First impressions are so important! It only takes a couple of seconds for someone to form a mental image of you, but a couple of seconds is not much time to convey what you’re truly like. One way to help with this is to decorate your home to reflect your personality! The best place to start? Your doorstep. Recreate these DIY Doormats with Printables!
DIY Doormats with Printables
Your welcome mat is one of the first things guests notice when visiting your home. This makes it a great opportunity to show off your personality! The best way to express yourself is by making your doormat yourself. Your guests will always remember this personal welcome. You can also get clear acrylic blocks and stick it on your front door with a welcome message along with your DIY door mat.
This is all great, but where to even begin? This DIY tutorial by Simply Self Storage is a great guide to making your own door mat. It includes detailed instructions with visuals, as well as my favorite part: 11 printables to use as stencils. They have plenty of options to choose from, such as “Hey Y’all,” “Live Laugh Love,” and even silly ones like “The Password is Guacamole.”
This project makes gathering your printables easy. However, cutting out the stencil onto the mat can be tricky at first. My tip for beginners is to choose a large, blocky design to start with, like the “Hey Y’all” stencil. The straight lines will be easier to cut out than cursive designs. But hey, nobody can stop you from following your heart’s desire if you’re feeling a little bit crafty today!
Below, I’ve included a list of materials and basic instructions for making your own welcome mat. Stick to these steps and soon you’ll your very own custom piece of outdoor home decor. As always, Happy Printing!
Materials You Will Need:
Blank coir mat (standard outdoor mat)
Outdoor acrylic paint
Foam paint brushes
Exacto knife
Cardstock
Painter’s Tape
Pins
Printer
And a downloaded stencil!
- Choose Your Design and Print it Out
Scroll through the list of printable templates and choose your favorite. Then, print it out on some printer-safe cardstock. The stencils I’ve linked fit best on 18×30” doormats, which are the standard size for doormats.
- Tape Your Mat Securely
Use the painter’s tape to fully cover the surface of the doormat. Make sure it is firmly pressed down and there are no gaps in the tape.
- Arrange the Stencil on Your Mat
Place the stencils on the mat where you like, then pin them down for cutting.
- CAREFULLY Cut Out Your Design
With your exacto knife, cut along the stencil, cutting through the cardstock and tape. You want the areas where the design will be to be completely exposed. If you’re struggling to cut, try getting a new blade.
- Paint Several Coats
Use any color of outdoor acrylic paint and paint your design! You’ll probably have to do a couple layers, but don’t press too hard or the design will bleed.
With whichever color of acrylic paint you like, paint in your design. Don’t press the brush down too hard or the paint will bleed. Three layers of paint should be enough, but use your best judgement!
- Let Dry and Reveal Your Design
Give the paint a few hours to fully dry, then carefully remove the tape.
- Enjoy Your Doormat!
You’re done! If you would like to, spray the mat with some UV resistance sealing spray then place it outside!
