It is impossible to walk around in wrinkled clothes - everyone needs an ironing board. On the one hand, a standard floor device is functional, because it is convenient to iron, but on the other hand, it is irrational: every time you need to lift it, move it apart, walk around it, fold it, and hide it. It takes up a lot of space and is a lot of hassle. Where to iron, how to unload the living space? There is a solution - purchase or make a built-in ironing board.
Types of built-in ironing devices
There are plenty of options for ergonomic, practical ironing devices that relieve space and fit seamlessly into the interior.
Folding
There are several types of folding ironing boards, including the following:
- Classic wall-mounted version of the ironing board. The tabletop-lid (solid wood, laminated chipboard or moisture-repellent plywood) is attached to a frame-frame with a simple folding mechanism, and it is attached to the wall (at two or four points). When folded, the board is positioned vertically; when working, it is positioned horizontally on the floor. There are two possible methods of fixation: without a supporting leg or for (reinforcement) on a stand resting on the floor.
Important!
When installing the classic wall-mounted version of a built-in ironing board, the frame to which the lid is attached remains open. Metallized frame pipes will fit perfectly into a loft or industrial style, emphasizing its deliberate simplicity; disharmony with others is possible.
If the ironing device is hidden in a box with a sliding decorated panel or a hinged door, imbalance can be avoided.
- Ironing board with wall mirror. A two-in-one variation: on the outside there is an elegant reflective surface of any shape or size, on the inside there is an interior device for ironing clothes. The mirror sheet can be hinged - sliding to the side, or hinged - a traditional single-leaf structure using canopies, a box and a movable sheet. An additional advantage of combining two functionalities is unloading the scarce space of a small apartment and its visual expansion. A built-in ironing board with a mirror can be integrated into any interior style by framing the reflective surface with a suitable finishing or decorative material (baguette, molding) - natural wood, wild or ornamental stone, stucco, plastic.
Retractable
A folding version of the ironing board, placed inside a furniture box (in a cabinet, chest of drawers). It is fixed on the guides by the widened part of the base, the tabletop “breaks” in the middle, folding in half - the narrowed part is laid on the wide one - face to face. The dimensions of the retractable ironing board are proportional to the size of the drawer, stability depends on the quality of the guides.
Built-in
Maximum space saving. The optimal variation for small apartments. It is usually made to order when purchasing a wardrobe or installed with your own hands in both a wardrobe and a kitchen cabinet (a labor-intensive but functionally rewarding process of filing partitions, installing a fastening system and fixing structures).
Important!
In a large ironing wardrobe, it is more advisable to install not a static board, but a rotating or folding board with a built-in socket. In the classic variation of the cabinet with swinging doors - with a folding device and a light weight structure.
Design
It is necessary to take into account many sizes and correlate them in one product. You can consider the project in the form of a strict drawing or make preliminary sketches. They display:
- shape of parts (guides, ironing board, frame elements, legs);
- dimensions of all structural elements;
- joints connecting parts to each other and to cabinet elements.
The diagram will help you calculate the amount of material, hardware, and bolts. If changes are needed in the process, they are easier to track on the drawing and adjust.
DIY built-in ironing board
Several built-in variations are possible in the cabinet:
- retractable - a complex design for homemade craftsmen with specialized telescopic mechanisms;
- hidden - in a niche behind shelves or a mirror - requires stable carpentry skills;
- folding - with a simple and reliable fastening and fixing mechanism.
The folding option is easy to implement. The structure consists of:
- ironing surface (you can use a modernized base of a folding floor board);
- folding device;
- frames;
- support attached to the rear wall of the cabinet.
For a DIY installation, it is better to use the practical installation of a static board to the middle shelf (at lumbar level) using door awnings, piano hinges or butterfly hinges (ideally hidden hinges). The upper shelves above the ironing tabletop are filed down so that it can be placed freely when folded behind a closed cabinet door.
The support must be attached to the wall with the same hinges that were used for the table top, and hooks must be installed under it on the bottom (back) side of the board. During operation, the lower support is folded back and secured with hooks to the board lowered onto it.
This version of a hand-made ironing device is stable and maneuverable.
Materials and tools
To convert a regular ironing board into a folding one, we need the following:
Material
- 2 door hinges;
- medium sized latch.
Tool
- screwdriver;
- roulette;
- pencil.
Rules for choosing functional ironing boards
When preparing to purchase or accept the ordered and installed drawers and built-in ironing boards on the wall, check:
- folding mechanism - smooth lowering, no noise, there should be no doubt about the quality and durability of the material;
- reliability of fastening of the support to a box, shelf or wall and stability of the structure - swaying, dangling in a horizontal position will unbalance the fastener, leading to injury during ironing and breakage;
- weight of the structure - the wall thickness should not hold, but calmly hold the total mass of the ironing board, linen and iron;
- warranty promises and obligations of the manufacturer and installer: no guarantees - refusal to use.
I'm doing coloring
- Using sandpaper, I lightly sanded the metal legs before painting.
- Then I painted it with spray paint.
- I also sanded the edges of the furniture panel.
- After that, I applied varnish to the wooden surfaces in 3 layers.
- Light sanding was done between coats.
Important! Apply varnish to both sides of the furniture board to prevent the tabletop from deforming.
Some popular models from top-rated manufacturers
Among the available options for built-in boards, there are those that you can follow when making devices for ironing clothes/clothes yourself, or buy and use for their intended purpose - they will last a long time and faithfully. I am glad that they were produced mainly in Russia and the CIS - TriYA, IRON SLIM, Shelf-On, “Lubimy Dom”:
- wall-mounted ironing board “Mermaid” with a chrome-plated pipe frame and an automatic lock - installed quickly and easily, taking up only 8 cm from the wall;
- built-in “Rocket” board with variable installation methods (inside and outside the cabinet), mounting on the right or left rack, with a varied set of ironing surfaces and, what is especially valuable, its maximum permissible load is 70 kg;
- wide built-in ironing board attached to the wall with reinforced brackets with a mirror cabinet from IRON SLIM;
- compact ironing board Astra-mini Eco, built into a cabinet with hinged doors, with a plastic lock included - child protection.
Behind the mirror
Such designs reliably disguise the ironing device and do not spoil the appearance of the room. The main advantage of a board built into a mirror is convenience. It easily unfolds and hides after use. You can order a ready-made piece of furniture or make it yourself.
Legs and lifting mechanism
First, a little about how to repair the lifting mechanism, as well as restore the legs.
Such restoration is not always possible. A lot depends on what kind of board you have and what happened to it. It's hard for me to say which one is better to take. I've heard a little about Nika's boards, and the reviews about them are contradictory. The situation is somewhat better with Leifheit and Laura Star. Expensive and durable designs.
[adv1]
- Damage to the lifting mechanism. A common problem with cheap designs. Usually something breaks, falls off, the integrity of the weld is broken, the metal simply bursts due to its low quality under the influence of loads. Sometimes using a welding machine helps. But not everyone has it, plus if the metal is too thin, nothing will work. Cold welding also does not work well. You can try to tie the structure using fishing line or wire;
- Damage to the legs. They can become deformed and break. Repair of thin legs is usually not provided, since restoration does not give the desired result. For a more durable structure, use welding.
In general, I would like to say on my own that buying a cheap ironing device leads to the consequences under consideration with almost 80% probability.
Very rarely, budget Chinese products can last 4-5 years. Usually they talk about their breakdown after 1-2 years.
Therefore, most often they are faced with the restoration of the coating.
In a wall cabinet
You can also make a small hanging cabinet yourself. Its difference from the previous version is that not only a board, but also an iron and ironing supplies fit inside the structure. The cabinet is slightly wider than the mirror, but fits perfectly into the decor and serves as additional storage space.
Cut out parts
The functional wall-mounted folding structure made of plywood sheets consists of the following parts:
- one part - 60*90 cm;
- another piece - 30*90 cm;
- two corners;
- seven strips 5 cm wide of different lengths, one of which is 90*5 cm.
To make parts, use a hacksaw with a fine tooth or a jigsaw, and pre-fix the workpiece in a vice.
