DIY WOOD SLAT DOORMAT

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Of all the projects I’ve done, I think this one just took 1st place! I’m in love you guys! The natural cedar wood is stunning and the simple, modern lines make this piece look like an expensive doormat from a high end store. It was actually fairly simple to make and here’s how I did it…

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• 17 cedar boards measuring 1”x2”x3’

• 1 cedar board measuring 1”x2”x6’

• Tung Oil

• 34 finish nails (4D – 1 1/2” long)

• Old Rag

TOOLS NEEDED:

• Chop Saw

• Power Sander & Sandpaper (80 grit + 220 grit)

• Hammer

STEP 1 – CUT THE WOOD

You should have 17 cedar boards that are 36 inches long – no need to cut those! You should also have one cedar board that is 6 feet long – cut two sections that are each 20 1/8” long.

STEP 2 – SAND

My wood was pretty rough so I needed to use two different sandpaper grits to get my desired smoothness. To start, I used 80 grit sandpaper over everything and then I went over it all again with 220 grit.

STEP 3 – WIPE ON TUNG OIL

I don’t love the look of cedar wood when it has started to gray so in order to keep its original color I used tung oil. Using an old rag, wipe tung oil over all 4 sides of the wood. Wait 24 hours and apply a second coat over everything.

STEP 4 – MAKE THE FRAME

Working on a flat surface, place 2 boards on end at a 90 degree angle. Hammer two finish nails (one above the other) in the corner to secure the two boards together. Continue with the remaining three corners. You should now have a frame as shown in the image above.

STEP 5 – FILL IT IN

Working with one board at a time, lay one board on end within the frame making sure that it’s spaced 3/8” from the board next to it. To ensure I got the spacing right each time, I cut a small pieces of wood that was exactly 3/8” wide. I put the wood spacer in the gap and pushed the board snug up against it to make sure the gap was exactly 3/8”. (As shown in the image below)

Once the board was in the right spot, I hammered two nails in each end to secure the board into place (just like I did with the frame in step 4). Continue until you have nailed all 15 boards into place.

You’re done! Isn’t it absolutely stunning?! It’s so modern and simple and I love the natural wood color! If you try this project for yourself, please share it with me on Instagram @nadine_stay! I’d love to see yours!