• Ironing boards vary in construction.Antique Iron And Pressing Board image by Scott Williams from Fotolia.com
  
  The wrong ironing board can make a household chore even less enjoyable. Since you will be standing in front of this board for many hours, understanding the different components of the board and what they do is important. Understanding the construction of different types of ironing boards can not only help you choose the right type of board for you, but also help you repair or even build a board.
  
  

Free-standing Ironing Boards

• Most ironing boards are free-standing ironing boards. These ironing boards have full-size boards, which usually measure roughly 42 inches long and 12 to 15 inches wide. The tables are usually made of metal, which is covered with a foam padding. Ironing boards then have a cover over the padding. This cover is secured to the board with either elastic or a drawstring. Some covers also have clips to hold the cover securely on the board. Free-standing ironing boards also have legs that slide from a flat position--for storage--to a standing position. A lever under the board releases the legs. Since the legs slide into a standing position, the height of free-standing boards is usually adjustable.
  
  Many free-standing boards have extra features like accessory racks that can hold the iron or starch; they can also have a spot to hang hangers and/or clothes after you have ironed them. Some boards are multi-functional and can transform into other objects like stepladders.
  
  

Built-in Ironing Boards

• Built-in ironing boards have some elements in common with free-standing ironing boards, such as the board, padding and cover. However, built-in boards can come in smaller sizes than free-standing boards. Also, while the height can be set on some built-in boards, the height is generally fixed once the board is installed. Built-in boards are anchored to a wall and can fold out of a cabinet. These boards are often on a locking hinge, and the cabinet sometimes has space for storage of ironing supplies.
  
  

Portable Ironing Boards

• Another type of board is a portable ironing board. These come in a variety of styles, so they have many different elements. The simplest type of portable board is an ironing blanket. This is an insulated, heat-proof blanket that you can spread on a flat surface. You then iron on top of the blanket. Another option is a tabletop ironing board. These come in different styles. A simple style is like a small ironing board with short legs. While these legs usually fold under the board for flat storage, the height of the legs is generally not adjustable; the top is usually between two and three feet long and one foot wide. Other tabletop boards are designed to fold away for possible travel. The board portion folds, and the board has folding legs and an iron stand that tuck inside the bottom of the board for fairly flat storage.