DIY Doormat

There is something to be said for a really great doormat. It sets the tone for your visitors, sends you off on your way out the door in the morning, and welcomes you home at night — not to mention its important function of trapping dirt and debris before it has the chance to be tracked inside. Crafting your own DIY Doormat is a fun, affordable, and accessible way of exercising your creativity, and it might even buy you a few extra seconds when you’re scrambling to answer the door (because your guests will be admiring your new doorstep accessory, of course). No need to roll out the welcome wagon with this DIY — your customized doormat is sure to increase your porch chops!

TOP IMAGE: Gather all your supplies before beginning your project. You won’t want to be running around hunting for things; preparation is key.

MIDDLE IMAGE: Take your time and cut each letter out carefully. Remember you are removing printed portions of your text and anything white needs to stay in place as part of your stencil.

BOTTOM IMAGE: Multiple coats will be necessary to ensure the paint gets into all the nooks and crannies of the mat. Apply gentle pressure to work the paint down into the fibres and let dry between coats for a better build up of the paint.

HOW- TO

STEP ONE: Decide what you’d like your doormat to say. Remember that you’ll be using an X-Acto knife to slice around the edges of whatever you choose, so we recommend you keep it short and sweet. Use any program similar to Microsoft Word, set your page template to landscape, and select a font and size for your phrase or image. Once you’ve printed your template (hint: this will probably take up several pages, depending on your selection), set it off to the side.

STEP TWO: Take your double-sided carpet tape and secure it horizontally onto one side of your blank doormat. Try to overlap the tape slightly to ensure no paint will get where you don’t want it to go!

STEP THREE: Lay your template over your taped-up mat and experiment with where you would like it to be: In the center? Off to one corner? It’s entirely up to you! Feel free to use a tape measure to ensure symmetry if needed. Once you’ve settled on the perfect spot, remove the top layer of the carpet tape to reveal the sticky side up and adhere your stencil. Secure the edges of the stencil with painter’s tape.

STEP FOUR: You may now begin to cut out your letters with your X-Acto knife. Remember: slow and steady wins the race! Be cautious and patient, especially when it comes to any tight corners!

• Once your template is cut out, re-check your tape and ensure nothing has moved or loosened while you were cutting out your template.

STEP FIVE: You’re ready to start painting! Using your sponge brush, dip the tip into the paint and begin brushing along the open areas. Gentle pressure will be needed to push the paint into the pile of the rug. You will have to apply several coats — just keep going until you’re pleased with the opacity of the letters.

STEP SIX: Remove all the tape, allow to dry overnight and enjoy your new welcome mat!

SUPPLIES

• PLAIN DOORMAT

• DOUBLE-SIDED CARPET TAPE

• PAINT

• SPONGE BRUSH

• X-ACTO KNIFE

• PAINTER'S TAPE