How Big Should a Doormat Be? – A Doormat Sizing Guide

Doormats may not be the first thing you’ll think of when it comes to essential household items. However, they are crucial in keeping dust particles, dirt, and mud from shoes and outdoor air from entering your home.

Other than door mat material and design style, you should pay attention to its dimensions as well. If anything, the size of welcome mat can make or break your entryway.

So, how big should a doormat be? At the minimum, the mat’s width should be 80% as long as your door’s threshold, whereas its length should allow a person to step both of their feet on. This translates to a standard 18”x30” size for most single doors.

Doormat Standard size

1. Average size

When you choose doormat sizes, you need to take into account its functionality and how it’ll look compared to your door. Too small, and it won’t be able to properly keep the dirt out of your house. Too big, and it can ruin your entryway’s aesthetic.

The minimum requirement for door mat dimensions is that it should take up 80% of the door’s width. So if your interior entrance measures 36” wide (or 3.0 in feet), you should get a rug with dimensions of at least 18”x30”, or the average door mat size.

Note that the above recommendation is only the bare minimum for doormat measurements. It’d be best if you select ones that are roughly the same width as your door’s. Using the same entryway size as the example above, you’d want a 24×36 doormat.

2. Size for double doors

As double doors are bigger than single ones, you obviously can’t get a standard door mat for them. The tricky thing is: double doors come in many size widths. So, to determine what size doormat for double doors, you’ll have to measure the entryway.

The most common width for this door type is 72 inches. Using the 80-percent rule, we can calculate that the minimum size for a double wide front door mat is 30”x60”. Those who prefer one as large as the entryway should opt for 36”x72” welcome mat dimensions.

Those with an 80”x64” entrance, however, will need to measure a door mat to make sure it’s at least 34”x52”. Similarly, an interior 80”x60” doorway will find 30”x48” the smallest possible size for an indoor door mat.

I don’t really recommend getting two rugs with normal door mat size for the double door. Aside from being not very cost-effective, putting 2 mats side-by-side doesn’t look that aesthetically pleasing.

3. Size for doors with glass sidelights

Doors with glass sidelights will need bigger welcome rugs. As sidelights can give the impression of a bigger entrance, sticking to the 80-percent rule can result in a front door mat size that is too small.

In these cases, you’d need to calculate the combined width of the door and the sidelights. Suppose the door is 36” inches wide and has two 12” sidelights, then the welcome mat dimensions should be 30”x60” for the combined 60-inch entryway.

How Do You Choose the Doormat Size?

Typically, relying on our tips above should help you pick the correct doormat size. However, there are a few things you’d want to keep in mind for the best purchase.

1. How large should the doormat be

Aesthetic-wise, doormats roughly the same size as the entrance would be the best choice. These welcome mats will look more cohesive when compared to the door, and they’re large enough to be sufficiently functional.

Areas with high foot traffic, however, will require larger mats. Similarly, regions with humid weather or frequent rains should also consider wider and longer mats to keep the entrance and indoors clean.

In other words, you can opt for mats larger than the door to accommodate higher foot traffic. Just make sure that the mat isn’t so big that it’ll look out of place.

To make it easier for you to quickly find the ideal dimensions for your welcome rug, here’s a doormat size chart for the most common entryways.

2. Thickness of doormat

Do not overlook the thickness of the doormat—it has an impact on functionality as well. For starters, if the mat is thicker than the door’s clearance, it’ll get stuck when you open the door.

Therefore, always check your doorway’s clearance before purchasing any mat. Once you know the mat’s thickness limit, you can start thinking about whether you prefer a shorter or longer pile.

For instance, thicker rugs tend to be more water-absorbent and heavy-duty. Anything between 0.6 to 1 inch in thickness will be more than enough to clean dirt-caked boots.

Shorter piles of doormats, or those thinner than 0.4 inch, aren’t necessarily inferior. While they may not be as durable, they’re ideal for indoor use and can be cleaned with ease. If you’re worried they can’t brush shoes efficiently, pick ones with stiffer piles.

As there’s no standard thickness, you’ll have to rely solely on the door’s clearance and your personal requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a doormat be too big?

While it’s completely okay to pick a doormat wider than your entrance, there’s a certain point where it’ll be too big. When this happens, it can negatively affect the appearance of the door. For instance, a too-wide mat can give the impression that the entryway is cramped.

What size rug to put under the doormat?

In this case, you’d want the rug’s size to be roughly the same or slightly bigger than the entryway.

Note that the rug needs to be bigger than the doormat. To give you an example, if you have a 60-inch wide front door, you’d want a 36”x60” rug. So, for the best-looking combination, pick a 24’x36” welcome mat.

Conclusion

How big should a doormat be? For typical single doors, you can opt for the door mat standard size—18”x30. For others, you’ll need to measure the entryway’s width in order to calculate the mat size.

In case you can’t find a welcome mat with the specific dimensions you want, there’s the option of getting custom-made products. Commissioned mats aren’t that expensive, so you should definitely consider this option for the perfect match with your door.

Did we answer all your questions? If there’s anything you’re still unclear about, don’t be afraid to reach out to us.

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