Ironing tops the list of least favorite chores among most adults; however, it is a necessary evil if you want your work shirts and children’s school uniform to look fresh and crisp. Ironing boards are one household essential that almost everyone has in their home since they make the task of ironing much easier and safer than possible alternatives.
Ironing boards come in standard sizes, which have been adopted industry-wide. This makes it much easier for people to be able to buy accessories for ironing boards, such as ironing board covers, and it also makes it easier to store ironing boards when we can reliably expect them to all be the same size.
Here we will look at the standardized size of ironing boards, along with non-standard sizes that offer various benefits.
Standard
The standard size of ironing board that will suit the vast majority of the population will have a surface measuring 15 inches in width and 54 inches in length. This equates to just over one foot in width and four and a half feet in length.
If you are using the metric system, standard ironing boards will have a surface area measuring 137cm by 38 cm. This standard size of ironing board will be spacious enough for most people to iron their clothes on while still being small enough that it doesn’t take up an excessive amount of space.
Standard ironing boards will fold up so that they are flat, making them easy to store upright in a tall kitchen cabinet or in a laundry room.
The height of standard ironing boards is actually a much less standard measurement. Most ironing boards have an adjustable height which means they can be comfortable to use for a wide range of people with varying heights. Typically, standard ironing boards will be able to be set at heights ranging from 25 to 40 inches.
Tabletop
A tabletop ironing board is exactly as the name describes. It is a small type of ironing board that lacks long legs for support and instead is intended for use on top of a table.
Typically, people will use their dining table to set a tabletop ironing board on, making it a similar height to a regular ironing board that you can stand up to use.
Alternatively, you could use the tabletop ironing board on a coffee table and sit down on a chair to complete your ironing.
Most tabletop ironing boards have a surface measurement of 12 inches by 32 inches. They are lightweight and portable, so you can easily carry them into different rooms or even take them on vacation with you.
This type of ironing board is great for people who have minimal storage space available, such as those who live in apartments, because it takes up very little room. It is less convenient to iron on compared to standard size ironing boards, so it works well for people who don’t need to iron large amounts of laundry, such as college students.
Compact
Compact size ironing boards are just slightly smaller than standard size ironing boards. They will typically have a surface measurement of 13 inches by 53 inches, which is just 2 inches less in width and 1 inch less in length than a standard ironing board.
The smaller size should not be very noticeable if you are moving from a standard ironing board to a compact ironing board; however, what will be noticeable is the difference in weight. Compact ironing boards are significantly more lightweight than standard ironing boards, making them easier to maneuver around the home and easier to fold up and down.
This size of ironing board is ideal for people who have weak joints and struggle to operate a standard ironing board or for those who simply prefer ironing boards that are more compact and lightweight.
Large
Large ironing boards are wider than standard ironing boards, but they actually have a shorter length. They will typically have a surface measurement of 18 inches by 49 inches. The extra width means that more of an article of clothing can fit on the board at one time, making ironing easier and quicker since you have to make fewer movements to get the clothing in place.
The additional width also makes this size of ironing board more stable, with much less tendency to wobble over. This makes it great for people who prioritize stability in their ironing boards.
The extra width also has the effect of making the ironing board more difficult to store, so make sure you measure the depth of your cabinet or storage cupboard before you invest in an ironing board in a large size.
Extra-Wide
Extra-wide ironing boards are a specialized type of ironing surface designed for sewers and quilters. As a result, these boards are also commonly known as quilting boards. They have a typical surface size of 19 inches by 67 inches, providing a generous flat surface on which to iron large fabric items such as quilts and curtains.
Although these ironing boards are quite cumbersome, they are not intended for daily use by regular households, so storage isn’t really going to be an issue. Instead, they will usually be set up in crafting rooms where sewing takes place, rather than being stored in a kitchen cabinet.
Ironing Board Covers
Standard ironing board covers come in sizes that will work with standard, compact, and large ironing boards. Some ironing board covers are adjustable so that one size fits all, with a string that can be pulled to make the cover fit snug with whichever board it is on.
Ironing board covers are a nice way to give your ironing board a more stylish look which can make ironing more enjoyable, and they also add extra padding so that your ironed items will be smoother. They also help to protect the surface of the ironing board, or they can hide burnt areas on the original ironing board surface.
