How To Choose a Doormat Material

The doormat candidates

Coir, or cocofiber doormats: This valuable import from India and Sri Lanka is the resistant, rigid fiber of the coconut husk. With remarkably unique characteristics compared to other similar fibers, it makes the perfect component for a natural, resilient outdoor piece of furniture or doormat. It numbers among the few fibers that are naturally resistant to water and will not suffer damage from salt water perfect for homes from Hawaii's beaches to the Midwest's winter snow mixed with de-icing salt.

Rubber doormats: These doormats, while officially not as "green" as cocofiber doormats, are environmentally friendly in the sense that they often are composed of recycled rubbers. They are lifted a good 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch off the ground, leaving room for grime and gunk to fall in the cracks so you don't have to sweep it later.

Polypropylene doormats: This synthetic fiber is often woven into a rope and makes a great doormat for general use with rainy weather. Often, it is domestically produced, so prices are a little steeper, but these synthetic fibers are likely to last longer and be more mildew-resistant.

Bamboo doormats: This option, as aesthetically pleasing as it is, is probably only a good bet if you get heavy rains and not much else. It essentially looks like a bamboo raft, held slightly above the ground by two bamboo rods running the opposite way. We can agree that these mats look spectacular, but don't offer much when up against gravel, snow, and salt.

Some common sense