How do i install a mailbox post

Make sure that your mail carrier always has a clear path to your mailbox whether it's by the street or mounted on your house. If you build your own mailbox or buy a custom-made one, it must meet the PMG standards. Show your local postmaster your mailbox plans or your custom-made box for approval. To get drawings and measurements for building your own mailbox, write to US Postal Service Engineering. Want to buy a mailbox big enough for packages? See Next Generation Mailboxes.

The best mailbox supports are stable but bend or fall away if a car hits them. The Federal Highway Administration recommends:. Some homes and apartments have a slot in the door for receiving mail instead of a mailbox. The standards for an approved door slot are:. For greater privacy, you can also install a mail slot hood on the inside of your door to prevent someone from seeing into your home.

The standards for door slot hoods are:. Plus, it provides the advantage of being able to Install a Mailbox Post in the Winter when the ground is frozen and you are unable to dig a hole or pour concrete. The biggest advantage of this method over anything else is the ease of installation. After the anchor is screwed into the ground, you set your wood post on the bracket and attach it using 5 lag bolts. The bracket has pre-drilled holes and the bolts are included.

Select your location for the new post and mark it with a stick or rock. Grab your anchor and slide the crossbar through the two holes in the top of the bracket. Place the anchor on your designated spot and begin turning the crossbar while applying downward pressure.

Take care that your spike is going in vertically level. You can hold a small level against the side of the top portion of the spike to check yourself, or use a corner level which is made for posts. You should probably check that it is straight after every couple of turns. If it is leaning to one side, you should be able to manipulate the direction by placing extra pressure on the opposite side while turning. If you are doing this in the winter with frozen ground and have trouble penetrating the ground, try pouring a bucket or two of hot water in the spot where you will place the spike and allow it to soften the ground a bit.

If your old post was broken off in or near the ground, it may still have enough length to reuse since you are not going all the way into the ground with it. You'll be able to get your mailbox post set up perfectly in no time. In the US, you can call to get yours marked for free. You should also check your local mailbox regulations. For example, the USPS requires your postbox to be 6 to 8 inches from the curb and 41 to 45 inches high.

Fill the bottom 5 inches with gravel. Then, place your post in the hole and pour concrete powder around it, leaving 5 inches of space at the top. Cover the concrete with water, which will make it set. Finally, fill the hole with dirt and flatten it so it blends in with the ground. For more tips, including how to remove an old mailbox post, read on! Did this summary help you?

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Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Contact an expert to locate your utilities. Most countries will offer a service that will visit your property to mark the location of utilities in your yard. Look online for the service in your local area, and make sure you dig away from the spaces that are marked. If you want to move it, you should get your utilities marked out.

In the United States, you can call to get your utilities marked out for free within 2 days. Once they are marked, you will have 10 days to install your mailbox post in a safe area. Check your local regulations for mailboxes. Look online to find any regulations in your area, and make sure you conform to them when marking the placement of your mailbox post.

Make sure that you factor in the size of the mailbox when installing your mailbox post. Remove the old mailbox post. If you have an old mailbox post you want to replace, you'll need to remove it before you can put in a new one. Use a shovel to dig up the ground around the old post and lift it directly up and out of the ground.

If it's too hard to lift, use some scrap pieces of wood to make a lever that will help pry it free. Otherwise, fill it in and dig a new hole in a different location.