Life’s all about first impressions. Seriously, it takes only 7 seconds for people to form a first impression of one another. That’s really not much time to get your personality across. Still, there are some tricks to making a good impression quickly. One of which begins at your doorstep.
Your doormat is one of the first things people notice when they visit your home, so use this opportunity to show off your style! The best way to do so is by making your own doormat. Your guests will be welcomed by so much more than just a welcome mat.
Where to begin? This DIY tutorial from Simply Self Storage will help get you started. It provides detailed step-by-step instructions along with 11 printable stencils for your mat design. Pick from simple sayings like “Home Sweet Home,” or my personal favorite, “Hope You Have Wine.”
I won’t lie, making these doormats is a little tricky at first. But once you get the hang of things it becomes much easier! A good pro tip for beginners is to choose a bigger, more blocky design for your first attempt. They will be easier to cut out than detailed or cursive sayings. If you’re feeling adventurous, though, do whatever makes you happy.
I’ve included a list of basic materials and instructions you will need to make your own doormat. Follow this tutorial and you will have your new doormat in no time!
Materials You Will Need:
To start, you’ll need a blank coir mat (standard outdoor welcome mat), outdoor acrylic paint, cardstock, exacto knives, foam paint brushes, a downloaded stencil, painter’s tape, pins, and a printer.
- Choose Your Design and Print it Out
Once you’ve chosen your template, go ahead and print it out on printer-safe cardstock. The downloadable stencils in this post work best with 18×30 inch doormats, which are the standard size!
- Tape Your Mat Securely
Cover the surface of your doormat with painter’s tape, pressed firmly into the mat and layered over itself.
- Arrange the Stencil on Your Mat
Next, layer the stencils on top where you’d like them to appear. Pin down the cardstock.
- CAREFULLY Cut Out Your Design
Use the exacto knife to cut through the cardstock AND tape, leaving the areas where you will paint the text exposed. The best way to do this is with a fresh, sharp blade.
- Paint Several Coats
Use any color of outdoor acrylic paint and paint your design! You’ll probably have to do a couple of layers, but don’t press too hard or the design will bleed.
- Let Dry and Reveal Your Design
Wait for the paint to dry then remove the layer of tape.
- Enjoy Your Doormat!
All done! Spray that baby with some UV resistant finishing spray if you want, and place it outside!