An ironing center is convenient, even if you don’t like to iron. When it’s located in a laundry area with a clothes washer and dryer it’s easy to remove a special care shirt from the dryer and give it a quick hit so it’s ready to wear.
A built-in, recessed ironing center can be installed in a wall cavity between the two wall studs. The unit consists of a narrow cabinet with an ironing board that unfolds and storage shelves. It is pre-wired with an electrical system to power an iron, so it should be located near an outlet.
A surface-mounted ironing center is installed directly on the wall, and your iron plugs into a wall outlet nearby.
Whatever type you choose, the challenge is locating the unit so it’s convenient to use near a source of power. For a built-in unit you might have to do some detective work to find a wall with a cavity free of plumbing lines and near a power source. If there’s no electrical outlet, you’ll have to hire an electrician to add a new one, which will add to the cost.
To locate a surface-mounted unit, simply find a wall near the washer and dryer and an electrical outlet for the power source.
A carpenter will charge $700, including labor and material, to install an ironing center. But if you have experience with carpentry and electrical work, you can buy the unit for $555 and install it, saving 21%.
Ironing centers are sold at home centers and online at www.ironaway.com, where you can see a larger selection of units, watch a video and download installation instructions for either a recessed or surface-mounted unit.
To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.
Pro Cost — DIY Cost — Pro time — DIY Time — DIY Savings — Percent Saved
$700 — $555 — 3.0 — 5.0 — $145 — 21 Percent
