Kitchen pull-out table

The client is an amputee, and needed a pull-out table in his kitchen for crockery etc., prior to washing up.

The client washes up from his wheelchair, but the kitchen layout left little space for the crockery, pans etc. ready for washing.

On the left of the sink there is a washing machine under the worktop, and a microwave on top. Various solutions were discussed including getting a tea trolley which could be positioned as required. This was rejected as the room was very full, and extra furniture was not a good idea.

The solution was to put a pull-out shelf in the 28mm gap between the washing machine top and the underside of the work surface. A pair of heavy duty drawer runners with ball bearings was purchased, with a 40Kg load capacity. A shelf was made from 17mm plywood and finished with varnish. As the runners would have set the shelf too high, fouling the underside of the work surface, the shelf was attached to the runners via steel brackets fitting into recesses in the bottom of the shelf. This gave adequate clearance with the worktop underside and the top of the washing machine.

To limit the amount the shelf could be pulled out, or pushed in. stops were fitted. The RH runner could be fitted to a vertical surface, but the left hand runner was fitted to a baton which was then screwed upwards into the underside of the worktop. 4mm bolts were used to attach the runners to the steel shelf brackets.

A handle was fitted to the front of the shelf..

Refer to photos of the fitted shelf.

The fitted shelf was tested pulled out to it’s maximum limit, and tested under the maximum recommended load. This load was set at 15Kg, far more than the client is likely to load the shelf with. It proved to be very stiff, with no detected deflection. It was considered that a prop was not required.