How to Build a Brick Mailbox Post

Brick mailbox posts boost the curb appeal of many homes and help protect the mailbox from damage. They typically take about two days from start to finish, but patience and accuracy is important. Some cities have specific requirements when it comes to the height and general location of the post, so it is best to check with your local post office or your local government's code enforcement department prior to beginning construction.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Wooden stakes
• Spray paint
• Spade
• Pea gravel
• Cement mix
• 5-gallon bucket
• Trowel
• 2-by-4
• Concrete blocks, 4 inches by 8 inches by 16 inches
• Mortar
• Level
• Construction square tool
• Metal bracing straps

Instructions

Footing and Base

1. Measure out a 2-foot square on the ground where the mailbox will go. Mark the corners with wooden stakes or draw spray paint lines on the ground to show the perimeter.

2. Cut and remove the sod with a spade and dig a hole 8 inches deep, keeping the sides as straight as possible. Fill the hole with approximately 2 inches of pea gravel and pack it down tightly to give a solid base at the bottom.

3. Mix cement in a 5-gallon bucket following the manufacturer's instructions to give you enough to fill the hole completely to the surface level. Use a cement trowel or a length of 2-by-4 to make the surface smooth and level. Leave the cement to dry for 48 hours to ensure the best results.

4. Center two large concrete blocks side by side on top of the cement. Position them so they are tight together and square with the concrete pad. Draw an outline of the blocks with a pencil to note their location and then remove the blocks from the pad.

5. Spread a layer of mortar around the outline approximately 1/2 inch thick with a trowel. Return the blocks to the previous position and onto the mortar outline. Check the blocks again for square on the pad and carefully press them down into the mortar. Check that the blocks are level.

6. Place mortar on top of the first two blocks and press two more blocks perpendicularly over the first. Check the new blocks for square and level both horizontally and vertically. Leave these blocks and mortar to dry overnight.

Lay the Bricks

1. Apply mortar around the exterior base of the concrete blocks on the pad approximately as far out as one brick. Place the first brick into the mortar snugly up against one side of a block to partially obscure it. Press it down evenly into the mortar and check it with a small level and construction square.

2. Add mortar to one end of a new brick and place it down in line end to end with the first brick so that the side mortar joins with the previous brick. Make sure this next brick is aligned and level. Remove any extra mortar that squeezes out of the joints. Continue laying bricks all around the cement blocks until one layer is complete.

3. Trowel mortar on top of the first row of bricks similar to the original base layer. Place the next layer of bricks, making sure to stagger the joints. Check for level and square as before. Complete four additional layers of brick in the same fashion to total six layers high, which should align perfectly with the top of the concrete block interior.

4. Lay another set of four concrete blocks in the same manner as the first four. Use generous amounts of mortar and check often for level and square arrangement. Continue to lay bricks until the next six rows are complete.

Add the Mailbox

1. Add a generous layer of mortar across the top surface of bricks and blocks and center the mailbox on top of the mortar. Position it so the mailbox door will open past the edge of the bricks. Ensure that the mailbox is straight and square with the bricks and press the box down evenly into the mortar.

2. Lay bricks with mortar up against the edge of one side of the mailbox and then out from the side until the bricks line up with the edge of the base. Continue laying additional layers until the bricks are the same height as the mailbox. Repeat this step on the other side of the box, and then along the back.

3. Place thin metal bracing straps over the top of the bricks and the mailbox every 3 inches. These create a flat surface that helps the bricks lay flat over a rounded mailbox. They should not extend beyond the edge of the bricks already positioned. Lay mortar over the straps and place another two layers of bricks squarely across the top of the mailbox to finish off the brick mailbox post.

Tips & Warnings

• After the mortar is completely dry, run a small wire brush over all the mortar lines to dislodge any loose pieces.

• Wipe up any spilled grout as quickly as possible prior to it drying.

References

• "Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide to Home Improvement;" Editors of Creative Publishing; 2009
• USPS: Residential Mailbox Standards