PROJECTS ONLINE: INSTALLING A MAILBOX: ALL-IN-ONE PLASTIC MAILBOX UNITS
Project Difficulty:
Moderate Estimated
Project Time: 1/2 day
Tools and Materials:
All-in-one plastic mailbox unit
4x4 post of cedar or treated lumber
Shovel or posthole digger
Crowbar (optional)
2x4 (to tamp dirt)
Measuring tape
Carpenter’s saw
Level
Cordless drill/driver
1x3s, as needed
Stakes, as needed
Ratchet and socket or wrench
Lag screws
If you need to set the post in concrete:
Gravel
Quick-set concrete
All-in-one plastic mailbox units contain both a mailbox and a post cover made from one piece of plastic (Fig. 1). Here's how to install one of these weather-resistant units.
1.
Remove Old Box and Post
Remove the old mailbox post, digging and prying until you get it and any concrete out. If the post is broken or rotted through underground, you might want to put the new post in a different spot.
2.
Dig a Hole
Using a shovel or posthole digger, dig a hole about a foot wide and 18 to 24 inches deep.
3.
Firm Soil
Tamp down the soil in the bottom of the hole with a 2x4.
4.
Align Post
With a helper, put the post in the hole and align it straight up and down (plumb), using a level.
5.
Brace Post
If you’re working alone, brace the post with 1x3s nailed to stakes; otherwise, your helper can hold the post straight while you fill in the hole.
6.
Fill Hole
With your shovel, fill in one quarter of the hole with soil, and then tamp the soil down tight with the 2x4. Add more soil, tamp it again, and repeat until you’re done.
Note: In loose soil you may need to use quick-setting concrete around the post. If so, dig the hole as above, tamp down the soil, and add a layer of gravel to the bottom of the hole. Then level your post and add the concrete. Brace the post with 1x3s and stakes until dry.
7.
Attach Box
Slide the plastic post cover over the post and mark the attachment points. Drill starter holes, and then bolt the unit to the post with the supplied lag screws, using a ratchet and socket or a wrench.
