The quick answer: the easiest way to make a custom doormat in the UK is to design it online with a service that shows you the finished mat before you pay, then have it printed on a coir mat and posted to you. With Dormat that takes a few minutes: describe the mat or upload your own artwork, change anything on the live preview, and order. Every mat is 60 × 40 cm, £25.99, printed in Britain with free UK delivery. If you'd rather make one by hand, you can stencil and paint a plain coir mat yourself.
1. Design and order one online (the fastest way)
- Open the designer. Go to dormat.co.uk/create. It works on a phone or a computer and you don't need an account.
- Describe your mat, or upload your own. Type what you want in a sentence (“The Patels, est. 2021, with a cockapoo”) and you get three designs in seconds. Or choose Upload your own to put your own logo or artwork on the mat.
- Make it yours on the preview. Tap any word or picture to edit, resize, move or delete it, and tap the border to change or remove it. The preview is the mat we print, so there's no proof to wait for.
- Check the spelling and order. Add it to your basket and pay. Your mat is made to order and dispatched the next working day by Royal Mail Tracked (or collected free from our shop in Baldock, Hertfordshire).
Not sure what to write? See 60 personalised doormat ideas or start from one of our most popular designs.
2. Make one yourself with a stencil and paint
If you enjoy a craft project, you can make a custom doormat at home:
- Buy a plain coir doormat, ideally with a rubber or PVC backing so it won't slip.
- Make a stencil: print your wording in a very bold font, at least 5 cm tall, and cut it out of card or adhesive vinyl. Fine lines and small letters won't show up on coir.
- Tape the stencil down firmly so paint can't creep under the edges.
- Dab thick acrylic or outdoor paint straight down into the fibres with a stencil brush or sponge. Don't brush sideways, and do several light coats rather than one heavy one.
- Peel the stencil off while the paint is still slightly wet, then leave the mat flat to dry for a day.
A painted mat is a fun project, but it takes an afternoon, and lettering by hand rarely comes out as crisp as a printed mat.
3. Commission a seller
Many small sellers make personalised doormats to order. Usually you type your wording into a box when you order, the seller sends a proof by message, and you go back and forth until it's right. It works, but it can take a few days before your mat is even made, and you don't see the design until the seller sends it.
What makes a custom doormat look good
- Big, bold lettering. Coir is a textured natural fibre, so thin strokes and small text get lost in it. Chunky fonts read best from the end of the path.
- Few words. A name, a number or one short line beats a paragraph. Two or three rows is usually right.
- One hero. Let the name, the number or one picture be clearly the biggest thing.
- The right size. 60 × 40 cm is the standard UK front-door size and fits most single doors.
- The right place. Coir lasts longest indoors or in a covered porch. Keep it out of the rain. See our care guide.
How much does a custom doormat cost in the UK?
A Dormat custom doormat is £25.99 for any design, with free UK delivery and nothing extra for pictures, lettering or your own artwork. Making one yourself costs a plain coir mat plus paint and stencil materials, and your time.