DIY Mailbox Tutorial

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The first thing you see when looking for a house is the mailbox; therefore, I decided to update it by creating a DIY mailbox to increase the curb appeal.

I chose the same type of wood as our other outdoor structures (trellis, lanterns, obelisk, wooden shutters, and flower box).

If you have been following my blog, then you know I am obsessed with solar lights, so I had to add one to this DIY modern mailbox.

 

 

This post contains affiliate links. In other words, if you purchase from one of these links, I will make a small commission, but rest assured, you will not pay more for any products.  

How to Build a DIY Mailbox

The first thing I had to do was to find out the requirements for the mailbox height and the best placement from the road. You can find the US Post Office requirements on their website.

Mailbox Building Supplies

4x4x8 pressure treated 2 each

1x6x8 pressure treated 6 each

2x8x20 inches pressure treated

Concrete two 40 lb bag

5-inch screws, 2 each

4-inch deck screws (4 each)

2-inch galvanized finish nails

1-inch stainless steel screws (4 each)

Mailbox 7x8x20

Tools

Miter saw

Skill saw

Impact driver and driver tips

Nail gun

Post hole digger

Shovel 

Level

Speed square 

Measuring tape

Speed Horses

 

DIY Mailbox Posts

 

 

Building the Mailbox Sides

Next, cut fourteen 1x6x25 inch and four 1x6x7 inch pressure-treated boards.

Then, attach the 1x6x7″ boards to the upper portion of the back post with 2-inch galvanized finish nails.

You will want to use a speed square to keep the sideboard square to posts.  

Next, place the posts parallel to each other, keeping them 25 inches apart (outside measurement).

Then attach the side boards to the front and back posts starting below the 7″ boards using with 2-inch galvanized finish nails. 

Please note: this view is of the first side of the wooden mailbox holder. Once you finish this side, you will repeat the process on the other side.

Next, we marked the trim for the inside of the back post. Note: we will attach it later.

Next, turn over the wooden mailbox assembly and repeat the same process as the other side.

Wooden Mailbox Trim – Sides

To create finished edges, we used 1×6 pressure-treated lumber.

First, we measured the assembly to get the exact sizes for our side trim cuts.

Note: lumber varies in size. 

These are the side trim cuts we used: long front 1x6x38.5, short front 1x7x6, and back 1x6x49.5

However, these measurements could vary, so you must measure your wooden assembly for the exact measurements. 

Next, attach the side trims with 2-inch galvanized nails.

Top Trim

We added the top trim last since we wanted it to extend to cover the side trim boards.

Therefore, you will want to include the installed side trim in your measurements for the top trim boards.

 

Mailbox Mount

Next, we created a mailbox mount (AKA shelf) with a 2×8.

First, we measured the width and length of the metal mailbox then we cut the board to size. 

Then, we mitered the front edge of the mount board at a 60-degree angle to allow the mailbox to open.

 

Tip: 

At this point, you will want to check the fit of your metal mailbox on the “shelf” of your wood mailbox holder.

Note: We installed the metal mailbox onto the mounted board using 1-inch stainless steel screws through the holes in the bottom lip of the mailbox. We did this after it was installed in the ground. 

DIY Mailbox Install 

To install the mailbox, we dug two holes 16 inches deep and 25 inches apart.

Then we placed the box posts into the holes. We backfilled the holes and then checked them for level.

Once it was level, we added the dry cement and water as we went. Next, we packed the cement around the posts and sloped it away from the wood. 

 

 

 

 

Mailbox House Numbers and Solar Light

Supplies:

House numbers

Solar light

Since I am obsessed with solar lights, I decided to use one to illuminate the house numbers. 

 

 

 

 

 

See you soon,

Kippi

 

Ps. This post has been shared on Between Naps on the Porch.