It's easy to create a beautiful, vintage-looking mailbox post that holds not the typical one but two mailboxes side-by-side. This is a perfect project to do with your neighbor--after all, that is whose mailbox is going to be sitting right next to your own. A few pieces of wood, some wood screws and a couple of hours of labor and it's done.
Instructions
1. Lay the 4-by-4-inch-by-8-foot post horizontally on a work surface. Measure 21 1/2 inches from one end and make a mark. Lay the metal square across and draw a straight line.
2. Place the decorative bracket so one side is laying flat against one face of the post and center it. Make sure the top corner edge is lined up with the pencil line.
3. Drill two holes in the bracket and screw it to the post.
4. Lay the 1-by-4-by-8 board horizontally on the work surface. Measure 19 inches from one end and mark with a pencil. Lay the square across and draw a straight line. Use the handsaw to cut along the pencil line.
5. Center the 19-inch length of board on top of the bracket jutting out at a right angle from the post. Center it over the bracket. Drill two holes through the board and into the bracket, then secure it with two wood screws.
6. Cut two 16-inch lengths of the 1-by-4 inch board.
7. Lay these across the 1-by-4-inch length of wood just secured to the bracket. Center them on the board at right angles. Drill two holes in each board and down into the 1-by-4-by-19-inch length of wood. Secure the two boards with wood screws.
8. Screw the decorative finial or post cap to the top of the post.
9. Mount the two mailboxes side-by side on the boards with screws. Keep a three-inch gap between the mailboxes so the letter carrier can reach to lower the flag without skinning his or her knuckles.
10. Determine how deep into the ground to set the post--one foot is the minimum. Take the tape measure and measure from the very first line drawn in Step 1 down the post to a minimum of 52 inches; more if the post is going to be sunk deeper than 12 inches. At a 12-inch depth the mailboxes will be sitting at the standard height of 42 inches. Cut off excess post with the saw.
Tips Warnings
Use quick-setting cement when setting the post in the hole. Pour a bag of the quick-set cement in the hole around the post and add water. The cement should be completely set in 15 to 30 minutes
Use a level to make sure the mailbox is plumb--straight up and down.
Paint or stain the post if you wish.
Tags: make, mailbox, post, boxes, Drill holes, wood screws, across draw, across draw straight, across draw straight line, boards with, draw straight, draw straight line
