DIY Camping Doormat

Last year, I bought a cheap little doormat to take camping.  Not only did it not stay in place, it also didn’t do anything to keep the dirt out. So this year, I decided to get a coir doormat for our camping trip. These doormats are heavy-duty, they stay in place, and they help keep the dirt out. I also love that they are so easy to customize. Have you customized your own doormat? It’s easy to do with your Cricut or Silhouette. Today, I’m showing how to make this camping doormat.  I think it turned out so great!  Read on for all the details.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO

STEP 1: DOWNLOAD THE FREE SVG FILE

The first thing you’ll need to do is get the free SVG file you’ll use for this project.  I keep all the SVG files I use for the projects I make in my SVG Library.  These SVG files work with Cricut and Silhouette machines, as well as many others.  This library is open to everyone and is free! You can access the library here.

STEP 2: CUT AND WEED VINYL STENCIL

Open the design in your software program and draw a rectangle around it to create a stencil.  I sized my design to 21.75″ x 10.6″.

Do you need more help with creating a vinyl stencil?  Check out these posts.

How to Make a Vinyl in Cricut Design Space.
How to Make a Vinyl Stencil in Silhouette Studio

When everything is sized correctly, you can cut the stencil with your Cricut or Silhouette.  Once it has finished cutting, weed away the excess vinyl.

STEP 3: APPLY TRANSFER TAPE

Cut a piece of transfer tape a little larger than the design.  Before you put the vinyl on the tape, rub a t-shirt or towel over it to remove some of the tackiness.

Place the vinyl on the transfer tape. Use an application tool to rub over the design. Then, trim off the excess transfer tape.

STEP 4: REMOVE VINYL BACKING

Pull off the vinyl backing. Because we removed some of the tackiness of the transfer tape, it might take a little extra work to get the backing off.  Go slow and use your fingers to get the vinyl to stay on the transfer tape.

STEP 5: POSITION VINYL ON DOORMAT

Place the vinyl on the doormat and use a ruler to center the design.  The vinyl won’t really stick, so you can move it around until it’s centered.

STEP 6: REMOVE TRANSFER TAPE

This part can be a little slow, but it’s totally doable, just be patient.

Carefully pull back about 2″ of the transfer tape.

Place a piece of tape over the edge of vinyl and doormat.  This will help keep the vinyl in place while you remove the rest of the transfer tape.

Use one hand to hold the vinyl in place and the other hand to pull off the transfer tape. Keep track of the insides of the letters.

At this point, don’t expect the vinyl to stick to the mat. All you’re doing in this step is removing the transfer tape from the vinyl.

STEP 7: STRAIGHTEN OUT DESIGN

Once the transfer tape is removed, go back over the design and straighten everything out.

Make sure all the insides of the letters are in place.

STEP 8: APPLY HEAT TO THE VINYL

Applying heat makes the vinyl shrink, helps it adhere to the doormat, and helps create a really nice stencil.

You can use an iron or an easy press. Place copy paper or a teflon sheet over the design and iron for just a few seconds.  You’ll know it’s worked if the vinyl is tight and you can see the texture of the doormat through the vinyl.

I set my Easy Press to 250 degrees and pressed for about 3 seconds.

STEP 9: FILL IN THE STENCIL

Start filling in the design with paint.

Use a stencil brush and an up and down motion to apply the paint.  Try not to brush back and forth.  This will help minimize bleeding.

STEP 10: APPLY A PROTECTIVE FINISH (OPTIONAL)

To protect the paint, you can spray on a protective finish.

Let the paint dry and leave the stencil in place.  Use copy paper or something similar to protect the rest of the mat from overspray.  Then, just spray on a couple of coats of the finish.

STEP 11: REMOVE VINYL STENCIL

Once everything is dry, carefully pull off the stencil.  You can use a craft knife or weeding tool to pull out the centers of the letters.

Now you’ve got a super cute customized doormat you’ve made with your Silhouette or Cricut!

Did you enjoy this post? Help spread the word!  Share this post on your favorite Pinterest board.  Thanks!

Want to make your own? Get the free cut file for this project in the Resource Library.