Not For Wiping Feet: DIYer Turns A Rubber Mat Into A Stunning Door Detail

Custom architectural detailing who? You don't need artisan-crafted iron grates or hand-carved hardwood accent to dress up your boring front door. You just need a decorative rubber door mat with raised detailing that you love — this Croft & Cane Lattice Rubber Mat is a good example. Jack Kinsey shares on TikTok how he used something similar to add depth to a recessed area on his door. He cuts the mat to fit the area, glues it in place, and paints everything.

Why move a decorative raised mat to the door instead of leaving it on the floor? It's an inexpensive way to dress up your door compared to using wood or metal accents. And it's one of several cuter ways to decorate front doors without wreaths or garlands. This particular style of rubber mat has holes in it to promote drainage. For door decoration purposes, that creates a raised effect that can cover up a plain panel and even help hide small scratches or dings on the door.

This idea works best in a recessed section because the door trim acts as a frame for the mat. Measure the panel you plan to cover to find a rubber mat that fits. If you need to cut it to size, grab a rotary cutter or utility knife for the project. You'll also need construction adhesive to attach the mat and painting supplies if you want to change the color and paint the front door at the same time.

If you're upcycling a used rubber door mat, shake off loose dirt and scrub it with soapy water to remove dirt and grime. Measure the recessed panel, and cut the mat to fit that area if needed. Shake off loose rubber pieces after cutting. Then, apply construction adhesive to the back and press it against the door. Let the glue dry completely.

@jackkinsey_

ad OMG... I was SO sick of these UPVC doors! They just didn't suit our Edwardian home, but the price of replacing them with wooden doors was absolutely eye watering... so obviously, I had to find a way to fake the antique look instead! * I found everything I needed for this transformation at @B&Q including these rubber doormats... which I stuck onto the lower panels to create ornate Victorian style detailing! I gave everything a quick scuff with sandpaper, cleaned the doors thoroughly with UPVC cleaner and then primed them using Zinsser. It sticks to almost anything and is always my go to for tricky surfaces! For another quick little fix, I used Rub 'n Buff to make the existing handles look like aged brass. This will do perfectly until I find some beautiful period handles to replace them with! I also LOVE those traditional Victorian tiled entrances you see in period homes. I didn't want to tile directly onto the original floorboards, so I laid down a sheet of plywood, primed it and added these gorgeous vintage effect porcelain tiles. I actually used Click + Collect for these and managed to lay the whole entrance in around two hours... such a quick transformation! Honestly, I can't believe these are the same UPVC doors! Do you think I managed to make them look a little more in keeping with the house? • Everything used was from B&Q: • Rubber doormats 5059331230520 £14.99 • UPVC cleaner 5010214831807 £7.50 • Zinsser primer 5037898610177 £25 • Valspar UPVC paint – in-store • Rub 'n Buff 0039672763623 £9.99 • Vintage effect porcelain tiles 8691200677837 £20.58 • Tile adhesive 8022452042065 £23 • Grout 8022452048289 £10.50

♬ original sound – Jack Kinsey

Adding color is one of several ways to transform outdated front doors, and painting the door in this case makes the mat feel like it was always part of the door. Prepare the surface as you would normally for painting by sanding, wiping off the dust, and priming it. Then, paint everything the same color. Using a paint sprayer for the job makes it easier to cover all of the raised parts of the mat. If you want to add an aged effect, brush Rub 'N Buff on raised areas and edges. If you want more contrast, you can paint the mat a different color. You might choose that option if you don't want to repaint the entire door.

If your door doesn't have any recessed areas, you can still use this idea. Attach the mat where you want it, and then glue wooden trim pieces around it to create a framing effect. Or, build a frame separately and glue the mat into it. Then, use double-sided tape to attach it to the door — this is a good option if you rent or don't want to damage the door. The original creator applies this technique on the inside of his door, but you can also attach the rubber mat sections on the outside to help with curb appeal.