Make Your Own DIY Custom Camper Door Mats
Custom camper door mats have become a popular way to personalize a campsite. Walk through any given campground and you’re likely to find at least a dozen of these cute rugs hanging out in front of camper doors, and we’re betting there are even more adorable door mats to be found within the interiors of people’s RVs.Â
Hoping to have a custom camper door mat of your own this season? If so, you’ve come to the right place. You see, it’s totally possible to make one of these awesome mats all on your own. All it takes is some basic tools and a little bit of creativity and you’ll have the RV door mat of your dreams!
Why choose custom camper door mats?
Before we explain exactly how to make custom camper door mats, let’s take a minute to explain why you might want to do this. What is the reason for the popularity of these rugs?
Believe it or not, there are a few reasons somebody might invest in such a thing.
They’re useful
As cute as these rugs are, they actually serve a very real purpose.
If you’ve spent any time at all in an RV, you know how quickly the floors get dirty. You see, camping means spending a lot of time outdoors, and time outdoors means lots of dirt and sand on your feet. The end result is dirt and sand being tracked in on the floor, which then has to be swept up over and over again the entire time you’re out camping.Â
Obviously, chores like sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping aren’t ideal ways to spend a camping trip. Therefore, campers are always on the lookout for ways to reduce the amount of dirt that gets tracked inside in the first place.
Door mats are the perfect solution! They give folks a place to wipe their feet before they head inside, meaning less dirt on your RV floors and a more enjoyable camping trip.Â
They’re fun
Of course, you could just use a plain, boring rug to clean your feet and it would be just as effective as the custom camper door mats we’ve been seeing everywhere. That said, a plain rug is not nearly as fun as a custom rug.
Let’s face it, having a custom rug that is made exactly the way you like it is just plain pleasing, and adding a personal touch to your campsite is a lot of fun for many people. Not only that, but door mats are also small, easy to move, and they actually serve a purpose, making them a more sensible option than yard ornaments. In our opinion, this alone is reason enough to have a custom RV door mat.
They help friends find your site
Even for seasoned RVers, trailers and motorhomes do tend to look pretty similar to one another. This can make finding your friend’s rig hard, especially if you’ve only seen their RV once or twice. This is just another reason to add personal touches to your campsite, and a door mat that includes your name is pretty perfect for this purpose.Â
How to make custom camper door mats
There are actually a few different ways to go about this depending on your budget and whether you own a Cricut cutting machine. That said, the idea is the same no matter which method you go with.
Either way, you’ll need:
- An inexpensive plain door matÂ
- Poster board, masking tape, and double-sided tape OR vinyl and transfer tape
- Acrylic paint and a foam brush, spray paint, OR FlexSeal spray sealant
- Any sealants or UV protectants you wish to use on your design
To make your custom door mat:
- Measure your door mat so you know how big your design should be.
- Head to Canva, Cricut Design Space, Photoshop, or another design website or software and create a design of the correct size. (Alternatively, you could download a pre-made design.)
- Using your Cricut mat or an X-ACTO knife, cut your design onto vinyl or poster board.
- Measure to be sure it’s centered and then stick the vinyl to your mat using the transfer tape, OR tape your poster board stencil down using masking tape and double-sided tape for the insides of letters.Â
- If using FlexSeal or spray paint, carefully move the project outside and use paper or masking tape to cover any exposed part of the mat.Â
- Spray the paint or FlexSeal onto the stencil OR gently blot the acrylic paint onto the stencil with the foam brush. The goal here is to spray or paint straight down, not at an angle. Also avoid using too much paint, as this will seep under the stencil.Â
- Let the paint or FlexSeal sit until about 75% dry, then peel up the stencil.Â
- At this point, you can use a sealant or UV protectant if you wish. Otherwise, simply place the mat on your campsite and enjoy!
This video has a great example of how this process works:Â
Where to order custom camper door mats
Of course, there are RVers who don’t have the time to create their own custom camper door mats. Meanwhile, there are campers out there who just aren’t crafty and would rather not take on such a project. If you fit into either of these categories but would still like a custom door mat for your RV, don’t worry! There are plenty of creative folks out there who would be happy to sell you such a rug.Â
Amazon sells a few custom camper door mat options. Another great place to look is Etsy. There are tons of customizable rugs listed there, making it easy to find the perfect custom door mat for your home-on-wheels.Â
Whether you choose to make a custom camper door mat or have one made for you, you’re sure to love the added personal touch to your campsite as you enjoy using your RV this camping season!
RVers looking for valuable how-to information have learned to go to the experts. Forums such as iRV2.com and blog sites like RV LIFE, Do It Yourself RV, and Camper Report provide all the information you need to enjoy your RV. You’ll also find brand-specific information on additional forums like Air Forums, Forest River Forums, and Jayco Owners Forum.
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