DIY - Pull out shelf for chopping?

moneysaver1978

There's currently space between the washing machine and the counter top of around 3.8cm.

OH was asking if there was a possibility of fixing a shelf or wood chopping board with drawer runners like these https://www.screwfix.com/p/hafele-ball-bearing-drawer-runners-250mm/7855J?tc=PT2&gStoreCode=PT2&gQT=1 fixed to the sides.

I read somewhere that there needs to be a certain clearance between the washing machine and the counter top for vibrations but is it an issue for a small pull out shelf (e.g. not of full depth)?

Ikea has one like https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/utrusta-pull-out-work-surface-00510577/ but doesn't quite work for us in terms of dimensions so DIY is maybe the only option!

Has anyone done anything like this? What are your thoughts?

Brie

So when closed the chopping board would be under the counter?  How easy would it be to keep clean?  I'm not asking because I'm a germaphobe but if we had that in our house I know that we would end up with a pile of crumbs and grunge down behind the washing machine.  

AND would there be enough support for chopping??  Considering the stuff I chop occasional which takes a bit of hacking I'm sure I'd have the supports pulled out within a month.

Does the washing machine need to "breathe" as in have full air circulation?

Sorry - I seem to be going all negative on you.

teaselMay

I've used those runners for other things, I wouldn't want to chop on a chopping board supported by them, there'd be too much give.

The grease on the bearings of them also attracts grubbiness - sand in my case - which is difficult to clean off and leads to corrosion. I think you may have a similar problem above a washing machine.

moneysaver1978

Brie said:

So when closed the chopping board would be under the counter?  How easy would it be to keep clean?  I'm not asking because I'm a germaphobe but if we had that in our house I know that we would end up with a pile of crumbs and grunge down behind the washing machine.  

AND would there be enough support for chopping??  Considering the stuff I chop occasional which takes a bit of hacking I'm sure I'd have the supports pulled out within a month.

Does the washing machine need to "breathe" as in have full air circulation?

Sorry - I seem to be going all negative on you.

Not at all, @Brie! We are kind of germaphobes too! The chopping board (or rather a shelf) would not extend all the way to the back and we would use a proper chopping board on top similar to the Ikea one https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/images/products/utrusta-pull-out-work-surface__1105895_pe868538_s5.jpg?f=xl

Funnily enough, the washing machine sticks a bit further out of the edge of the counter top so if someone was chopping things up, crumbs were falling onto the top of washing machine. So maybe a small pull out would help.

The drawer runners on Screwfix claim to support 35kg (although I could probably find heavier duty ones).

Great question about the breathing space for the washing machine though!

moneysaver1978

teaselMay said:

I've used those runners for other things, I wouldn't want to chop on a chopping board supported by them, there'd be too much give.

The grease on the bearings of them also attracts grubbiness - sand in my case - which is difficult to clean off and leads to corrosion. I think you may have a similar problem above a washing machine.

That's golden info and useful to know, thank you!

Brie

Got to admit that photo from Ikea nearly made me scream in horror!!!   

One of the things I was told years back was to always close the drawer before you slice the bread.  That lovely clean white drawer full of dishes would be full of crumbs in no time - especially in our house!!!