Friday 17 June 2016

All About Replacing Your Old Mailbox And Installing A New One

All mailboxes whether they are wall mounted letter boxes or post mailboxes, get worn out over a period of time and ultimately you need to repair or replace them. Well, whether it is about replacing your old mailbox or installing a new one, the steps are more or less the same. So, let’s start with the replacing and installing a mailbox.

Step 1: Removing the old mailbox

When it is about removing a broken post, which only has a few inches exposed, you need to screw a piece of 2x4 lumber into the post within a few inches of ground level. Now, use a big pry or a mason’s bar to pry the post straight up. On the other hand, if you find that the post is set in concrete, it is ideal to find a new location for your mailbox.

Step 2: Installing the new post

For digging the post hole, you will first of all need a post-hole digger and a mason’s bar. You can easily rent these tools and so no need to buy one. Also, if you are working with rocky soil, it is ideal to have a long mason’s bar.

The hole should be no more than 2 to 3 feet deep so mark your post-hole digger using a black electrical tape at the necessary depth. Now, start digging and with the help of the mason’s bar pry out unnecessary rocks.

Step 3: Filling the hole and leveling the post

It is recommended to put 4 to 6 inches gravel, at the bottom of the post. This will improve drainage and keep the water from pooling around your post. If you don’t have a bag of gravel handy, try using small stones. Now fill 6 to 12 inches at a time and continuously see the level of your post.

Step 4: Attaching the mailbox to the post

Most of the mailboxes have raised areas to indicate the location of eyebolts. Put one nut on every eyebolt and push the rubber washers. Now, secure the mailbox on the post by tightening the nuts properly. Lastly, put your house and street number properly on the mailbox and it is ready to receive mails.

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