A change in season means it’s time to make another doormat! I fell in love with my fall doormat and couldn’t believe how simple it was to DIY. In today’s post, I’m going over some tips I have learned from making these doormats. If you would like to read the full instructions on how to make a DIY doormat (including where to purchase the needed supplies), go to THIS post.
Tip #1: Give yourself enough time for this project – at least two days
When I first started making my fall doormat, I had no idea how much time I needed to allow for the project. I would give yourself a solid two days to complete this. Aside from drying time needed between layers and sealant coats, there is a lot of measuring required before you can even get started. Give yourself that time so you aren’t in a rush.
Tip #2: Mix and match fonts for the stencil
In the original doormat blog post (click HERE), I talk about your options to create a stencil. No matter how you choose to create stencil, I recommend mixing font styles to create your phrase. It adds interest to your DIY and looks so much cuter. I like using a font that mimics hand lettering in lower case paired with a simple upper case font. The fonts I use are from Perfect Blend’s font bundle (but you can just purchase a single volume instead of all of the fonts if you’d like).
Tip #3: Be meticulous
Believe it or not, this is not a huge strength of mine. I can be a perfectionist about some things, but at a certain point I usually throw in the towel and say it looks good enough. With painting a phrase on a doormat, you really can’t do that. You need to make sure you are measuring all directions of the phrase so it is centered on your doormat.
After you have it centered, I highly recommend using small pieces of painters table to hold the stencil in place. Then… remeasure again!
Tip #4: Use several layers of paint and the correct type of brushes
I think the key to making this doormat seem professional is many layers of paint. Adding several layers of the black paint completely covers the doormat and makes the project look like it was bought not DIYed. I really liked using a small foam brush to stencil the phrase onto the doormat, just be sure to use up and down motions (not brush strokes) so your stenciled words have clean edges. Also be patient between paint layers, allow it to complete dry before adding a new layer. I told you… give yourself time!
After I have applied several coats of paint with the foam brush, I use a thin brush to go back and fill in any gaps and clean up edges. This takes a bit of time, but it makes the project look sharp!
Tip #5: Spray sealant is crucial
I was a little nervous using the spray sealant (find it HERE). I was really worried it would change the color of the doormat, start to peel, or just look generally bad! I was completely wrong. The spray sealant is clear and definitely protected my doormat all season. In the original post I said the sealant was optional, but I actually think it is a necessity to make your doormat last.
I hope you found these tips helpful!! Tag me in photos of your own DIY doormat!
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