance line. The checks below come from the makers' own help pages for brands Merit lists.
First, unplug the washer before you tilt it, reach under it or turn a foot. Samsung's levelling steps start there.
Why is my washer machine shaking?
A washer machine shaking in the spin points to the installation or the load. The makers agree on the order of checks, cheapest first.
| What it's doing | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| A new front-loader shakes hard from the first load | Shipping bolts left in | Take out the bolts and cap the holes |
| Rocks when you push on opposite corners | A foot off the floor, or a loose lock nut | Adjust that foot, then tighten its lock nut |
| Bangs or walks mid-spin with bedding or a rug | Load bunched on one side | Pause and spread the load, or add similar items |
| Shakes on small loads only | Too little in the drum to balance | Add items or lower the spin speed |
| The floor or the room moves | A floor that flexes, or carpet | Move to a firmer spot or stiffen the floor |
| Stacked dryer or pedestal rattles | Loose kit screws or pedestal feet | Tighten the screws, level the pedestal |
| Still shakes after all of that | A worn part or a fault | Book a service call |
Shipping bolts: the first suspect when a new washer starts shaking
Shipping bolts lock a front-loader's tub in place for the trip from the factory. Maytag says they aren't a permanent part of the washer and must come out after installation. LG warns that a tub left bolted makes excessive noise and vibration. If a new front-loader shakes like crazy from its first load, I'd look here first.
Samsung says some of its front-loaders have four bolts and some have three, and FlexWash models have seven. Top-loaders don't have them.
- Push on the drum. Samsung says it should feel as if it hangs on springs. A drum that feels set in rock is still bolted.
- Loosen each bolt with the supplied spanner, slide it and its spacer up, and pull it out.
- Cap the holes with the plastic covers packed with the washer.
- Keep the bolts in case you move the washer later.
If a bolt won't come out, LG says service is needed.
Levelling the feet so the machine can't rock
Levelling a washer means setting all four feet so the cabinet sits flat and can't rock. Whirlpool's page says the washer must be level, or it will vibrate. To test it, push on diagonal corners and see if it rocks.
Turning a foot raises or lowers that corner. Samsung's advice is to keep the legs as short as you can, since a shorter leg is steadier. Frigidaire Canada says its top-loader legs shouldn't stick out more than half an inch below the washer. Once every foot is firm, tighten each lock nut up against the cabinet. Whirlpool says those jam nuts must sit tight against the bottom of the cabinet.
Samsung also asks for an inch of space between the washer, the dryer and any wall. With the machine pulled out, it's a good moment to clean the drain pump filter and inlet screens too.
Unbalanced loads and a washer shaking violently on spin
An unbalanced load is laundry wound into one heavy lump on one side of the drum. At full speed that lump throws the machine around, which is why a washing machine shaking violently during the spin cycle is so often a load problem. A bath mat or a jean jacket on its own has nothing to balance against.
Whirlpool says to avoid washing single bulky items, and to balance a rug or jacket with a few extra pieces. Small loads cause trouble too: Samsung says they collect on one side, and suggests adding more or lowering the spin speed. Sneakers are the same kind of small, heavy load, and putting sneakers through the wash is allowed by some shoe makers and not others.
How do I rebalance my washer drum?
Rebalancing a washer drum by hand is the quickest fix. Pause the cycle, wait for the door or lid to release, and spread the laundry evenly. Frigidaire Canada suggests adding one or two similar items if a small load stays off balance. On an LG front-loader paused during the wash, the water drains after 4 minutes, and then the load can be moved.
Some Samsung models have a calibration mode for the empty drum. Holding Temp. and Delay End for 3 seconds brings up Cb on the display. After Start/Pause, the tub turns back and forth for 1 to 3 minutes. Samsung says the manual tells you whether your model has it.
Samsung top-load washing machines and the 2016 recall in Canada
Bulky loads were behind a large washer recall in Canada. In October 2016, Health Canada posted Samsung's recall of certain top-loaders made from March 2011, and it was updated and expanded that November. Bedding, bulky or water-resistant items at certain settings could cause abnormal vibration, and the top could come off during the spin. After the update, about 256,000 units sold in Canada were covered. Samsung Electronics Canada had 67 reports of tops detaching here, with no injuries reported. The full model list, Samsung and Samsung-built Kenmore, is on the updated recall page.
Floors, pedestals and stacking kits under a shaking washing machine
A level washer can still shake if the floor moves. Whirlpool says to check the floor for flexing or sagging, and not to use a raised wooden platform. Frigidaire doesn't recommend carpet. An upstairs laundry, or an older main floor on wood joists, can flex under a fast spin in a way a concrete slab won't.
Maytag suggests reinforcing a floor that isn't solid, or using a washer vibration pad to absorb some movement. Electrolux says not to wedge cardboard or wood under the feet. I'd treat a pad as help for a soft spot and fix a floor that bounces first.
Pedestals and stacked pairs add joints that can work loose. Whirlpool wants a pedestal's mounting screws and foot lock nuts tight. Samsung says to level the pedestal before the washer goes on, and expects some vibration even then. Electrolux asks for the stacking kit made for the pair. Merit lists these kits at our Campbell River store, read November 1, 2026, before applicable taxes.
| Stacking kit | Made for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Whirlpool W10869845 | Whirlpool and Maytag front-load pairs | $69.00 |
| LG KSTK4 | LG 27 in. front-load pairs | $79.99 |
| Electrolux STACKIT7X | Electrolux EFLS517 and EFLS617 pairs | $89.00 |
| Bosch WTZ20410UC | Bosch 24 in. compact pairs | $179.00 |
| Samsung SKK-8K | Samsung 27 in. front-load pairs | $199.00 |
Each listing names the models it fits. The LG 27 in. pedestal with a drawer, $299.99, is listed at Campbell River too.
How much washing machine shaking is normal?
Some movement is normal at the start of a cycle and as the spin builds. Samsung says a small early vibration is the washer weighing the load. Its Vibration Reduction Technology pauses the spin at about 400 rpm to check the balance, and Samsung calls that pause normal. Electrolux and Frigidaire Canada say a heavy load can thump as the spin starts.
A washer that walks, bangs the cabinet or keeps shaking at full speed isn't normal. Front-loaders spin much faster than top-loaders, so a lopsided load hits harder. Here are top spin speeds from washers Merit lists, read November 1, 2026, before applicable taxes.
| Washer | Top spin | Price and store |
|---|---|---|
| Bosch 300 Series 24 in. compact front load | 1,400 rpm | $1,349.00, Campbell River |
| Electrolux 27 in. front load | 1,300 rpm | $1,099.00, Campbell River and Port Alberni |
| Samsung 5.2 cu. ft. front load | 1,200 rpm | $949.99 to $999.99, Campbell River |
| Whirlpool 6.1 cu. ft. top load | 850 rpm | $1,099.99 to $1,149.99, Campbell River and Port Alberni |
| Maytag 27 in. top load | 700 rpm | $849.99, Port Alberni |
| Amana 27 in. top load | 680 rpm | $649.99, Campbell River and Port Alberni |
How to stop a washing machine from shaking when the easy fixes fail
To stop a washing machine from shaking once the bolts, feet, load and floor check out, run one test and then call for service. LG's test is a Rinse and Spin, then a spin-only cycle at high speed. If it still vibrates, LG says service is needed. On a top-loader, LG also checks that the tub sits centred, not leaning.
The tub hangs on springs, as Samsung's drum test shows. LG's help page for India says banging that won't stop can point to worn shock absorbers, bad tub bearings or a damaged spider arm. Those are jobs for a technician, who confirms which part has gone.
How much does it cost to fix a shaking washing machine?
Most shaking costs nothing to fix, because bolts, feet and loads only take time. A worn part means a service call priced by the servicer, so ask the call-out charge when you book. Inside the maker's warranty, its terms decide. The Electrolux in the table lists one year on parts and labour, 10 years on the motor and a lifetime tub.
Merit's warranty page says that for an appliance, the claim starts with the maker, or with the Campbell River or Port Alberni store it came from. How maker warranties and ours fit together has its own guide, and our Silhouette guide maps one maker's service depots on the Island.
When a shaking washer needs a technician, not a wrench
- A shipping bolt won't come out. LG treats that as a service job.
- The noise carries on with the drum empty. Frigidaire Canada says to contact the maker then.
- The tub leans after levelling, or knocks the cabinet on a balanced load.
- It's an older Samsung or Samsung-built Kenmore top-loader. Check the model against the 2016 recall first.
- It stands on carpet, a platform or a floor that visibly bounces. No turn of the feet fixes that.
Where these washing machine facts come from
- Health Canada, Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. recalls certain top load washing machines (RA-60482, October 4, 2016), checked November 2026.
- Health Canada, Updated and expanded recall: Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. recalls certain top load washing machines (RA-60872, November 4, 2016), checked November 2026.
- Frigidaire Canada, Top load washers: what may cause my washer to vibrate?, checked November 2026.
- Frigidaire Canada, Is it normal for my washer to make sounds or noises?, checked November 2026.
- Electrolux Canada, Is it normal for my washer to make sounds or noises?, checked November 2026.
- Electrolux, Washing machine emits noises and shakes while spinning, checked November 2026.
- Samsung, Samsung washing machine is shaking too much, checked November 2026.
- Samsung, How to fix a noisy or vibrating Samsung washing machine, checked November 2026.
- Samsung, What to do when my washing machine vibrates excessively?, checked November 2026.
- LG, Troubleshooting vibration issues on an LG washing machine, checked November 2026.
- LG India, LG washing machine is making noise during spin cycle, checked November 2026.
- Whirlpool, Vibration, walking or off balance: front load washer, checked November 2026.
- Maytag, Washer is vibrating, walking or moving, checked November 2026.
- Merit Home Furniture's live washer, stacking kit and pedestal listings and warranty page, read November 1, 2026.
Asking about washing machines at Campbell River or Port Alberni
Merit's washers, stacking kits and pedestals are listed at our Campbell River store on Homewood Road and our Port Alberni store on Third Avenue, and each listing names its store. A call ahead tells you what's set up to look at. Bring the model of any dryer you plan to stack. Appliance delivery terms there are still being confirmed, so ask whether delivery includes pulling the shipping bolts and levelling. Special-order appliances go through (250) 746-5527.
Phone Campbell River, (250) 286-0868
Phone Port Alberni, (250) 724-6644
Every washer we list is in our washer collection, front and top load, and the stacking kits and laundry pedestals have their own collection. Our appliance guides beyond the laundry room sit on one page.