Personalized Welcome Mat Ideas

Choose Your Mat
Each of these welcome mat ideas uses a different type of base material. Both are made of a thick durable fiber, perfect for personalization and cleaning off muddy shoes.

• Woven Sisal Doormat- Sisal is a woven fiber that comes from a cactus plant. This particular mat has a wide square weave, ideal for working in ribbon or attaching accents.
  
• Coir Doormat- Coir is a fiber found between the husks of a coconut and has a fuzzy yet very tough, durable surface that absorbs paint well.
  
• Wood and Tile Doormat- The wood and tile provide a sleek, clean look for your doormat that, with the addition of a bristle brush, can rub out outdoor messes as well.

Woven Sisal Welcome Mat

MATERIALS:
1 woven sisal doormat
1 or 2 spools of 1” ribbon
Hot glue and/or florist’s twine
Accents that will lie mostly flat, such as artificial flowers,
leaves or berries.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pick up an inexpensive but sturdy woven sisal mat at your local home and garden store. It will most likely be medium to dark brown in color.
2. Make sure the ribbon you choose is durable enough to withstand the elements but not so bulky it won’t fit through the holes. Start by weaving the ribbon in and out all the way around the outer edge of the mat. You can weave just once around or several times for a thicker border. Also try alternating colors for a vibrant pattern.
3. Use florist’s twine or hot glue to attach your accents securely to the mat. Make sure to leave space in the center for your family or visitors to wipe their messy feet.

By using ribbon and florist's twine, you can change the color of the ribbon or the accents easily for different seasons, holidays, and special occasions. Also consider transforming your sisal rug into something special with oil paints and an artistic hand.

Painted Coir Welcome Mat
These instructions provide you with the basics but feel free to try your own ideas as well. You can experiment with color or other decorative techniques, such as taping off a lattice pattern on the mat, creating two borders, or using picture stencils as accents.

MATERIALS:
1 Coir doormat
At least one 12 oz. can of enamel spray paint (be sure to choose a color that contrasts with the color of the mat)
2” masking tape
1” masking tape
Scissors
Card stock (for lettering)
Ruler
T-pins

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Lay the doormat on a flat surface outside. You can place a cardboard box under the mat to prevent overspray from getting on the surface.
2. Use 2” masking tape to tape off the edge of the mat (flush to the edge). Use 1” tape to tape off a border 1/2” from the 2” tape. You can tape further away for a thicker border.
3. Tape down paper in the center of the mat to prevent spray paint from getting into this section. Using a circular motion, spray in the border. Remove the paper from the center.
4. For a welcome message, house number or last name, create your own stencils by tracing or printing out characters on card stock or thick paper then cutting them out. If you need a little help with this, you can usually find letter and number stencils at the hardware store.
5. Using the T-pins and ruler, tack down the letters or numbers to the center of the mat.
6. Using a circular motion, spray the paint over the mat. Use multiple coats for added coverage.
7. Wait 1 hour for the paint to dry before removing tape and characters or stencils.

Wood and Tile Welcome Mat

MATERIALS:
1/8” backer board*
12” x 12” tile sheets*
2” x 4” piece of lumber*
1” x 2” cedar pieces*
Tile adhesive
Wood adhesive
Super Glue
Tape measurer
Hammer
Nails
Utility knife and/or tile nippers
Stiff bristle brush
Indoor/outdoor spar urethane

*How much backer board and tile you will use depends on the size that you want your doormat to be. You can have the 1/8” backer board cut down to the exact size at your local hardware store and you will be able to determine how many 12” x 12” tile sheets you’ll need, what the dimensions of your cedar frame are, how long the slats of cedar inside the frame should be and how long you want the 2” x 4” to be based on the size you want your doormat.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Measure out with a tape measure how large you would like your wood and tile mat to be. Make sure to get a measurement for both the entire mat and for the slated wooden grate that will be in the center of the mat.
2. Take your measurements down to Lowe’s where they can cut all of the lumber that you need, including your backer board, 1” x 2”s, 2” x 4” and the wood for your grate.
3. When you get back home, use your utility knife or tile nippers to cut the 12” x 12” tile sheets into strips that cover the surface of the backer board. Once you’ve cut out the tile strips, adhere them to the backer board with tile adhesive following the directions on the package.
4. Build the frame for the wooden grate using the properly measured 1” x 2”s of cedar wood. Once you’ve made the frame, attach the slats to the center using wood adhesive. This wooden grate is not adhered to the backer board so it can be removed for cleaning.
5. Take your stiff bristle brush and nail it down into place on top of the properly measured 2” x 4”. Once it has been attached you can super glue it to one of the ends of the doormat or simply leave it freestanding.
6. Finish with a coat of indoor/outdoor spar urethane to protect the wood parts from the elements.

It isn’t truly a welcome mat until you’ve added your own unique, personalized touches. When you proudly display your mat, friends and family will be sure to smile and feel at home every time they walk through your door. Now you’re ready to put your mat to use!