A foldable ironing board cabinet is a great way to save up on valuable space and keep all your ironing needs in one place.
The best part about a wall-mounted ironing board cabinet is how easy it can be to build one yourself!
In today’s article, we’ll walk you through a complete guide that shows you how to build an ironing board cabinet in 9 easy steps! So without further ado, let’s dive in!
What You Need for This Project
Before diving into the juicy details of the project, there are some tools and materials needed to build this ironing board cabinet. To help you with the preparation, here’s a round-up of all the materials used in this guide.
- Wood panels (MDF or real wood can work) according to the size of your ironing board
- A measuring tape or any other convenient measuring device
- 2 or 3 appropriate size piano hinges
- A Pencil for marking
- A 12-inch rafter square for accurate cuts
- A hand saw or a circular saw
- Bar clamps
- Handheld drill with a driver piece
- Screwdriver
- Hook and eye latch (optional)
- Painting brush with wood paint of your choice for finishing (optional)
A Step By Step Guide to Make an Ironing Board Cabinet
With all the tools and materials at your disposal, it’s time to move on to our guide. This guide has all the steps that you need to follow in order to build the cabinet.
Step 1: Measure the Dimensions of the Ironing Board
Since the ironing board is the main highlight of the cabinet you’re building, the first thing you want to do in this project is measuring the dimensions of your ironing board.
If you don’t have an ironing board, a highly suitable choice for this project is the Superior Essentials Wall Mounted Ironing Board.
This one is made of durable materials and quite easy to install. It’s mainly designed to hang on a wall, but our ironing board cabinet should be durable enough to handle the job.
The dimensions of this wall-mounted ironing board are approximately 37 x 12 inches. If you’re using your own ironing board, make sure that you measure it, so you can cut out the cabinet panels accordingly.
Also, measure the thickness of the board + the mounting system when folded, so you can figure out the depth of the ironing board cabinet. For this model, this should be about 5.25 inches deep.
Step 2: Cut out the Cabinet Shutter Door Accordingly
After measuring the dimensions of the ironing board, use the measuring tape, the rafter square, and the pencil to carefully outline the cut-outs you need to make for the cabinet door.
The door is the most important part in the project because all other pieces will be measured and cut out accordingly. This might be a good time to install a handle to the door to make it easy to open and close
Step 3: Mark and Cut the Body of the Cabinet to Length
Using the dimensions of the door, cut the rest of the cabinet’s parts This should include the dimensions of the top, bottom, and sides of the cabinet.
If you’re going to build an accessory shelf inside, you should also measure that out now. Put all pieces together without attaching to make sure they fit properly before heading to the next step.
Step 4: Assemble the Ironing Board Cabinet Frame
Using the top, bottom, and side pieces, you can build the frame to which the shutter door and the back panel attaches.
Using a handheld drill or a hammer, attach either the top or bottom panel to the two side panels, then fasten them together using one or two screws or nails of the appropriate length.
Some people might also use wood glue to fortify these attachments, but that is not necessary here. You can then attach the rest of the panels while stabilizing the frame with a clamp.
Step 5: Add a Back Panel to the Ironing Board Cabinet
The back panel is the part that holds the ironing board, so it has to be durable enough. Ideally, the back panel needs to be at least 3/4 to one inch thick.
After cutting out the back panel according to the width and length of the frame, drill pilot holes into them, then secure the back panel through the top, bottom, and sides with adequate screws.
Step 6: Make a Small Shelf inside the Cabinet (Optional)
A cabinet shelf would be a great spot to keep the iron properly stored. Cut out the shelf so that it has the same length as the frame’s top and bottom panels.
However, it should be 3/4 to one inch narrower, depending on the thickness you went with while making the back panel.
Mark the spot of attachment with a pencil, then drill pilot holes in the back panel to secure the shelf with screws.
Step 7: Attach the Door to the Ironing Board Cabinet
Start by drilling pilot holes for the piano hinges on the ironing board frame, then attach it to the cabinet door.
Adjust the hinges plane then fasten them with a screwdriver, so that they stay firmly attached. This might be a good time to also attach a hook and eye latch to the door for safety and preventing the door from opening accidentally.
Step 8: Paint and Style the Ironing Board Cabinet
Now that you have a fully functional cabinet, it’s a good time to paint or decorate it to your likings before installing the ironing board to it.
Step 9: Hang the Ironing Board Cabinet
Follow the ironing board instructions to attach the board properly to a wooden cabinet. Make sure to give the ironing board a test run before drilling or fastening any screws.
Wrap Up
With that said, you now know how to build an ironing board cabinet in quick and easy steps!
Of course, the measurements, dimensions, and arrangement of steps will rely on the type of ironing board cabinet you’re going with, so you always have room for adjustments and improvising according to your needs.
