Drawing of a plywood mailbox. Making a mailbox with a “mail has arrived” signaling system. Wooden box

Anyone can make a mailbox with their own hands. And the advantages of such a design will be much greater than those of standard blue boxes, which abound in private sectors in cities and countryside. Firstly, they will stylistically fit the overall design of the site. Secondly, it is also a way of self-expression, manifestation of the owner’s individuality. And thirdly, they are more practical, since the volume is calculated based on the amount of correspondence received by the owners.

How to make a mailbox with your own hands

The mailbox can be located either at the front door or near your gate

To begin with, they decide on the location, the required capacity and realistically assess their capabilities - the cost of materials and manual skills.

Depending on these parameters, the type of product is selected. Mailboxes for a private home are:

standardized;
European;
American;
exclusive.

If it is not possible to completely make a mailbox yourself, purchase it and, after imagining the decor, transform it into an exclusive masterpiece. The classic is a rectangular box that you can make yourself. You will need a sheet of metal or wooden beams, fasteners or a welding machine. The opening for correspondence is usually made from above and covered with a visor. Remove mail from the bottom tier or front or back wall.

Europeans pay a significant role to this element of the exterior. They have beautiful mailboxes, they are usually painted in a variety of colors - from strict to bright. Sometimes the boxes look like a smaller copy of a private house and are made of brick.

American mailboxes are well recognizable and are placed horizontally on a wooden or metal post.

Americans are constantly trying to diversify the look of their mailbox with the help of different decorative shapes. The peculiarity of their design is the semicircular lid, side doors and a flag signaling the presence of mail.

A DIY mailbox made from scrap materials can amaze with its originality.

When choosing a material, the main thing is practicality and stylization. The correspondence should not get wet, and the external shape should fit into the overall design.

Wooden mailboxes

Cardboard allows you to practice your skills, which is determined by its low cost. But a wooden mailbox is stronger and more durable. You will need timber (100*7.5*5 cm), thick plywood (65*45 cm), a thin piece of plywood (65*65 cm), a stainless steel piano hinge (13 cm) for the door, and a lock. And in any owner’s arsenal there will always be screws or nails for fastening, but you may have to buy sandpaper for cleaning the edges, a jigsaw and wood glue that improves the sealing of seams. Experienced craftsmen advise using additional corners for fastening to make it easier to repair the product during multi-season operation.

When starting work, it is advisable to complete a layout drawing. This will eliminate the possibility of errors in the dimensions of the walls. The roof of the box can be made flat, slightly raised, with a bend in the center - it all depends on the skills of the owner.

Example of a mailbox drawing

Wood is susceptible to moisture, which causes rot. Therefore, before fastening the entire structure together, it is necessary to treat each element with special means.

You can decorate with napkins for decoupage with coating (varnish). This will give the spirit of antiquity. And if the prevailing note in the design is a gentle feminine style, then the design should be supplemented with all kinds of ruffles, images of animals and people, creating the impression of aristocratic pretentiousness.

Tin mailbox

This is a rather complex design that can only be completed by someone who has the skills to work with metal (welding). A set of tools is required (grinder, drill). You will need direct sheets of metal and rivets-fasteners. But this design will last much longer and looks very presentable.

As in the previous model, you need to equip the front wall with a handle and a lock. Additionally, before decorating, it is advisable to apply several layers of primer along the outer perimeter.

This homemade mailbox can be made in both classic and American style. It can be mounted both as a free-standing structure and on a fence.

Plastic pipe mailbox

Unnecessary leftovers from renovations can also be used to create an original mailbox. Plastic sewer pipes, half a meter long and at least 20 cm in diameter, will be an excellent alternative to labor-intensive options with wood and metal. In general, the box is almost ready. All that remains is to cut out suitable circles for the front and back walls. To do this, a horizontal blank is made from shorter remains by cutting one side of the work. This makes it easier to apply dimensions.

The fasteners for the front wall-door can be bolts or ropes. The back is secured with glue or heat treatment. Decorating will help give a neat appearance. The general stylistic atmosphere of the site will tell you how to decorate a mailbox. If natural colors and textures predominate, then you can paint it to look like wood. The stains will resemble the natural coloring of wooden decks. Using paint and then coating the surface with varnish, you can also imitate stone or brick.

Without a suitable piece of pipe, use any other plastic object of suitable volume. When wondering how to make a mailbox from a plastic bottle, they focus on a model with a sewer pipe. It should be noted that this design will not withstand a large amount of correspondence.

The advantage of alternative plastic options is the low cost of the material and ease of installation. The box can be secured either to a post at the front entrance or to the fence of the site.

Making a mailbox with your own hands is not difficult. And the process of its creation itself is fascinating in its essence. And as a result, the owner will acquire another important decorative element, which serves as the final chord in the design.

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The mailbox is an important part exterior decor both private and apartment buildings. Beautiful and original, it is able to transform the appearance of the local area, place important accents and ensure the safety of received correspondence. The best option would be to make a mailbox with your own hands.

Space for imagination

Anyone can make this household item. For this it is necessary decide on the model and materials, find everything you need and allocate some free time. With your own hands and efforts, you can bring to life both simpler options and make a real work of art. Materials and sizes can be any. The main thing is to foresee them in advance. The dimensions of the mailbox should allow you to store mail of any size. It is advisable to make mailboxes for a private home from harder and more protected materials. Metal or wood work well.

Types of mailboxes

Mailbox comes in different shapes, models and sizes. The most common are classic, English and American styles.

Classic looks like a small rectangular box with a slot for correspondence. Usually attached to fences and walls of houses. Most often found in the post-Soviet space and made of metal or wood.

IN English style - a metal box that is either mounted into the wall or made in the form of a separate pole.

American The option is installed on a separate support and has a special flag to notify the required shipment.

Original mailboxes can be made of any material, paper, cardboard, bottles or household items and take any shape depending on the wishes of the author.

Execution options

Designer and unusual solutions always look interesting and highlight individuality. You can make interesting mailboxes from already unnecessary items. Below are the most original options that can be supplemented and improved.

From a plastic bottle

To make it you need to take a 2 liter plastic bottle. We cut off the neck from it. You can cut it to the end and then attach it in the form of a door with ropes. You can cut it off not all the way so that the back part stays on the bottle. You can secure it at your destination with bolts or ropes. You can decorate it to suit any taste. For additional security, a canopy can be installed above the box. This would be a great option for an original mailbox that probably won't receive a lot of press.

Made from cardboard and fabric

For this option you will need a sheet of thick cardboard, a pattern (it can be found on the Internet), fabric for decoration, accessories, and glue. All parts should be cut out of cardboard. This will be the base of the box. We cover the cut parts with fabric on both sides. This can be done using non-woven fabric and an iron. Then all the parts need to be sewn together, leaving one side (the door) sewn on one side. We attach Velcro to it.

From unnecessary items

A beautiful mailbox can be made from unnecessary items. Any items can be used for which only a flight of imagination is sufficient.

For example, a cuckoo clock can look like a wooden mailbox. To do this, you need to clean them, equip them with a lock and decorate them. The place where the cuckoo jumped out will be a hole for correspondence. And instead of a dial, you can organize a door for a recess.

An old and faulty system unit is also capable of performing these functions if all parts are removed from it, leaving only the metal structure. For decoration, it must be primed and then paint and other details will easily fall on it.

Wooden box

wooden blocks;
plywood sheets;
wood screws;
hinges for doors;
varnish or paint;
a metal sheet;
screwdriver;
hacksaw or jigsaw.

Manufacturing:

Then the wooden box should be carefully sanded and decorated to your taste. This is an example of a standard mailbox. Based on this, it can be supplemented and modified to suit your taste and the exterior of the yard.

Metal box

Required materials and tools:

tin sheets;
Bulgarian;
drill;
rivets.

Metal mailboxes are the most difficult to manufacture. Here, in addition to the idea, you also need to have minimal skills in working with metal.

Manufacturing using the example of an American mailbox:

Usually the need for a mailbox is present not only in a country house, but even in a summer cottage. After all, just like a house, it has its own address. That is why any building with a postal address must be equipped with a mailbox.

There are many options for shape, color and material in the manufacture of a mailbox. It can be cardboard and wood, metal and plastic. All of them may differ from each other not only in material, but also in model, design and price. It’s not difficult to make a mailbox, if you have the desire.

Most of the mailbox models can be made independently. This applies more to simple mailbox options. As for more complex structures, for their manufacture you will need certain skills. In this case, it is better to buy a mailbox ready-made.

Types of mailboxes

As previously noted, all boxes are divided into several types. Which option should be preferred when making a mailbox, you will have to choose yourself. The main thing is that the production of the chosen option is feasible.

In addition, when giving preference to a certain type of structure, you should take into account the overall style of the house, the required capacity and the place for its installation. It is very important to consider the purpose of the mailbox. If it is planned to use it only for its intended purpose, to receive correspondence, then a variant of the form may be of a simpler form. But if the mailbox must also serve a decorative role, then its design must be original in accordance with the interior of the house.

Several styles can be used to construct a mailbox design. Today there are only three of them.

Mailbox styles

This could be the style:

Standard design, traditional letterbox style;
American style of performance;
English;
Original style.

A traditional mailbox is a conventional, standard design of a mailbox with a slot for correspondence. This is the easiest way to make a mailbox, which can be made from any material.

American style They can be different in appearance and decorativeness. Such boxes are installed only in a horizontal position, which requires nested correspondence; postmen first have to roll it into a tube.

A distinctive feature of an American style mailbox is the specially placed flag. With its help, the postman can easily determine whether there is correspondence to send. Indeed, in this case, the sender attaches letters for sending and raises the checkbox accordingly.
Such a box is installed only on a separately installed support in the form of a pipe, or the support can be made in the form of some kind of figure.

English style The mailbox looks like a column cabinet. Typically this type is made using brick and durable metal. This design is installed near the entrance of the yard to the house. This type of design is more like a miniature house, made taking into account the structural features of the house, than a mailbox. The capacity of this type of mailbox is very large, which allows you to put received correspondence in the box without much difficulty.

But there is also an original look for mailboxes. This type includes boxes made in accordance with the interior, using design ideas in the form of fabulous transformations of various objects into a mailbox.

To make a mailbox in an original style, you can use wooden materials, brick and metals. But it should be taken into account that to produce metal, in addition to the material itself, you will need welder skills and a welding machine.

Whatever option and style of mailbox you choose, do not forget that the mailbox at home should not disturb the harmony and should fit perfectly into the overall interior.

Designing and making a box for newspapers and letters is as easy as shelling pears. It is possible to do this with your own hands. But before you get started, you should use some tips and tricks for making a high-quality mailbox design:

When making a structure using wooden material, all its elements must be interlocked with the help of corners. Thus, the product will gain increased strength and will facilitate repair work in the future;
If the intended slot for inserting newspapers and magazines is located in its upper part, then to prevent water from entering in rainy weather, a special canopy should be installed above the slot - protection. Thus, you will protect received letters and newspapers from the effects of rain and snow;
The door for removing correspondence should be located at the bottom of the box. It is better if it is made in a folding version;
When placing a newspaper removal door on the front of a mailbox, everything needs to be carefully designed to prevent gaps between the mailbox panel and the door.
To protect your mail from unwanted readers, it is better to include a device in the mailbox design for locking it. This can be either a padlock or an internal one, which is installed on the inside of the door and drawer;

In addition, you can show originality. For example, you can install an alarm in your mailbox to provide a sound notification that mail has been received, which is very convenient, especially on days when the weather is bad. But this will require special skills and abilities.

How to make a mailbox on your own?

In order to design and make a box using wood material, for example, plywood, you should:
prepare the following materials:

veneer sheet or plywood sheet (630*630 mm);
plywood must be at least 10 millimeters thick;
wooden beam within the size range of 1000*75*50 mm;
loop made of brass or stainless steel (120 mm);
sandpaper sheet;
internal or padlock;
screws and staples for a padlock;
adhesive composition for gluing wooden surfaces;
colloidal silica;
two-component epoxy adhesive.

The entire process of making a box is carried out in several stages:

The prepared wooden beam must be divided into three equal-sized parts and sawn. Three lines are drawn on one sawn part of the timber. Among which, one is the central line. The remaining two are transverse lines, and the distance between them should not exceed 300 mm. After this, the main curve is drawn and the bend for the edge is cut out and cleaned using a hacksaw.
Similar work should be done with the remaining two pieces of beams, observing, at the same time, exactly in relation to the work done on the first piece of the beam.
The finished bars are glued together.
Plywood is cut into pieces according to size.
The cut sheets of plywood should be at least 8 pieces of 320*160 mm each. After this, all the workpieces must be laid on the concave section of the block and treated with epoxy glue. Next, you need to lay a paper sheet on the main block as the first layer, and then a plywood sheet. In order to avoid mistakes, before gluing it is necessary to first place the veneer sheets in accordance with the design. This way, you will check that all the details match, which in turn will show whether everything was done correctly and whether there are any gaps in the mailbox.
Once the glue has dried, the finished cover can be sanded and adjusted to fit the dimensions of the back and front of the mailbox.
On the front part it is necessary to cut a slot for placing mail correspondence and a special opening for removing mail from the box.
A piano hinge is cut along the width of the door and attached with screws.
A mortise lock is installed on the door.
A lid is attached to the box.
After installing the door, the product is sanded using sandpaper.
If desired, the finished mailbox can be opened with varnish or painted.

Making an American mailbox

In order to make the simplest model of such a box, you can use sheets of metal in its manufacture. It is from them that the blanks are cut in accordance with the dimensions and in accordance with the shape for the mailbox manufacturing project. The two main components are rectangular in shape with different sizes, and the third part should be a little larger in the form of a semicircle for the roof. The side sheets must be cut to the same size.

The structure is fastened using either welding or nuts and bolts. The door and handle for it are also attached.

If the American type of box is made of wood, then it can be made in the form of a small house with a door through which mail can be placed in the house.

Metal mailbox

This type of mailbox manufacturing is the most complex and time-consuming type of manufacturing among all types. First of all, you can’t do without special devices to make it. First of all, this is an angle grinder, a drill, and a welding machine. But nothing is impossible; if you have the desire, you can overcome any difficulties. But, if you consider that a metal mailbox is much stronger than all the others, then the game is worth the candle.

The process of making a metal box is almost the same as making a wooden box. The only difference between them is the material and method of fastening.

Creating an English-style mailbox

In this case, there can be no limit to imagination; for a post office house you can use all available material that does not get wet and does not deteriorate under the hot rays of the sun. The main thing in this matter is originality. In general, plastic bottles and pipes can be used as containers for placing mail.

You can also construct a mailbox from an old wooden clock, a child’s school bag, an old system unit, a tape speaker, in general, from anything you want.

An original mailbox can be a piece of log. The core is taken out of it, a small door is screwed on and fastened in any direction, horizontally, vertically or even in an oblique direction, but most importantly - in such a way that the mail hole is not directly exposed to precipitation, and everything else is the result of your imagination.

Mailbox installation method

The mailbox can be installed in different ways and in different positions. If we talk about the American type of mailboxes, then this type is installed on a special support, the English type of mailboxes is installed on a built-in monolithic structure.

Today, simpler and more standard methods of installing mailboxes are used.

Here are examples:

A mailbox is installed on the fence. This can be done using special fasteners or by screwing the box to the fence using bolts and nuts.
Mailboxes are attached to gates, which can be made of wood or metal. Depending on what the gate is made of, the type of fastening used is either clamps for fastening or nuts and bolts.
A very common way to mount a mailbox is to mount it on the wall of the house. This can be done using dowels and anchors.

In general, as you can see, if you have the desire and time, you can not only design an original house for posting mail, but also, thereby, give your country estate an original style, where the mailbox can act as a business card of your property and your taste.

Mailbox- This is an important part of the decor of both private and apartment buildings. An attractive and unusual box can improve the overall appearance of the local area, place the main important accents and ensure the safety of letters and newspapers received. It would be best and most enjoyable to create a mailbox with your own hands.

Space to work

Anyone can create such a household item. To do this, you just need to clearly decide on the model and materials for construction, find the necessary tools and allocate a little time.

With your own efforts you can create both simpler designs and entire works of art. In this case, the material and size of the structure can be absolutely any. The main thing is to foresee them in advance. The dimensions of the box should allow you to store mail of different sizes. Boxes for private homes are best made from stronger and more protective materials.

Main types of designs

Boxes can vary in shape, model and size. American, English, and classic styles are considered more common.:

Classic ones look like a small rectangular box with a special slot for newspapers and advertisements. Most often, such boxes are mounted on the walls of houses or fences. You can find them on the territory of the post-Soviet space, and they are made of wood or metal.
English style is a small metal box that is attached to the wall or created as a separate block.
American. This type can be mounted on a separate support; it has a special flag that notifies the sending of mail.

Unusual boxes can be made from different materials: paper, bottles, cardboard or interior items.

Choosing the best option

All types of boxes are mass produced, each can be purchased ready for installation. The models do not differ in their special structure or appearance. In this case, there is no point in talking about design features. If you want to get some kind of original box, then make it yourself.

The best option in this case would be a DIY wooden mailbox - thick cardboard or plywood.

To purchase you need follow some advice:

Determine the maximum number of letters that arrive to you in a certain period of time. If a large number of newspapers, other correspondence and mailings often arrive at your postal address, then it is best to create standard models of boxes; American ones in this case will be small in capacity, and newspapers for them will have to be folded into a roll.
If you want to design an American box, you must evaluate whether the postman will be able to recognize the destination of the letter and reach it. In some situations, you should talk about this in advance with the local postman so that no difficulties arise.
You should determine the location of the post office in advance. If you live in a private house that is fenced off, then you can use the classic version, which will be attached to the fence, or the English model, which must be marked with a postal designation in advance. American models are also used, having previously designated them for the postman with the appropriate signatures.

In Russia, postmen rarely independently collect all letters from recipients, so it is still worth taking items to assembly points - to central installations in public places or to special departments.

Metal mail box

DIY metal mailboxes are more difficult to create. In this case, in addition to the idea, you also need to have minimal skills in working with metal material.

For construction you will need:

tin sheets;
rivets;
drill;
special grinder.

The process of creating an American box is quite complicated:

Cut two rectangular sheets of metal. One will be the bottom, the size of the sheet is determined according to the required size. The second - a semicircular roof, should completely coincide with the overall width of the bottom, but be longer.
You need to cut out two identical semicircular parts that will serve as the side walls of the product. Their width must fully correspond to the width of the side of the bottom on which they will be installed, and the height of the circle must be equal to the semicircular roof.
Installation is carried out with a special welding tool. One of the semicircular sides must be installed on hinges, and also equipped with a handle and a special lock.
The finished model can be primed with 2-3 layers of primer and beautifully decorated at your discretion.

Traditional wooden mailbox

To create such a box you will need:

a sheet of plywood with a total thickness of at least five millimeters;
wooden blocks 15*15 mm;
hammer;
small tin plate;
special fasteners (nails and screws);
jigsaw and hacksaw for wood;
furniture hinges.

When creating a mailbox, you should choose a size that will comfortably fit a standard A4 sheet of paper.

Start of box construction

You need to cut two blanks from plywood with a general format of 150*250 mm and 350*870 mm. This will be the front, back, and sides. For the lower part, you need to cut a blank with a total size of 250 * 70 mm. This is where you need to start designing a box. Any owner can create such a product with his own hands.

There should be a hole of about 20 millimeters at the top of the box to accept mail. That is why such a blank is created with a size of 250 * 50 mm, in this case the gap will be located near the edge of the top of the mailbox. It will also be possible to cut out two parts measuring 250 * 25 mm, in this case a hole for receiving the newspaper should be made in the middle. The bottom bar should be 250*70 mm in size.

Four bars with an area of 350 mm and 220 mm are cut. They will be located in the corners of the box and provide the product with increased strength.

For longer service, all parts should be treated before assembly with special solutions that will repel pests and also prevent the process of rotting.

Receiver design

Using sandpaper, remove excess burrs from all workpieces and smooth out small bumps. A rectangle is made from the bars. The front wall (350*250 mm) is placed on it. The sides of the bars should be aligned with the ends of the plywood blank, and then they are fastened with screws and nails. If you use glue along with nails, this will help provide special strength to the connection and increase the tightness. Glue must be applied to the side of the block and to the edge of the plywood structure. Then they are combined and fastened with nails.

The back wall and bars are combined using the same method. It is very important to remember about attaching the box to the fence or wall of the house. To do this, several lugs are screwed to the top of the back wall.

The back and front walls are located on the end edges and are alternately combined with the side strips. The top of the box will consist of two slats. They are fastened with nails and glue, the gap between them should be up to 20 mm.

The bottom of the box should be made of a folding type so that the owner can easily get all the mail. To do this, several hinges are screwed to the long edge of the plank, and a small corner loop for a lock on the drawer is attached to the other side of the plank. Afterwards, the furniture hinges are combined with the back wall, the bottom is closed, and at the level of the hinge for the lock, another eye is attached to the front wall.

To prevent rain and snow from entering into the gap in the box from above, a special protection plate is cut out of a metal sheet and attached. It should have rounded edges and be slightly smaller than the top of the box. The plate should be folding; it is attached to the back wall using small furniture hinges.

There is also a mailbox model with an opening front wall. In this case, the box is assembled in exactly the same way, only the front side is attached to special hinges.

Upon completion of assembly, the box is carefully processed with special sandpaper, the box is painted and decorated.

Recently, decoupage finishes have become widely used. This is cutting out various beautiful images from magazines or paper. The cut out pictures need to be glued to the surface and covered with several layers of varnish at once. The pictures can be combined with the decoration of the house and the surrounding area. This is how you can get a beautiful and elegant mailbox.

Product with signal flag

Such a box will be located behind the fence. Most often, it is American boxes that are equipped with a signal flag. Also, for such a design you need to create a special rack with a bevel. The box is created from a 50*25 mm profile pipe.

The main walls of the box must be cut out of special plywood with a thickness of at least 10 millimeters and a diameter of 400 * 400 mm, the surface is properly primed and then painted.

When the paint is completely dry, the base is installed on the stand with self-tapping screws. Such a platform will be installed to the fence and well secured.

Creative details

On the outside of the fence, on the opposite platform, a special compartment for receiving newspapers is cut out. Its size should correspond to 250*20 mm. Special coverings need to be made on both sides of the gap. On the outside of the fence, on the top of the lining, a damper is attached using a bolted connection.

The screw and nut should not be fully tightened; the damper should be allowed to move to the right and left. To prevent the connection from loosening when using the box, and the nut from coming off the screw, a special lock nut is tightened on top. Handmade mailboxes will not only please the eyes of others, but will also bring joy to home owners.

The signal flagpole will consist of two plates located at an angle of ninety degrees relative to each other, and also fastened with a special steel rod. The signaling device should be placed so that the raised plate is located opposite the gap in the fence, and the other is on the platform. A newspaper or newsletter inserted into the slot will push the plate down, and the signal plate will rise up. In the absence of correspondence, the device will be in the working position; for this purpose, a special canopy in the form of a small weight is attached to the upper edge of the signal plate.

A special rod with plates is attached to the platform using special carbon loops. In this case, the fasteners are screwed to the platform with special self-tapping screws, which are placed as close to the plate as possible. This will prevent the rod from possibly falling out of the loops.

You need to sheathe the box depending on the style in which it will be made. It could be a doll house, a village hut, or a warehouse lined with iron sheets, or a DIY mailbox made from a plastic bottle.

To imitate a hut, it is best to use special cuttings of clapboard boards. A dollhouse can be created from fiberboard (fibreboard) with pasted napkins in the form of drawings and images. The warehouse space is finished with pieces of galvanized sheet metal. You can give the box a finished look using a signal plate, which can be cut out in the shape of some fairy-tale hero.

1 Varieties
2 Some tips for making
3 Manufacturing instructions
3.1 Plywood and wood
3.2 Cardboard box
4 Options for attaching mailboxes
5 Videos
6 Photos

A private or country house, as well as a dacha, have their own address to which letters, notices and other correspondence will be sent. To prevent it from scattering all over the area and from getting wet from rain or snow, it is best to install a mailbox near the gate. You can buy it at a hardware store, but your own model would be ideal. You can choose any material, dimensions, shape and colors. We will talk about how to make a mailbox with your own hands in this article. Detailed developments and step-by-step instructions will help you realize any idea or project.

Varieties

It is very important that the mailbox is combined with the overall style of the house, as well as the landscape design of the site, and a harmonious picture is obtained. No less important is such a parameter as capacity and choosing the right place for placement. Experts advise first deciding on this question: the future letter box will be used exclusively for its intended purpose or will additionally be a separate decorative element. In the latter case, he will attract the attention of passers-by and friends with his appearance.

With door at the bottom

Now let's look at the main types of mailboxes, which are divided by execution style.

Traditional mailboxes are purchased exclusively for receiving all types of correspondence. These types are common in post-Soviet countries and can be made from a variety of materials. In the modern world, to make them more attractive, they are additionally decorated with a variety of objects. They are mounted both on the fence and on the gate. It should be noted that this particular type is universal and popular, as it is simple and convenient.

American American boxes are the same in design, but different in design. This allows everyone to choose the best option. All mail is left horizontal, so bulky magazines and newspapers will have to be rolled up. A special difference from other models of boxes is the presence of a special flag. If it is raised, it means there are letters to be sent. Unlike our rules, in America postmen retrieve letters and send them through the mail themselves. An American mailbox should be installed on a separate support made of wood or metal, or a decorative figure.

The design of English-type drawers is a stationary cabinet-table, which is laid out of brick or welded durable metal. Install it directly on the ground, a couple of meters before the entrance to the site. Skilled builders make a replica of the house in miniature, which will harmoniously complement the main building of the estate. These boxes are quite spacious and also very durable, so they will last for many years.

English

The category of original mailboxes includes projects and finished products that are exclusively extraordinary design solutions. In any of them you can recognize most household items that have gone through transformation. The easiest option is to make a post office for a private home from plastic or lumber. But if you want to make a model from sheets of metal, you will need skills and a welding machine. At the same time, it is the most durable and durable.

Made of metal

Some tips for making

In fact, the upcoming process is quite simple and anyone can make a beautiful mailbox with their own hands if they wish. In order for the result to exceed expectations, you should still adhere to some recommendations.

When choosing lumber as side fasteners, choose corners that will give additional strength, in addition, if necessary, it will be possible to simply carry out restoration.

The slot for correspondence, located at the top, requires additional protection from precipitation, made in the form of a special protective visor.

The door for removing letters is most conveniently located at the bottom; it is better if it is hinged. If the door is placed on the front panel, then it is necessary to make accurate calculations so that cracks and cracks do not form during operation.

The safety of all letters and newspapers will be ensured by a small but durable lock for the mailbox. It is best to attach the key to a common keychain.

To protect yourself from a large amount of paper advertising, which is of no interest to the owners, it is recommended to make an additional table next to the mail.

In the form of a Prostokvashino house

Do you want to always be aware of new emails? You can make a homemade alarm in the box, which will signal that fresh press has arrived. To make it, you only need a sheet of thin plywood, a few wires, a battery, a light bulb and contact plates.

In addition, consider a few tips from designers:

You can highlight the fencing of a house made of artificial stone with a mailbox of the same style and direction. Stick to a single color scheme to achieve a harmonious ensemble.

A site far from the city, in a village, requires decoration in Provence or country style, so it is better to make the box from wood.

On a forged fence that encloses the territory of a private house, it would be appropriate to place a metal mailbox with forged elements. They must repeat the pattern on the spans or gates.

For a small dacha sector, you can choose an original idea: a correspondence box made from improvised materials.

Manufacturing Instructions

Here are some common examples of making mailboxes that any craftsman can implement.

Plywood and wood

Wooden mailbox diagram

To work, first of all, you should collect and purchase all the materials and tools:

sheet of veneer or thin plywood measuring 65x65 cm;
sheet of plywood (9 mm) measuring 65x43.5 cm;
timber (pine) measuring 100×7.5×5 cm;
stainless steel piano hinge (13 cm);
sandpaper (fine grain);
mortise lock;
screws;
wood glue;
colloidal silica;
two-component epoxy adhesive.

Wooden diagram

The algorithm of actions is simple, so there should be no difficulties in the process.

The beam is cut into three sections 33 cm long. Three lines are drawn on one beam: a central one and two transverse ones (the distance between them should be 30 cm). Using a pattern, draw a smooth curve. A cut is made along the line with a hacksaw, and the edge is cleaned. Using similar actions, the remaining two bars are processed.

The prepared elements are glued together.

The plywood sheet is cut into pieces according to the diagram below.

The veneer sheet is cut into eight sheets measuring 32x16 cm. The finished elements are laid one by one on the concave section of the block and each is coated with a layer of epoxy glue. The first layer is laid on a pine block with a sheet of newspaper, and then sheets of veneer. It is important to check that all elements match in size and that there are no gaps.

When the glue is completely dry, the prepared cover is sanded and adjusted to the size of the front and back walls.

Using a hacksaw, cut out a slot for mail and an opening for a door on the front wall.

The width of the door is fixed to the hinge using screws.

A place for the lock socket is selected and a keyhole is cut out.

The lid is secured using glue to which colloidal silica is added.

The door is installed, and the entire structure is completely cleaned with sandpaper.

The finished box is coated with varnish or paint, the house number is set and, after complete drying, it is fixed to the fence.

Cardboard box

Mailbox drawing

An original dollhouse-type mailbox, additionally decorated with lace, will become a bright accent and addition to any exterior of a country house. To make it you will need the following materials and tools:

modeling cardboard 4 mm thick;
drawer lock;
PVA glue;
paper tape;
stationery tape.

Assembly

For decoration, special napkins for decoupage and acrylic paints are purchased: white, black and silver.

Decoration

Procedure:

According to a pre-prepared diagram, we cut out all the necessary parts with a stationery knife.

Pay attention to the part with the window: it is important not to cut the cardboard to the end. This will prevent ruptures.

The folds are fixed with paper tape.

The prepared parts are glued with PVA glue and the finished structure is left to dry.

When the mailbox is dry, you can move on to decoration: to achieve the effect of antiquity, all external elements are covered with napkins and covered with black and white paint. The corners are finished in silver.

Install a miniature lock on the door and complete the decoration with drawings cut out from decoupage napkins. The lid is decorated with lace.

From cardboard

All decorative elements should fit well and be in harmony with each other, so you should compare them immediately.

Mailbox mounting options

As already mentioned in the section on types of mailboxes, each type is installed in its own way. If you are undecided, then it is worth considering all installation options. Let's look at an example of several options for fixing simple mailboxes.

Drawer installation Fence. To do this, two cuts are made on the back of the mail. Next, using metal clamps or thick wire, fastening is carried out. It is very important to level the box at this stage.

Gates. It is not uncommon to see a mailbox attached directly to a gate made of metal or wood. Here you will also need to make holes in advance on the back panel and on the gate. Nuts and bolts are used as fasteners.

Wall installation. As in the two previous methods, holes should be made both on the wall of the mailbox and on the wall. The structure is secured with small anchors or dowels - everything will depend on the thickness and type of wall surface.

If we are talking about a free-standing mailbox, then securing it will be quite simple: you need a platform, which is crowned with a pole.

Freestanding mailbox

In conclusion, I would like to note that if you have free time, the necessary material and imagination, you can make an original mailbox, the duplicate of which will not be available in the whole world. Such an element will complement the landscape design and will put the finishing touches on the decoration of the fence.

See how to make a house-shaped mailbox:

In the form of a house