How to Install a Curbside Mailbox
Installing a new curb-mounted mailbox can be handy for you and the mail carrier - and add a little style to your home.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Concrete
- Mailboxes
- Posts
- Shovels
- Bolts
- Carts Or Wheelbarrows
- Drill Bits
- Hammers
- Levels
- Posthole Diggers
- Variable-speed Drills
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-
1
Purchase the mailbox and mounting post of your choice.
-
2
Use posthole diggers to make a narrow hole about 2 feet deep, or deep enough to meet the manufacturer's recommended mounting height.
-
3
Mix a small amount of quick-drying concrete in a wheelbarrow or large bucket. Place the mailbox's pole in the hole.
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4
Use a scrap of lumber to cover the top of the post, and take a hammer to tap the post slightly into the ground. This will help hold the post in place as you work.
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5
Use a level to make sure the post is straight.
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6
Shovel small spadefuls of concrete gently and evenly into the hole until the concrete is about 6 inches below the surface.
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7
Shovel dirt into the hole until filled. Pack loosely for now and check with the level one more time.
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8
Wait overnight for the concrete to dry properly.
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9
Tamp more dirt into the posthole to give your mailbox an even more secure base.
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10
Attach the mailbox to the pole.
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1
Tips & Warnings
A mailbox and pole are available at most hardware stores or lumberyards.
Manual posthole diggers look like two small, long-handled spades that are hinged together near the bottom. They're driven into the ground and then worked like tongs, pinching the dirt between them, to lift the dirt out of the hole.
Make sure to place the pole as close to the curb as possible for easy access for the mail carrier.
Remember to check the post with a level often during the early stages of installation.
Wet concrete is caustic. It can cause skin irritation, so wear leather or rubber gloves.
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Comments
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Your instruction are pretty much useless in that you did not mention how far from the curb to mailbox should be installed. (6-8 inches back from the curb)You also failed to mention just how high the mailbox should be from the ground. (The bottom of the mailbox should be installed 41-45 inches from the road surface). You need to get your facts straight before posting on eHow.
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fgsdfsdf
Jul 21, 2008
Be sure to check with your local utilities before you start digging. They will come out and mark if there is a service line in the area. In some areas it is the law (e.g. Ohio). Besides, what should be a simple job could become extremely dangerous and expensive if you damage a gas line, water line, power cable, etc. -
fgsdfsdf
Jul 21, 2008
Be sure to check with your local utilities before you start digging. They will come out and mark if there is a service line in the area. In some areas it is the law (e.g. Ohio). Besides, what should be a simple job could become extremely dangerous and expensive if you damage a gas line, water line, power cable, etc.
-
Jun 30, 2006
Remember to keep federal regulations in mind when placing the mailbox. When you replace an existing mailbox or install one for the first time, make sure that it will be easily accessible for your mail carrier. Keep these things in mind: * The regulation height is 42" from the bottom of the mailbox to the ground. * Your house number should be clearly marked on the mailbox with painted numbers or stickers no less than 1" high. * The box should be on the right-hand side of the road as traveled by the mail carrier. * It should be located approximately 2' from the side of the road to ensure the carrier can get off the road enough to clear traffic. Check for underground utilities before digging. Before you begin any excavation (that means even digging a hole), you've got to call and have someone check for underground utilities. This isn't just a good idea, it's the law. The North America One Call Referral Service at 1-888-258-0808 connects you to a national directory of utility companies.
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Jun 30, 2006
Remember to keep federal regulations in mind when placing the mailbox. When you replace an existing mailbox or install one for the first time, make sure that it will be easily accessible for your mail carrier. Keep these things in mind: * The regulation height is 42" from the bottom of the mailbox to the ground. * Your house number should be clearly marked on the mailbox with painted numbers or stickers no less than 1" high. * The box should be on the right-hand side of the road as traveled by the mail carrier. * It should be located approximately 2' from the side of the road to ensure the carrier can get off the road enough to clear traffic. Check for underground utilities before digging. Before you begin any excavation (that means even digging a hole), you've got to call and have someone check for underground utilities. This isn't just a good idea, it's the law. The North America One Call Referral Service at 1-888-258-0808 connects you to a national directory of utility companies.
