DH made my first one using a hollow core door. I told him what I wanted. The reason we used the hollow core door is bc I had used if for my first HQ and didn't need it anymore. It sat on top of the ironing board. Now I have plywood on top of a kitchen cabinet that we got free on Craigslist. No holes drilled in either and I've never had any problems. I use one layer of batting then the silcone fabric, stapled on the underneath side. Someone had suggested using muslin or duck for the ironing surface, but I didn't like it and went back to the silcone fabric.