Originally Posted by BellaBoo
I always read that a solid hard surface was the best way to iron/press. If the steam or heat goes out the bottom of the board it's not a good ironing surface. The open grid boards are made that way to save on cost and make it lightweight.
My experience with a new fiberglass ironing board cover & pad makes me wonder about your theory on open grid boards. I bought this pricey product called "Miracle Cover" at a local quilt show. I ignored the product's instructions to 'remove existing covers and pads' and put their thin yellow foam pad and fiberglass-cloth cover on top of a cotton-based batting pad and canvas/broadcloth-type cover--the kind you can get at JoAnn's with a sewing grid on top.
The "miracle cover" claims to reflect heat and enable ironing of even stubbornly-wrinkled materials like linen on medium heat, ironing both sides of whatever you are ironing while saving energy, etc., etc. I don't care about the energy savings but I am interested in cutting down the effort and time it takes to iron wrinkles smooth.
Long story short, I was ironing my way through a substantial collection of new and recently washed/dried stash, using lots of steam in the process. At one point, I spilled a quart measuring cup of water on the fiberglass cover. The water mostly beaded up, but I took off the cover to make sure it hadn't leaked through to the pads below. What I found was a big mess--not from the spill--but from the days of ironing with lots of steam. By the fortuitous spill I stopped the moisture build up before everything mildewed, but the JoAnn cover was streaked and moist, with no indication of that on the surface.
My theory is that the open grid in the board is designed to release steam and aerate our pads so as to prevent moisture build up under our covers. By double padding with my new 'miracle' cover, the steam wasn't able to penetrate the second layer of pad and cover, and thus never made its way to the open grid to dissipate and dry out.
Has anyone else tried "Miracle Ironing Board Covers"? They make a travel version (18 x 24) and are available in a variety of
additional sizes. Could serve for those wanting iron portability next to their machines or on the road.