![]() ![]() How To Install A New Mailbox PostĪs the paint was drying, Ash used a sledge hammer and pounded the old rotting mailbox post out of the ground. If you are looking to fix your mailbox – fresh paint works wonders. I removed the red flag post and sprayed the metal mailbox container with some black exterior spray paint. I unscrewed the box itself and put it aside for some refurbishing. We didn’t want our mailman puzzling over where to deliver our mail. The next day happened to be Sunday, which was perfect for replacing the existing mailbox (no mail delivery). I then applied 2 coats of white exterior paint to the mailbox post and let it dry overnight. How To Paint The Old Mailbox And New Post The new mailbox post now had its basic design. Using 2 more lag bolts, he attached the diagonal support piece to reinforce the mailbox arm. He further strengthened the joint with 2 lag bolts. (I’ll have to remember that when I need a gift for Ash.)Īfter repeating the process for the second piece of 4×4, he applied some construction adhesive to the grooves and merged the 2 cuts. If you happen to have a set of dado blades for your table saw, you can also use those to cut the lap joint groove. This left him with slivers of wood that he easily removed with a hammer and chisel.įinally, he used a small Mouse sander to smooth out the carved groove, since the chisel left it a little rough. Then, he repeatedly ran many perpendicular cuts into the wood, staying within the confines of the outlined groove. He used his 7 1/4″ circular saw, with the depth of the blade set to half the thickness of the 4×4 (so 1¾”). It involved cutting out half the thickness of 2 pieces of wood, and combining them together, as in the diagram below: This joint was very simple to make and was very strong. The first step of the mailbox post process was cutting the 4 x 4s. The horizontal 4 x 4 served as a mounting piece for the mailbox.įinally, a shorter piece of 4 x 4 ran diagonally below this horizontal 4 x 4 to provide additional support, stability, and aesthetic appeal. The vertical 4 x 4 would have about 2 feet submerged into the ground for support, with the remaining 4 feet above the ground. It consisted of 2 perpendicular pieces of 4 x 4 pressure-treated wood joined together with a lap joint. The mailbox post design was fairly simple. Victory! How To Build A New Mailbox Post With the materials for the mailbox now laying around the garage, Ash started working on the new mailbox post. This time, I struggled a little with the 6 ft posts – they were a lot heavier than they looked! Yet, I managed, as I was determined to not catch our falling mail anymore. Then, all I have to do is get them from the cart to the car, which usually is not a problem. I love using Home Depot’s store pick-up, especially for heavy items, since the materials are already pulled aside and placed in a cart. To keep the mailbox momentum going, Ash made the material list, and I offered to pick up the materials. You can see what you like, see what you don’t like, and make an idea work for you.įor our updated mailbox, I decided on the classic look of a white mailbox post with a black mailbox, as it really made the red flag pop. Taking walks around your neighborhood is almost like searching through Pinterest. To kick off fixing up our mailbox, I did what I usually do for exterior projects: I went on a few walks around the neighborhood looking at other mailboxes, deciding what I wanted for version 2.0. 5 How to Finish Up Fixing the Mailbox Planning Mailbox 2.0
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