The utility room is barely wider than the washer, but I need somewhere to fold laundry and occasionally sort tools. A permanently fixed counter would block access. I'm sketching a wall-mounted folding top with two hinged supports and a latch, roughly deep enough for a basket. The wall may be plasterboard over studs. What hardware would you trust for a surface that gets leaned on occasionally, and how would you keep it from rattling when folded up?
Making a folding work surface for a tiny utility room
- diy-projects
- folding
- work
- surface
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5 replies
For something that gets leaned on, I’d want proper wall fixing into studs, not just anchors in plasterboard. A folding brace with a positive...
For something that gets leaned on, I’d want proper wall fixing into studs, not just anchors in plasterboard. A folding brace with a positive latch should stop most of the wobble when it’s open.
And for the folded-up rattle, rubber bumpers or a magnetic catch can help a lot. Little bits of movement are what make these things feel cheap.
I’d be careful with the assumption that the wall is only plasterboard over studs everywhere. If the layout is odd, you may need to confirm the load points before trusting it with baskets.
Good point. In a tight utility room, the place you want the top isn’t always where the structure is nicest.
I’d also make the supports a little overbuilt. People lean on folding shelves whether they mean to or not.