I used an old wool army blanket for mine. Works just like those wool pressing mats that are all the rage now.

To take care of the possible damage, cover your basic wood board with aluminum foil - folding pieces together at the seams as necessary - This protects your wood from steam/water damage and also reflects heat for more efficient ironing. I use this plus one layer of cotton batting and the ironing board fabric on top for a very flat, firm surface.

Brilliant idea

I have batting under my big board I made for my ironing area. 1st cover was made with ticking fabric but that got stained too quickly though I loved having the lines on it when I wanted to keep my block from getting distorted. Now I have the silver fabric on it which I'd had in my stash for years. Don't know why I bought it or why I never used it till now but glad I saved it. Now no stains and I can just wipe it off when I over spray with starch.

I have found that no matter if cotton batting and/or batting with silver fabrics is used, the heat from a steam iron will go all the way through to the surface. It is then best to put something down to protect the surface or not use steam.

I recently purchased a wool pressing pad and it is just amazing how both sides of a block are pressed perfectly at the same time. Still, the heat/steam goes all the way through.

i think i wouls be concerned about the finish of the tabletop i was going to put this mat on.

some finishes are very sensitive to moisture and heat.

I am very tall, and have especially long leg length. I also have scoliosis and accompanying back, neck and spine issues. I MUST sit to iron. I CANNOT press tops etc. without being seated and if I do that . . . I have learned the "hard" way that I pay for it for a long time in pain and limited movement. I have searched and searched for a bigger board made so that I might sit down to press. Can't find anything. Had planned to ask her anyway for suggestions and was so glad to see this thread. I had come up with the idea of the folding table, but wonder how one would secure all the "layers" so that it didn't have to be set up anew each time. I WONDERED IF THE "FOLD" WOULD CAUSE DIFFIFULTY IN PRESSING AFTER A WHILE. (Guess I'm thinking it would make a permanent crease in the materials used to pad and cover. I am a true blond and don't seem to perceive things as easily as some. So could someone help with suggestions here? Would be so appreciative. :o

I'm lucky enough that my ironing board is quite adjustable, have had it for decades! Mine was pricy back then but a quick search finds many affordable options.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/HOMZ-T-L...1261/300657383

Here's a link to a youtube video on making your own ironing board, maybe it will help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uGVYK-VeNs
Another similar video followed automatically for me.

My friend who's long arm I use is quite tall, while I am not short I do have a long torso with proportionately short arms and legs so the heights and settings she likes don't work so well for me. She has her own physical issues and finds that she cuts best standing up at her kitchen counters and she will sometimes use a folded towel on the kitchen counter for ironing.

... I know the physical pain from standing to iron. While I do stand sometimes, more and more I am finding I opt for sitting. What works for me is a kitchen stool, that lets me sit up to the same height as I want when standing.

However, the height is fully adjustable from quite low, probably too low for most to sit at and press; to quite high for standing, higher than is comfortable for me. I am sure you would find a height that would work for you to sit. So perhaps look around for older ironing boards, if the new ones are not made in the same way.

To have a big board ironing board, I cut a piece of plywood to the size I wanted, and screwed it to the metal mesh top of the ironing board. Then topped it with the padding and fabric. Initially, I had a take-off fabric top, so it could be laundered. The last conversion, I went with the silver-teflon fabric and stapled it to the board.

Good luck in finding something that can work for you!

I need to add my experience to this caution. For a tiny project, I used a wooden TV tray with padding and quilting cotton fabric as a temporary ironing surface. I was very surprised and shocked when, on removing the pad and cover, I found the moisture had gone through and stripped the finish from the TV tray beneath where I was ironing. I suppose if you don't use steam you would not have this problem, but just a warning.