It's funny how one idea leads to another. After my recent Recycled PVC Cable Organizer I started thinking about the honeycombed pipe and what else I could do with it. The idea of creating a grate with rings of PVC seemed pretty cool, but what would I use it for?

I was still thinking about it when I walked into the house later and my wife yelled at me (yet again) for tracking mud in the house. This is the wettest summer we've had in years and my yard and carport is just one big mud pit. Guys in Jeeps slow down when they drive by my house and gaze longingly at all the mud. It's really bad this year and keeping it out of the house is an uphill battle.

Then it hit me- recycled PVC door mat with big rings to scrape shoes. Awesome! Now I just had to build it...

Step 1: I Am the Lord of the Rings!

I wanted to create a lattice of PVC rings so I had to cut them. I cut the rings to 3/4" using the edge of the yellow plastic on my saw bed as a guide. I laid out the rings as I went to determine the dimensions of the mat. I ended up cutting 60 rings for a 6x10 mat. I cleaned up the rings with a razor knife to remove any excess plastic.

Step 2: Cementing the Rings

I started cementing the rings into three-ring sections first. I then connected the sections, building up to the final mat. I used PVC cement and split PVC ring clamps to hold it firm while it cured. When the mat was cured I used the table saw to remove the protruding ring pieces to make a nice rectangular mat.

Step 3: Building the Wooden Frame

I cut 3/4" strips of plywood to make a frame for the mat. I attached the strips to the mat with screws and attached the strips to each other with larger screws. While PVC can be painted, it wouldn't stand up to the abrasion of being used and the paint would flake off so I left it bare. If I made another one, I'd try dying the PVC rings with Rit fabric dye to add some color- probably blue to match the PVC cement.

Step 4: Done!

I put the mat near the front door. My wife won't yell at me for tracking in mud anymore- now she'll yell at me for tracking in mud and not using the mat I made.