Abstract: A woven fabric for a paper machine, board machine or the like has a single-layered structure formed of machine-direction (MD) threads which bind with cross-direction (CD) threads in a 2-shed repeated pattern to provide the fabric with a 2-shed top surface for carrying a web of material. The fabric also has reinforcing threads, which are in the machine direction and which bind with the CD threads in an n-shed repeated pattern, where n is equal to or greater than 5, providing the fabric with reinforcing flotations in the machine direction on the bottom surface of the fabric. The reinforcing threads bind with only one CD thread per repeat and are as fine as or finer than the MD threads. The MD threads, the CD threads and the reinforcing threads are all made of polymeric material.