Many years ago my husband had a lady working in his crew
who had worked before in a cleaning/dry cleaning shop. She said
that there they had big ironing boards covered first with metal, then
several layers of old wool blankets, then a linen cover pulled tight.
That's the same way I've done my own ironing board ever since,
with no problems, except for minor scorches not bad enough to
actually remove the cover. Maybe once every few years...but the
ironing goes smoothly. And a sprinkle of water on the board does
wonders for ironing starched fabrics, clothing as well as quilting
fabrics.