How To Make a Wooden Doormat

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[{"selector":"#anim-bcbd5139-3b58-4296-a9e9-1abca5564168","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6fb9e06-8bc4-470a-a535-725d620bf268","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(96.71233%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] I don’t always like doing things like the rest of the world, and so when my wife suggested we get a new doormat I thought, “I can make a doormat!” Thus started my crazy idea to make a wooden doormat for our house. Details HERE

I grabbed some scraps of heart pine, and walnut from my scrap pile and started milling them down on the jointer and planer to get them down to ¾” so the doormat wouldn’t be a trip hazard.

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I built a simple frame out of heart pine that was 36” wide and 20” deep to fit my door with simple butt joints. I fastened everything together using polyurethane glue and corrugated fasteners.

[{"selector":"#anim-e59d03a8-8c2b-4cd8-acfa-4532ae285a14","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1bfae2f4-ebe2-4a51-aa12-2906ced8e020","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(98.08219%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] More Details

It took some time to get the pieces cut for one of the sections, but once everything fit the way I wanted I could just make 3 copies of the walnut pieces for each of the remaining sections.

[{"selector":"#anim-859ede5d-13a9-495c-8e76-3686edc172be","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-081582df-0555-460b-9772-0f3f3b8c4e73","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0c9dfd09-e540-43e2-bcd0-c913d4ce62c4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Full Details

I attached these pieces using polyurethane glue and 1” 18 ga. nails which was extremely time consuming, but in the end the pattern was exactly what I’d hoped for.

[{"selector":"#anim-df449b7d-e075-44ba-b050-f0f2e266e617","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b250b8b-49e4-4eae-a19c-50d906c7a7d8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.72603%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Full Details

Fill small joints with stainable wood filler and sand smooth. I sanded everything with 60-grit to make sure all the pieces of wood were completely level then stepped up to 80-grit and finally 120-grit sandpaper softening the edges of the doormat as well.

[{"selector":"#anim-0ecd0479-1f8a-4fc0-9e86-cc312257bd38","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a82aab7-a76f-4fdb-b31c-644e217e9bc6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.72603%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Full Details

After sanding I blew off the dust with compressed air and wiped everything down with a mineral spirits moistened rag to get it completely clean. I used a single coat of an exterior wood finish called Cabot Australian Timber Oil.

[{"selector":"#anim-3196eb1f-f5cf-42cd-854a-0fc85a00e743","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fdb3e449-6ef5-412e-95bd-32361c4f9732","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.72603%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Full Details

Like any outdoor finish it does need to be renewed every couple years depending on the exposure it gets to the elements, and for something like this that is designed to be walked all over it will likely need an annual refinishing.

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How To Make a Wooden Doormat

I grabbed some scraps of heart pine, and walnut from my scrap pile and started milling them down on the jointer and planer to get them down to ¾” so the doormat wouldn’t be a trip hazard.

Get the Wood

I built a simple frame out of heart pine that was 36” wide and 20” deep to fit my door with simple butt joints. I fastened everything together using polyurethane glue and corrugated fasteners.

Build the frame

It took some time to get the pieces cut for one of the sections, but once everything fit the way I wanted I could just make 3 copies of the walnut pieces for each of the remaining sections.

LAY OUT & CUT MIDDLE PIECES

I attached these pieces using polyurethane glue and 1” 18 ga. nails which was extremely time consuming, but in the end the pattern was exactly what I’d hoped for.

ATTACH ALL PIECES

Fill small joints with stainable wood filler and sand smooth. I sanded everything with 60-grit to make sure all the pieces of wood were completely level then stepped up to 80-grit and finally 120-grit sandpaper softening the edges of the doormat as well.

FILL HOLES/JOINTS

After sanding I blew off the dust with compressed air and wiped everything down with a mineral spirits moistened rag to get it completely clean. I used a single coat of an exterior wood finish called Cabot Australian Timber Oil.

Stain & Finish

Like any outdoor finish it does need to be renewed every couple years depending on the exposure it gets to the elements, and for something like this that is designed to be walked all over it will likely need an annual refinishing.

More DIY tips:

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how to pick the right exterior stain

How to: Stain outdoor furniture

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