How to Build a Brick Mailbox Holder
With their position along the edge of the street, mailboxes can easily be damaged from things like getting hit by a car, being the target of vandals or getting knocked over by a snowplow. If you find yourself constantly repairing or replacing your mailbox, you can build a brick mailbox holder. The mailbox holder can keep your mailbox secure, protecting it from damage received in a collision. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Spray paint
- Shovel
- Gravel
- Tamp
- Concrete mix
- Water
- 2-by-4 board
- Cinder blocks
- Mortar
- Trowel
- Bricks
- Level
- Joint tool
- Mailbox
- Capstone
Instructions
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1
Dig a square hole into the ground where you're installing the mailbox. The hole should be 8 inches deep and 24 inches on each side.
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2
Add 2 inches of gravel to the bottom of the hole, then smooth it and tamp it.
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3
Prepare a batch of concrete, following the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
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4
Fill the hole with the concrete, and smooth the surface by dragging a 2-by-4 board across the top. Allow the concrete to cure for at least four to five days.
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5
Lay four cinder blocks onto the concrete in the shape of a square. Place the blocks so that they are centered on the concrete and trace the outer edges. Lift the blocks from the concrete.
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6
Prepare a batch of mortar, following the instructions on the packaging.
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Apply the mortar to the concrete slab where the blocks are being installed, then set the blocks onto the mortar. Place mortar between the blocks, and lay a level diagonally across the blocks to make sure they're the same height.
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8
Cover the top of the blocks with mortar and lay the second course of blocks on top of the first course. Allow the mortar to set for the time specified on the packaging. When laying the second course, stagger them so the joints in the second course do not line up with the joints in the first course.
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9
Cover the outside of the cinder blocks in the first course and the concrete slab next to them with mortar.
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10
Lay the first course of bricks into the mortar, keeping them three-eights of an inch apart. Apply mortar between the bricks.
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11
Cover the side of the cinder blocks and the top of the bricks with mortar, then lay the next course of bricks, staggering them from the first course. Check the bricks for level as you lay them.
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12
Create a concave edge in the mortar between the bricks with a joint tool.
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13
Continue laying the bricks until you reach the required height for the mailbox.
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14
Lay the mailbox on top of the bricks. Center it on the bricks with the door facing out toward the street, hanging about 2 inches over the edge. Trace the mailbox onto the bricks, then remove it.
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15
Cover the bricks where the mailbox is being installed with mortar, and place the mailbox into position.
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16
Lay two or three more layers of bricks until the mailbox is covered.
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Cover the last row of bricks with mortar and lay a capstone on top of the mailbox holder. Allow the mortar to set for the specified time.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Follow the post office regulations that tell you how high the mailbox must be and how far back from the curb it must be. As of publication, the front of the mailbox must be placed 6 to 8 inches away from the curb and the mailbox must be 40 to 44 inches high.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
