How old is your ironing board?
 

I don't know the age of my board, it was purchased at the equivalent of an estate sale by my grandmother in 1918 when she got married. So minimum of 105 years old.
I was thinking a few days ago it was getting pretty wobbly (almost dumped the iron in my lap!) so looked up what new ones were like. Between cost and "It wobbles" reviews, we decided to see what we can do to sturdy up this one.

On examination this has already been done once or twice, nails as shims in the wooden dowels and the wide end support has been moved back a few inches. It also has a serious dip, no wonder I've been thinking 'why don't my patches iron flat?"

So I've got it naked, Rob has taken measurements, and we are going to look for some new dowels, a nice 1/4" top and probably move that back support again. With the exception of the dowels the original parts will still be there so I don't think I'm creating George Washington's ax syndrome. (7 new handles 3 new heads, but sure...it's George's ax)

Anyway, anyone else got a goldie oldie?

Oh I hope you can fix it up. We all get old! Beautiful ironing board though.

Kalama: I think you will win for oldest board continually in the family. I bought an ironing board at a garage sale when I rented my first place and that is still the one I use. It’s a lovely avocado green!

I used to have an old wooden one. I gave it away years ago and now I wish I had it back.

The one I'm using now is probably 35 - 40 years old.

I still use my ironing board we got as a wedding gift. It is 58 years old, made of metal. Still works fine.

I covered my antique wooden one with an old quilt and it stands in my sewing room..love it!!

Funny--I tried to take an extra ironing board to resale---check in girl said No, people do not know what they are ???? My ironing board stays up all the time.

I no longer use the (up on legs) ironing board. I have an ironing station set up on a 6 foot table with a 4.5 foot board, covered with padding and silver ironing board fabric. I have my iron and water sprizter, along with pin cushion and clips on the free part of the table within easy reach. Basically it is like the one on Donna Jordan's (Jordan Fabrics) videos, only with a different cover. It makes it really nice for ironing big pieces, and small! And best of all, no more wobble or tippy ironing board.

You could also make a "topper" for your ironing board that would fit over your existing one....

I had one of those and got rid of it but they are very cool!

I made one on top of an Ikea unit and love it. It's quite large. I was able to find a cover that fits it on Amazon.

I have one my dad bought at a sale for $1.00 in 1974 when I got my first apartment. It still stands and is very useful for ironing and piling things on ! ! !

Mine is ar least 62 years old. It is metal and does not wobble.

I bought a big board for it, maybe ten years ago. DH said he could make one - but I wanted it in the next month or so.

I also use my ironing board as a cutting table - the padding that came with the board was like a thin piece of polyester felt.works well, though.

for pressing/ ironing skinny things, I get out my sleeve board.

I too have an ironing station in the sewing room. Basic 1/2 plywood that been covered with padding, cloth, and now wool ironing mats on top of that. There is also his ex-wive's ironing board in a closet, and another one I purchased at Walmart years ago that has the iron rest. That one is out on the three season porch along with my quilting frame. I really should take the ex-wives board to a resale shop!!

Hope you can fix her but if not, then I hope you give her a place of honor for so many years of service.

I know my ironing board isn't even close to that old but I'm sure I've had mine for at least 40 years. I've replaced the covers many times over the years and about 5 years ago I added a piece of plywood 2' x 4' covered in batting and that silver fabric so pressing yardage is easier. I added "L" bracker underneath to keep it from sliding on me. It's heavy to remove but rarely do I have to remove it to press clothing. Most of it I can still press without removing it. Best thing I ever did. Also the height of my ironing board plus plywood equals the same or pretty darn close to the height of my cutting table so when pressing yards of yardage, I just move it over a little so I can lay the pressed yardage onto the cutting table instead of it falling onto the floor for the cats to lay on. Yes, I've caught those little stinkers laying on it when I was trying to move it.

that is what the 1/4 board will be, we are just putting it over the existing top.

Thanks for my first laugh of the day, and the call a few days ago ;) I'm hopeful too.

I suppose my room is big enough for a big board but I don't want one, I have a u-shaped sewing space and love it.
As you occasionally do, I've got my little board up here, but normally the antique ironing board stand there, always up.

This picture must be from at least 20 years ago, maybe longer. So much of the 'stuff' is gone, but the wall above the sewing machine looks pretty much the same :)
There was some oddball paneling on the left hand wall, we pulled it off, used liquid nails to put in the ceiling tiling, and I covered it with flannel. One of the three best quilting investments I ever made. Without a working wall, I'd barely be able to assemble a 2 patch idea

I have had several ironing boards over my adult years. The last one I bought about twenty years ago, extra wide with iron rest. it's in the attic. I use a table in my sewing room for ironing and the laundry room has a fold out board in the wall.

I have my grandmothers ironing board. It is probably 90 to 100 years old. my hubby made a large 20 X 60 inch top that sits on top of it and of course I have padded it and made a cover for it, but the old original ironing board is still in tact. I love it. Grandma used it for years. I won't get rid of it.

Mine's at least 15 yr old, and l like how light it is to move, and the quick easy height adjust lever ( compared to my previous). However, we once had a flood in laundry room, and is has been leaving rust marks from the metal bars that form stand ( no legs like older one) .Tremclade paint doesn't help, and ductvtape wears off , so I'm going to have to replace it.

kalama
love the quilt on the wall. Been thinking of pentagons lately.

do you mean the one in the first photos? The La Passacaglia, my version

In post #1

Such a beautiful ironing board. You MUST preserve it!
I have no idea how old mine is but it's as ugly as anything. The best thing about it is the big board my DH fitted over most of the top so I have a square ironing space. I covered it with tin foil, batting and heavy fabric so it works fine.

I have Mom’s ironing board and both Grandmothers so they total 3 in addition to the one I got 58 years ago for a bridal shower gift. Bought with Green Stamps. I still use it - but not for quilting - because I have a pressing station made by DH from a free baby changing table.

I’ve removed legs from 2 of the above and I painted an American flag (vertical) on one. It hangs by our front door all summer.
The 2nd one has a gnome painted on it but I paid someone to do it.
The 3rd one has its legs and it’s narrow and a bit lower. Just right to press a shirt. I also set it at a right angle to my machine to support quilts when I stitch in the ditch, etc.

I've heard some people say their grandchildren don't know what a iron is for. Makes me shake my head.

Oh I'm so jealous of everyone's old boards! Mine I bought during a half off sale at Joanns about 10 years ago. I loved it at first but in the last few months it's been giving me problems. I turned it over last month and saw it's missing 2-3 screws. It's only ever in three spots and I've never seen (nor has my husband) any odd screws on the dining floor. So I plan on taking one out and going to the hardware store to see what I can find to replace them. The top is slowly breaking on one end too. I've done research to find another good one, and wow have ironing boards gotten bad! The reviews on all of them are horrible! I'm tempted to have my husband make me one (like what bearisgrey said I would like it soon! haha) problem with making it out of wood would be the weight. I don't sew in my art room it's more for storage since it's a smaller bedroom and between my fabric stuff, painting stuff, photo stuff and drawing stuff there is NO room. so my sewing room is the dining room, I move the ironing board from there to the living room and I don't think I'd be able to move something handmade and heavy like that. I'm so tempted to just use the island (our kitchen and dining room is one big room) that my husband made since it's nice and sturdy, but we also prepare food on it, I don't want to have to worry about grease/sauces/etc. I would have him make a moveable top for it but ironing around the counters and the floor, which is never as clean as the living floor is, just wouldn't work.

So good to hear of ways to repair and continue to use "old stuff". After all we too get older and I would rather repair old parts than throw me out and get a new one.

Wow, I’m amazed at how old some of the ironing boards are. I iron on a big board my husband cut. Don’t know how long ago. It’s maybe 30” x 6’ ? Seems like I have batting and have covered it several times. Currently have that grey ironing board fabric on it. It’s good for ironing whole quilt tops and backs.

Green stamps!! Still have my monopoly game and card table I got with those in the 70's. My first set of silverware came from the Esso (Exxon later name) gas stations. the knives were wonderful, serrated.

Another reason I won't be changing mine to a Big Board, I still use it for ironing shirts :) A silent I Love You gift to my husband, he likes his shirts pressed. I even do the sleeves and collars on his grubby work shirts!

We are going today to get the dowels and top wood. And sign our new will, so sad to have to change our old one but a niece has gone into the Q hole and actually scares me. Wants to burn the world, kill the bankers, anyway, not a subject for this board I guess.

Would you be able to attach a hinged ironing board to the wall in your art room? Kind of like a murphy bed. That way would not use any floor space most of the time.

Mine is old, but not that old! Purchased with S&H green stamps 45 years ago. I don't love it, but it works! I do have a Better Board (similar to the Big Board, but folds in half when not in use) that I put on it for ironing yardage or quilts.

Well speaking of husbands making stuff, mine made walls of cubbies and bookcases for all my fabric and other odds and ends in the room. I have thought about it, but there is no wall space. If I didn't have to worry about company I'd have him make another island, but smaller, and use that, but for holidays since my health doesn't really allow me to travel, we do them here, with 10 people, in a 12x12 room with a table that's 42" round and extends to 52" long with the leaf up. Plus all the bookcases that hold books (it's basically a library) there is just no room. We have bookcases on the two walls of the dining room, two of the living room, all in my art room, and 3 of his music room (which also hold records)! haha. Even the kitchen and bedroom have bookcases. And we still run out of room every time he makes new ones! Between those and all the art work on the walls in some spots you can't see the painted walls. I do sometimes cut on the island since nothing is ever really dragging on the floor when I do that. I just wish stuff was made like it used to be that can be passed on from generation to generation. In fact maybe I'll ask my mom if she still has her old board?! Maybe it's in better shape, and she never irons anything, so she'd be more open to trading with me.

I'm envious of those who are using grandma's boards from 100 years ago!! What treasures you have. I bought my Mary Proctor board at a flea market about 40 years ago and it has served me very well over the years. It did have an extenstion to plug in and hold the cord up and out of the way but that broke some time ago. It's a solid, heavy ironing board that doesn't wobble. Only downside is that it's very hard to find a replacement cover (and very expensive), My other one, which I rarely use, is much newer, wobbly, thin, lightweight and too small.

I have a wooden one that belonged to my ex-daughter-law, one when I got married (61 years) and one I bought about 30 years ago. The newest one is the only one that is breaking down. There is a dip on either side of where the leg supports are. None of them have been closed since we moved 16 years ago. and I don't iron clothing unless I somebody makes me.

My beauty is back from the Robbie Spa!! New oak dowels, new smooth as silk 1/4" birch top and now sturdy as a house. I am so happy. Thanks for sharing the fun with me ;)

Mine will be 50 years old this July.