How to Install a Roadside Mailbox

Installing a roadside mailbox is a relatively easy project to tackle. Even though you may not need to install a mailbox right now, you may sometime in the future, if you move to a new rural area without a current mailbox. Here is the proper way to install a roadside mailbox.

Things You'll Need

• Mailbox post
• Gravel
• Prepared concrete mix
• Purchased mailbox (with instructions and necessary nuts and bolts)

Instructions

Setting the Post

1. The first step in installing a roadside mailbox is to install the mailbox post. If you don't already have one, they can usually be purchased from a hardware store.

2. Get ready to install the post by digging a hole that is large enough to accommodate it. United States Postal Service regulations usually require that a mailbox be placed 6" to 8" back from the front edge of the road or curb. Make sure to dig the hole far enough back, and to make the post hole approximately 36" deep.

3. Place approximately 6" of gravel into the hole you dug. The purpose of this is to promote drainage underneath the mailbox post.

4. After you have poured the gravel, set the post and pour the prepared cement. While pouring the cement, it would be wise for you to tamp it down every so often, so that no unnecessary air gets trapped in filling the hole.

5. Many people prefer that the prepared cement not be seen, so stop just before it reaches ground level. If desired, soil and more gravel can be placed around the mailbox.

Installing the Mailbox

1. Many retailers and hardware stores sell easy-to-install mailboxes that match almost any type of mailbox post. If you have purchased one of these, it most likely came with instructions. Reading the instructions will help you understand how the mailbox should attach to the mailbox post.

2. If no specific instructions were included with your mailbox, or if you need an alternative way to install your mailbox, follow the general instructions for installing your mailbox below.

3. A small board can be placed on top of your mailbox post to serve as a platform for your mailbox. Make sure the board is cut to fit the bottom of your mailbox, so that it sits snugly on top. Optional boards are usually included in mailbox purchases for this reason.

4. Nail the board to the top of the mailbox post, in the general direction that your mailbox would face.

5. Take advantage of the overhanging lip that most mailboxes have by using screws to attach it to the board you just placed on your mailbox post. At this point, your mailbox should be secure.

6. If desired, your name and house number can be placed on the side of the mailbox.