Make a Spooky Halloween Doormat in Just 4 Steps
Halloween season is here! And even though this year looks different, there are still plenty of opportunities to dress up your home for the holiday. One great way to show some—ahem—spirit? With an on-theme doormat that you can make in an afternoon with just a couple of easy-to-find materials. Here’s how to spookify your stoop.
What you need to make a spooky doormat
- coir doormat, like this one
- black spray paint
- clear spray sealant
- paper and printer
- craft knife or scissors
- painter’s tape
- glue stick (optional)
1. Create and print your saying
On your computer, draft up the spooky saying you’d like to add to your doormat. Here, it’s “do not enter,” but any favorite saying will do. Make sure to size your letters to the scale that will look right on your doormat. It’s OK if they only print one letter to a page; you’ll cobble the sheets together once they’re printed to create your stencil.
Once you’ve printed your phrase, lay out your pieces of paper in the way you’d like the words to be displayed on the doormat. Then, cut out each letter with a craft knife or a pair of scissors so that you have a stencil with a space where the letter should be.
2. Glue or tape together the stencil pieces
If you printed your stencil on printer paper, now’s the time to put the various pieces together. Use a glue stick or tape to connect the various pieces so that you have one large stencil.
3. Secure the stencil to the doormat
Use painter’s tape to secure the stencil to the doormat. If you have any letters with holes—such as the “D” and “O” shown here—make sure to hang onto their center piece and tape inside the hole before painting.
4. Spray paint over the stencil
Spray over the stencil with your black paint, working in short bursts while moving the can steadily across the doormat. You’ll probably need a couple coats.
Once you’ve sprayed on your lettering and that has dried, you can also create a stencil for any other designs or embellishments for the rug—skulls, cats, and other spooky images are easy to find clip art for online. Here, we chose a delicate calligraphy flourish.
Print the image, as you did for the lettering, and tape it to the rug where you’d like to paint the pattern. Make sure to cover up the rest of the rug with plain paper or a garbage bag to keep it from getting accidentally sprayed.
5. Finish with a clear coat
Use a clear protective spray over your rug once the paint is dry to help protect it from fading and cracking.
Want to see more ways to decorate your front door for Halloween? We’ve got four more fresh ideas to DIY… if you dare.