Have your iron and ironing board at your fingertips any time you need them by building an ironing center with storage right into your wall. Included are easy do-it-yourself tips and instructions on design and installation.
If you are not fortunate enough to have a home with this feature already installed in it, with a little carpentry know how, you can buy a pre-made built-in ironing center kit and install it yourself or you could design one yourself. Start by determining the area in your home where you would like your ironing board center to be installed. Don't install it in an area where you will be preparing food or where your clean laundered clothes will come in contact with grease.
If you purchase a pre-made kit, select the wall unit that you want to install. Some units are designed to fit between standard sixteen inch on-center wall studs. Measure the wall opening where you would like to install it.
Some of these units need to have electricity supplied to them. Determine if you need any electrical work done to be able to handle a center with this installed. If electrical work must be done be sure it is done in accordance with local and/or national electrical codes. Always be sure if you are storing an iron inside the cabinet when closed, to let your iron cool completely down before closing it up.
After clearing out your area, start your project by attaching two by four cleats to wall studs so that your surface is level on which to rest your cabinet. Mount your cabinet by lifting it into place and attaching it to the studs.
Mount the cabinet door by lifting it into place and attaching it to the wall studs using hardware provided by the manufacturer of your center. Plumb and shim your cabinet to fit properly into the wall. If you are designing your own wall unit, decorative doors and fixtures are available to compliment your new hidden ironing board center.
Install a magnetic catch on the opposite side of the hinges. This needs to be installed on the cabinet. A strike plate needs to be attached on the door.
A key feature to having a built in ironing board is that it folds up into the wall and takes up no space. Living in a small house as I do, space is a priceless commodity. Any way that I can save any space, is a benefit to me.
Having your ironing board at your fingertips helps you keep your clothing ironed and wrinkle free. You are more likely to use your center if it is easily available to you. It helps me save on my dry cleaning bills too because I am now able to press a lot of my own clothes at home instead of sending them out to the dry cleaners.
