Hi all, I read through many of the old posts on ironing boards but have a question that I didn't see addressed.

A few months ago, I bought a Rowenta iron. It's working great so far and produces lots of steam. However, they recommend a mesh ironing board - the top over which the cover is places is wire mesh. My current ironing board is solid metal with holes punched through it every so often. I find that my ironing board cover retains lots of moisture and takes forever to dry.

So...I am planning to replace my 30-year old ironing board.

Now...my question: I only have room for one ironing board and am tempted to get a 15" wide one. However, I read on a blog/post somewhere that it now limits your ability to iron clothes. In particular, the poster mentioned pulling the hip area of pants over the board (like a free-arm). The ironing board was too large to allow this.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Cathy

do you iron a lot of pants? I don't ;-)

I haven't ever tried to iron pants (at least the leg parts) with the board inside the legs. I always press them flat from hemline up to the hip line so that there are creases front and back.

The last time I bought an ironing board, I bought the best one I could find. It adjusts from very low (iron sitting down) to way higher than I need it! How wonderful to get an ironing board up high enough for a change. It's 17" x 49". It's not mesh - it's got the diamond shaped holes punched in the top.

But, I replaced the cover with two layers of low-loft cotton batting and made a tight cover of two layers of cotton muslin. I never have any trouble with moisture in it - at least I don't think I do.

The huge OSB pressing board that I lay on top of the ironing board holds moisture in the batt and canvas cover, but not the ironing board, itself.

Get the sturdiest ironing board that you can - you spend a lot of time pressing and it's so much more pleasant when you aren't fighting one of those tippy little too-small boards. :)

And a sturdy ironing board will support a big plywood pressing surface so that you can press whole widths of fabric at once. :D

I have the 15" wide one love it, it has mesh ,I have no problems ironing clothes on it. but ironing fabric sure is much easier. check them out..

Oops, edited my post. The issue that the poster had with the 15" wide ironing board is that the pants wouldn't fit over the narrow end of the ironing board.

Thanks for the replies. I do iron my pants after washing, so maybe iron 3 to 4 pairs a week. Not sure if that is a lot. :) 17" wide? Wow! I would love that if I had the space.

You're supposed to iron clothes? Shocking!! But ironing boards really don't take up that much space to store. You can hang one on the back of a door and only set it up when you iron clothes.

One could get one of those little portable ironing boards to set on top of the "real" one.

I love my Big Board - but occasionally I'll get out the sleeve board for a tiny area. I've even went to using a dowel when I was pressing the seams of Barbie Doll clothes.

I use my Rowenta on a regular ironing board that I made a topper for out of plywood (24x 48) covered with batting and mylar that sits on top. It doesn't shift around because my husband used 1x2 strips to make a track for it to fit.
I haven't had any problems in using it these last 2 -3 yrs.
I love the larger space for pressing fabric after it's washed.

If it has to be ironed( clothing) I don't buy it!!LOL But, I still have the ironing board I bought 53 years ago, and I won't get rid of it.

My daughter got me the big board for Christmas and I love it !! Unfortunately it takes up just enough more room that I can't leave it up as it's too heavy to move around whens its open and i need a bigger sewing room !!!!!

I still have the ironing board I bought when we got married 49 years ago. They made things better then. It has ironed a lot of quilts. But now I have a piece of plywood 18" x 48" that fits on top of a dresser in my sewing room. I love it and can iron for a long time without getting tired. My ironing board is tucked away in a closet to be used if I need it.

I have three irons and two ironing boards. Because they're on different floors! I also have 4 vacuum cleaners but that's another story!

I also have more than 1 ironing board, in my defense tho, got 1 of them at a yard sale, its a heavy duty one, from the 60's, and was like new, I got it for $1.00....so, had to have it...
DH cut me a piece of plywood, and I covered it with 2 layers of 100% cotton batting, and then muslin, I just set it on top of one of my ironing boards when I need to iron large items...that being said, I also asked him to cut me out one from luann, it is lighter wood, and not so heavy for me to lift on and off....
Kif

I have the ironing board and the padded plywood board to put over it when I need the larger area.

I went out and looked at ironing boards this afternoon. 15" wouldn't gain me much and I did see the 17" board, which isn't as big as you'd think.

I hear you, Clem, on the ironing. If I weren't still working in a job that requires I look quite presentable (and not so frugal that I avoid dry cleaning), it would be no more ironing clothes for me. :)

Thanks for all your replies.

I didn't used to like ironing -permanent press all the way. But when I was in the Navy, I got used to ironing and now that I wear so much cotton and linen, ironing is pretty much required or I walk around looking like an unmade bed. :)

I don't steam, nor do I spray ON the ironing board..no moisture that way...

they don't make ironing boards sturdy enough..I would keep the OLD board and just make replaceable covers for it!

I'd go for the 15" ironing board, don't do that much ironing of clothes...

I'd keep my "old" board in my laundry room to iron clothes and then get the new board for my sewing room :)

I have a flat rectangular board and keep a small 5.00 ironing board that hangs in the closet for when I need to do a shoulder on a shirt.

i also picked up an old ironing board at goodwill several years ago. It is taller and sturdier than ones today - unless i spend an arm & a leg for one. It is from the 60s - it's avocado green!! :) I do want to make a larger ironing area for taking care of my quilt tops..someday! LOL!!

Get the big one. Find a small one to do small things on.

This just kind of made me smile because who would ever think ironing boards would be a conversation in this day and age when kids don't even get'em for wedding presents anymore (or know what to use them for). Back in my marrying days (37years) an iron and ironing board were typical presents.

Just make a big board to go over your ironing board, very cheap and inexpensive to make

http://www.quiltcampus.net/Library/P...ningBoard.html

well, occasionally I iron a shirt or blouse for "serious" occasions, but they are usually clothes the kids buy for us. LOL

I have a plywood board I made that fits on my sewing room dresser, a sleeve board, a tailor's ham, a seam roll and seam sticks. I do not have an traditional ironing board. I can sew clothes & press them. Unfortunately I cannot answer your question on excessive steam. I don't use it - I'd rather dampen.

I recently bought the larger board at Wal-Mart, and I can still iron on it easily. I iron my husband's slacks on it every week.

I just measured the smaller end, and it starts at six inches. Ten inches in it is 13 inches wide, and 20 inches in it is 17 1/2 inches.

Maybe I can't iron as far down on the slacks as on my other board, when I put them on waist band wise, but I am able to iron as much that way as I need to. It may depend on the size of the slacks. My husband wears 36x 30.

The best one I've ever used was an 18" wide brabantia model. I've been on the lookout for a good sale for one ever since - it was incredibly sturdy and worked very well.

Unless it is broken I think you will be sorry you replaced it. I gave my old one to my son, and wish I had it back it was far superior to anything I was able to find under $100 dollars. I ended up spending about $60.00, and think I messed up every home laundry display in multiple stores before settling on the current one, got it home and found the sheet metal buckles when it gets warm! I also HATE the covers that you cant wash, I ended up making my own, because after a while the starch build up will stain damp light color fabrics if you cant wash it out. :-D :-D

This thread takes me back to the early 90's - I had purchased raffle tickets at a quilt show benefitting some guild. Months later I received the phone call that I had WON - my prize was a Rowenta iron AND a Polder ironing board (funny how I remember that brand name so many years later). Boy, was I excited! I had won something and things that I really wanted. That evening I was spending time with my nephew, then 10. I excitedly told him about winning a raffle. His little face lit up, until I told him what the prizes were. Just recently he brought that conversation up. He was sure that I had won some cool thing like a GameBoy or a motocross bicycle or some other awesome thing that I would want to give to him. He could not understand why anyone would ever get excited about an iron and ironing board. He told me that I actually dropped a few points in the "cool aunt" category for a while there.

So now that I have told the story about winning the Polder ironing board - of course I still have it and truly love it. The legs are good, adjustable height. It is fairly lightweight for folding and toting to the closet. It has the mesh grid top which is great for those times when using heavy steam. It also has an little rack on the wide end for holding the iron in a semi-upright position as well as a spot for a spray bottle. Don't know if Polder stilll makes that model, but it has served me well. I do use a sleeve board for smaller applications.

I have my mothers old ironing board from the 60's. It is very sturdy and of course adjustable heightwise. Needs a new top, but haven't gotten there yet. I now use it to iron clothes only.

I picked up a mesh adjustable one from Goodwill that looks brand new for $1.50. Washed it down, made new top for it and love it for all the steam I use. For all my sewing needs

I also have a Rowenta and love it.

Polder is the one I ended up with after I gave away my oldie but goodie to my son. Was the best of the lot 2 years ago, except for the pop when it expands and gets uneven. I probably should have taken it back, but by the time I discovered the problem, I had removed and tossed the unwashable cover and lost the ticket at the store. Funny story about the winning of an iron board and iron.

I have two old ironing boards. one the narrow end folds up and makes it flat across shich is wonderful for quilts. The other is one my grandmother had and it is a normal one. The reason I love both of them is that I have yet to find one today that is constructed as well. These don't wobble. I actually found one at a garage sale for $2 for my friend. You just cant beat them . I also have a wooden one that my friend found at a house she bought and it is better than the new ones today. Happy hunting. I am sure you will find the right one for you.

Huh...my ironing board is wooden, and sturdy like nobody's business. We actually used it to roll my motorcycle up onto a pickup truck bed. So I couldn't advise you on a new board, because I am NEVER giving this one up, lol.

I have a small table top board, too, that I used for small items, quick touchup, etc.

I have two ironing boards. One is built into the wall and can be pulled down when I need it. I have another small portable I can carry around with me. They are not mesh however but work fine with my Rowenta. I looooooove that iron. It is heavy and steams or dry presses great. I have had it for 20 years and it is still going strong:)

If it is for quilting, find the biggest board you can!

I have a very old ironing board and I would never purchase a new one as they are not anywhere as sturdy as the old ones. The old ones are way heavier but they done wobble like the new ones I have tried.

My husband made me a large top to go on my old ironing board and it works wonders. When I do iron clothes (not often) I do it on that large board and have no problems.

Like your wolf quilt, I am making my husband one now out of same material. His is for his recliner.
Ops! wrong spot!

I'd forgotten this but am reminded that a few years ago in our Costco there was a display of an ironing "system" that cost around $1,200 or $1,300 or something like that--had a reservoir iron and an ironing board. There were two guys demonstrating it and I asked one of them if they'd sold any in the three days they'd been there and he said "one". I passed on it.