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How do I install a mailbox?
Home » Outdoor Decor » Mailboxes » How do I install a mailbox?If you move to a new home or if the mailbox at your current home is damaged, you can install a new curbside mailbox in just an hour or two (if you have the proper materials). Alternatively, you can purchase drive-in mailbox posts that you simply drive into the ground; these models take only minutes to install and should come with some instructions. In this section, however, we will focus on ground burial mailbox posts, following a pattern suggested by Lowe’s.
In addition to the mailbox, you will need gravel, quick-setting concrete mix, a post hole digger, a shovel, and a level. You can save yourself some time if you buy the post, but you can also make your own post using 4x4 outdoor use wood. The mailbox will sit either on a single board resting on the top of the post or on a cross beam that enables to mailbox to “reach” out towards the road.
The first decision you need to make, however, is where to install your mailbox. Make sure you satisfy postal regulations by putting the box on the right side of the road, within the postal worker’s reach but also far enough off the road to allow him to escape traffic. Once you have picked your spot, contact your local utility companies and make sure there are no wires that you might hit when you dig.
Next, dig your hole, measuring the depth to ensure that the base of the mailbox will be forty-two inches from the ground, even after you place six inches of gravel into the hole. Once you dig the hole, add the gravel, prepare the concrete, and insert the post. Then, insert the post and pour in the concrete, sloping the concrete slightly around the base of the post. Finally, add a top layer of soil over the concrete to enhance the natural feel of the box.
After you have inserted the post, attach the mailbox to the top of the post or cross beam using the provided (or purchased separately) attachment brackets. Alternatively, you can cut the support board or cross beam to fit inside the bottom lips of the mailbox and then you can use screws to attach the mailbox to the wood. Lastly, use paint or stickers to display your house number on the front and on both sides of the mailbox.
If you want to install a mail slot in your door or a wall mount near your front door, these are even simpler projects, and you may receive installation instructions with your purchase of these receptacles. For a mail slot, you will use a drill and a jigsaw to follow a provided pattern and cut the proper opening in your door. In contrast, for a wall mount, you will use anchors and screws to install the receptacle over a pre-cut hole.
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