Installing a mailbox in a private home. Original solutions: do-it-yourself street mailbox. What types are there?

When you hear the word “mailbox,” in the minds of many, a dull blue (green, brown, etc.) metal box with a narrow slot for letters and a small lock on the front wall appears. This is not surprising, because there are a dime a dozen of these, still of the Sovdepov model, everywhere. Why not break the mold and build a one-of-a-kind mailbox with your own hands?

A creative person is unpredictable and brilliant in everything - hence the huge number of options for man-made mailboxes, especially those that “live” in the country. Samples vary in shape, design, material of manufacture and, ultimately, in price. Some models are not difficult to make yourself, while others will require certain construction skills and dexterity, perseverance and the purchase of expensive materials.

Mailbox styles

Mailboxes for dachas are conventionally divided into several stylistic groups:

Standard

A mailbox is a small rectangular box with a slot for correspondence. It is usually made of metal or wood. This type of letter box can most often be found on the streets of post-Soviet cities. The main advantage of standard models is ease of manufacture and ease of use.

Today, many owners have breathed new life into traditional mailboxes - they are decorated with colorful images using the decoupage technique, giving the unsightly metal a rich, attractive look.

American

The mailboxes of American citizens do not shine with a variety of shapes, but they impress with the originality of their decorative design. Letters are placed horizontally; if newspapers and magazines are too large for the box, they are rolled up.

An interesting feature of American style mailboxes is the small flag on the side panel. If it is raised up, there is correspondence inside the box waiting to be sent. Americans always install their mailboxes on supports. It can be a wooden or metal stick, a three-dimensional decorative figure.

English

Traditional British mailboxes are the most solid, and consist of a metal box mounted into the wall of a building. Over time, the appearance of the English-style letterbox has changed somewhat - today it is a separate stationary cabinet built of brick. Inside the durable structure there is a spacious niche for correspondence. The mailbox is installed a few meters from the door leading to the site.

Original

A plastic bottle or the system unit of a no longer needed computer can transform into a mailbox in the most unusual way. Sometimes the extravagance of original mailboxes goes off scale. Be that as it may, every non-trivial mailbox is the result of a bold flight of imagination of its owner.

Mailbox in the general exterior of the site

Even if you can’t wait to quickly make a mailbox in your summer cottage, wait a little. First, evaluate the general appearance of your dacha in order to understand what material to give preference to when creating a mailbox.

Is your home hidden behind a faux garden fence? Decorate the correspondence box in the same style - this way you will achieve unity of color and texture.
If your dacha is a small house in a village with a lush orchard surrounded by a palisade, you certainly need a wooden mailbox in a country style.
A mailbox memorable for its originality will fit perfectly into the exterior of a small suburban area.
An elegant forged letter box will favorably emphasize the fine ligature of the patterns of a forged fence.

Important points in creating a mailbox

A correspondence box is a functional design that should last for many years. How to make it more durable?

The slot for lowering correspondence should be covered with a small visor, which will protect the letters inside from moisture, snow and rain. This recommendation is especially relevant when the mailbox slot is on its top panel.
The door for removing letters is usually made on the front wall or bottom panel of the mailbox. If mail is taken out from below, it is better to make the door hinged. The door on the front side of the letter box is certainly more convenient, but only under one condition: the dimensions of the hole and the door must match each other very precisely. Otherwise, when the door does not fit tightly to the box, cracks appear on its front wall, allowing rainwater and snow to pass into the correspondence niche.
All elements of a wooden mailbox are fastened with corners, which ensure the strength of the structure and facilitate its repair in the future.
A small but reliable lock is installed on the door - from unscrupulous lovers of other people's correspondence.
Did you know that any mailbox can be equipped with an alarm system? It's very simple! Anyone can find an old magnetic relay or telephone switch. From there we will need contact plates. Using a plywood or plastic sheet set on springs, create a second bottom in the mailbox. Contacts are inserted into the gap between the first and second bottoms, which will respond to the filling of the mailbox with letters. As soon as letters or newspapers fall to the bottom of the box, the contacts close and the light bulb connected to them lights up, informing the owner about this.

How to make a mailbox with your own hands

Let's look at one of the least complicated ways to assemble a mailbox yourself. Wood is a pleasant and pliable material, even in the hands of a beginner. In addition, wooden blocks are a common and relatively inexpensive material.

First of all, stock up on:

wooden blocks (for example, pine) or mounting rails;
thick plywood;
self-tapping screws;
a small lock;
protective agent for wood processing;
tools for working with wood.

Let's get started:

We cut out the main parts of the future mailbox from the timber. To create a frame, a mounting rail with the following parameters is suitable: length - 30 cm, width - 2 cm and thickness - 1 cm. Moisture-resistant plywood is needed for cladding; you will need two 30x25 cm plywood sheets (for the front and back wall of the box), two 30x6 cm sheets (for the side panels) and two 25x6 cm sheets (for the top and bottom of the box);
Before assembly, you need to treat all wooden elements with a special protective agent so that moisture and insects do not spoil the man-made beauty ahead of time;

using self-tapping screws and a screwdriver, we assemble together 4 slats, back and side panels, and the bottom part is made of plywood;

Half the work is done - we have a box, which now needs to be equipped with a front wall with a lock and a top part with a slot for correspondence. Let's start installing the top panel. Not everyone can boast of extensive experience working with plywood, and therefore the need to make a neat slot for letters in a solid sheet of material can be a real challenge. In this case, we advise you to follow the path of least resistance: cover the top of the box not with one plywood panel 6 cm wide, but with two small ones (2.5 cm each), leaving a gap of 1 - 1.5 cm in the middle;
We install a front wall on the mailbox - a door with a small lock. We attach the panel to small but strong hinges so that it can open in any direction convenient for you. On the outside of the door we screw two hinges for a padlock;

On top of the letter slot we screw a suitable sized metal canopy that will protect your letters and newspapers from rain and snow drops. The classic mailbox for the dacha is ready!

Mailbox installation options

On a hard surface. Make several holes for mounting in metal or wooden gates, as well as in the back of the mailbox. Using bolts and nuts, screw the structure to the surface.
On the fence. The letter box is attached to a wooden or metal fence with simple metal clamps. On the back panel of your product, cut two mounting slits, thread the clamp tabs through them, and slide them onto the horizontal fence posts. Align the mailbox with the fence before tightening the clamps.
On the wall of the house. For installation, the scheme is the same: make two holes each in the mailbox and the wall on which you are going to hang it. “Place” the product on dowels or small anchors.

As you can see, there is nothing difficult in creating country accessories that are dear to your heart - if only you had the desire to create!

A mailbox is an integral part of any home. How to make your own mailbox, unique in design and having a notification function about the arrival of mail, is described in this article.

If you have a house, then you have your own address to which you receive mail - press, letters and other notices. To receive correspondence, you can buy a mailbox at any appropriate store and hang it on the front door. This solution, in addition to being expensive (high-quality mailboxes are quite expensive), is also bad because the ready-made options are faceless and, accordingly, are not able to decorate your home. We will tell you how you can make a unique mailbox with your own hands, which has two undeniable advantages over purchased ones:

located on the inside of the fence, that is, located on the territory of the personal plot, and having a decorative appearance, it will serve as a decoration for the garden;
the box is equipped with an autonomous mechanical mail arrival alarm, that is, the box will have a simple, reliable and fail-safe mechanism that is triggered when mail arrives, thereby informing the owner that the mail has arrived.

In the end, such a mailbox will cost you less than a purchased one, and you can make it yourself in one day.

So let's get started.

Tools and materials

To make a mailbox house we will need:

Circular saw or hand saw.
Drill or screwdriver.
Sheet metal or any other sheet material. A cut tin can will do just fine.
Lumber trims.
Wooden skewers. We will use them as dowels.

Manufacturing instructions

1. We start by making the base platform. To do this, we use a rectangular piece of plywood 20 mm thick. We cut out a rectangle according to the dimensions indicated in the photo, sand it with sandpaper and cover it with primer.

2. We cover the edges with decorative coverings.

4. After painting the platform to the bottom, using self-tapping screws, we fix the stand and the slope, which are made of a profile pipe.

5. We fix the platform at the place where the mailbox is installed.

6. We make a damper on the outside of the fence. We cut a vertical hole in the corrugated sheet of the fence. From a metal plate 1.5 mm thick we make coverings for the slot and the damper itself. We fix the damper using a self-tapping screw in its upper part to the coverings on the crack. The flap moves to the left or right, thereby opening the entrance to the slot through which mail enters.

7. Let's start manufacturing the mailbox parts.

8. Assembling the frame. We additionally secure the parts at the gluing points with wooden dowels.

9. We fix the left side wall to the frame and begin to make the signaling device. It consists of two metal plates connected to each other by a metal axis and located in relation to each other in perpendicular planes. We fix the plates to the axle using metal rivets. On the plate that will be located outside the mailbox, we apply a thematic design (postman), use metal scissors to cut along the contour of the design and paint with acrylic paints. The second plate should cover the entrance hole from the inside of the box. Thus, the empty box is made ready by lifting the right plate. When placing mail in the box, the plate falls, raising the left plate with the postman drawn on it. It is its appearance that signals the presence of mail.

10. The signaling device axis is fixed using corner metal hinges to the platform with self-tapping screws.

11. Fix the front wall and insert a thematic drawing into the opening of the future window.

12. We make parts of the window frame. Before installing the frame, we insert glass into the opening.

13. Glue the right side wall. In the center of the wall we make an imitation of a door and decorative cashing from fiberboard. We also make a back wall from fiberboard with a vertical slot into which mail will flow into the mailbox.

14. We decorate the outer corners of the house and the lower part with wooden corners.

15. Let's start making the roof. Glue the roof base frame together.

16. Glue a piece of fiberboard to the bottom part. Next, we glue two pairs of rafters onto the frame. All connections must be additionally secured with dowels.

17. We attach the roof frame to the house using small hinges, since the roof will serve as a mailbox lid.

18. We make the roof gables from fiberboard and glue the ebb on the front side.

19. We attach a rough roof from scraps of boards or clapboard to the rafters.

20. Using small nails, we fix tiles cut from tin onto the rough roof.

21. After fixing the tiles, we make the ridge and wind strips.

22. Making a porch.

23. We install the structure in place. Your unique mailbox is ready.

Evgeny Dubinin, rmnt.ru (based on materials from user Valley)

Each type of house or housing has its own unique address, to which various letters and telegrams are received in a timely manner. To ensure that your correspondence does not scatter across the fence or area, you need to properly equip the postal device. Typically, such a product can be purchased at hardware store: their prices are very affordable, and the choice of material is very diverse. However, many people like to make their own letter box.

In order for your beautiful mailbox to not stand out in the overall picture of the house, you need to choose the right design and size, as well as determine the place where you will install it. You need to take into account its accessibility and convenience for receiving letters. When choosing a box, you need to decide how you will use it: will it be decorative element or a functioning device for letters.

There are several main types of boxes:

Traditional.
American.
English.

If you don't know how to make your own mailbox, then the traditional type is perfect for you. Name of traditional letter boxes speaks for itself: this is the simplest and most convenient type, which is made from available building material. They can be made of cardboard, plastic, wood, metal and have the most unusual shapes.

The appearance of American boxes is very similar to traditional ones, however, they have one feature that helps to find out whether a letter is in the mail. The fact is that in private areas of America, when delivering letters, the postman himself raises special checkbox, which indicates the receipt of the letter.

The English view is significantly different from the previous two. More often it is made of a metal pipe. Accordingly, special doors and a hole for letters are cut into it. After which she is painted and decorated original pictures, and is installed as a cabinet.

There are also special, unique and extraordinary types of mailboxes. They are made independently not only from improvised means, but also from any unnecessary materials. So, using an ordinary plastic bottle, you can make an excellent postal device. The main thing is that the bottle is large in volume, ideally from 5 liters. This material will not leak or get wet, which will keep your letters dry. And if the box is well decorated with decorative material such as paper or decoupage, then it can easily replace the usual store-bought one.

You can make your own box from slats. To do this you will need tools: a hammer and a saw. With accurate calculation and correct drawing It will take very little time to make such a box. The main thing is not to forget to install waterproof material on top of the box to protect the letters.

Making a metal mailbox with your own hands is much more difficult. At a minimum, you will need the skills of a welder or tinsmith. When creating a letter box from thick metal, you will definitely need a welding machine. And to decorate the product you will need tools that allow you to process metal. Thick metal is usually used to make forged postal items that look very elegant.

Making a homemade tin box for letters is a little easier. However, the skills of a tinsmith will greatly help in such production. Usually this type of look is not particularly decorated, unless you can apply paint in an unusual way.

Making at home

On the Internet you can watch a special master class on how to make a mailbox out of wood with your own hands. However, there are certain subtleties of this work.

First you need to decide what tools and materials you will need. Basic materials include:

Plywood and wooden blocks.
Nails or screws.
Hammer or screwdriver.
Wood saw or circular saw.

Once everything you need has been collected, you can start making a drawing or searching for it on the Internet. In all drawings, a box for the workpiece is initially made, and only then the lid and bottom are assembled. The main thing is not to forget about the hole itself for the letter. The hole should be marked and made before attaching the cover, so that it would be convenient to process it on both sides.

Once the product is ready, you can proceed to decorating it. There are no limits to decorating mailboxes. You can use everything that your ingenuity and imagination are capable of. Any paint color, decorative elements, construction supplies - anything can be used in decoration. There have been cases when mailboxes were decorated various toys, dolls. But that's not all - lovers of bright lights can decorate them with electronic bulbs and backlights.

Installation Features

So, when your invention is ready to use, you need to immediately think about how to position it. It is better to install an outdoor mailbox on a fence. It can be installed both from the outside and from the inside, but do not forget that when installing from the inside you will have to make a hole in the fence. This option is the most practical, but it is worth remembering that the letter box should be clearly visible not only during the day, but also in the late evening.

Factory variations of mail collection boxes are often monotonous and not particularly original. Traditional metal or wooden boxes, which are decorated with an apartment number and a miniature padlock, will not appeal to many people.

Street mailbox

Let's look at several step-by-step master classes on how to make a mailbox for a private home with your own hands.

Varieties and styles

A mailbox, which is located in the local area, often serves more than just its intended purpose. Such products also become a harmonious addition to the design of the building facade. Therefore, before making such a product, you should decide on the design variations. Experts distinguish three main types of mailboxes:

In a classic style. This design is a vertical box equipped with a slot for letters and other correspondence. As a rule, they are installed by hanging them on a fence or wall of the house. Despite its simplicity, even such a box can be decorated in an original way through painting, decoupage techniques and other techniques.
In English style. This product is made in the form of a cabinet-table, which is mounted directly on the ground. As a rule, a mailbox is placed a few steps from the main entrance to the house. Externally, this design resembles a miniature model of a residential building and is made of durable steel or brickwork.
American style. Such mailboxes are a metal box in the shape of a half-pipe. They are mounted on a separate support or wooden rod and equipped with a special flag, which signals the presence of correspondence inside. It simply rises if the box contains letters.

Options in the photo

Variations of mailboxes depend on the imagination of the owners

Street mailbox - addition to the ensemble of a country house

The outdoor mailbox should be in harmony with the design of the house

Undoubtedly, every homeowner wants a home-made structure to not only have an original appearance, but also be durable and strong. Therefore, before planning the manufacture of a mailbox, you should consider a number of basic recommendations:

To ensure that correspondence is not exposed to the harmful effects of precipitation, it is necessary to provide a canopy over the slot for lowering letters.
If you plan to place a door to remove the contents of the drawer on the front panel, then it is important to accurately calculate the dimensions of the opening. This will prevent the formation of gaps through which snow and moisture penetrate.
When planning to install a door at the bottom of the drawer, it is advisable to make the structure hinged so that you can easily remove correspondence.
If you want to make a box from wood, you need to protect the corners of the structure with special metal plates. This will increase the strength of the product and make repairs easier in the future.
For security, it is worth providing a lock or alarm.

Just a few simple rules will extend the life of your product.

Made from wood

Very popular designs in domestic spaces are made from natural wood. This material allows you to experiment with the shapes of the box, as well as the external design. In addition, it is easy to obtain and does not require any professional skills to operate.

So, to build a mailbox you need to prepare the following materials:

wooden blocks;
protective impregnation;
wood screws;
paint brush;
door hinges (small size);
dense moisture-resistant plywood;
lock for locking;
screwdriver;
hacksaw.

The construction process looks like this:

The first step is to coat the wood material with a protective compound that will prevent damage by moisture or insects. When the sheets have dried, you can begin assembling the structure.
The dimensions of the walls depend on the desired dimensions of the future structure. To work, you will need to cut the timber into several parts so that you get 4 slats corresponding to the length of the structure, 4 shortened parts for the width and 4 pieces. to the height of the side walls.
At the first stage, it is necessary to put together these fragments in the shape of a rectangle, that is, to make a frame.
Then you need to attach plywood sheets cut according to the dimensions to it - side fragments, back and bottom. The result will be a box without a top cover and a front panel.
In order not to cut a hole for correspondence from a single piece of wood, you can make a cover from 2 panels, leaving a 1 cm slot in the middle.
The front of the box will look like a door with a small lock. This will allow you to remove mail without hindrance and at the same time protect the structures from intruders.
To construct it, you need to install hinges on the side panel - 2 pcs. for the door itself and 2 pcs. for a locking structure.
We hang the façade wall and check its functionality.
This completes the production of the mailbox.

Important! Since the slot for dropping letters is at the top and is not protected from precipitation, there is a risk of damage to the correspondence. To do this, you can attach a metal sheet directly above the hole, which is fixed with small hinges. This will create a second protective cover.

Wooden mailbox - easy to make and design

Made of metal

This design is the most durable and durable, but it is much more difficult to make. To do this, you will need minimal skills in processing metal structures. So, to build such a product you need to prepare the following tools:

a metal sheet;
Bulgarian;
jigsaw or saw;
welding machine;
anti-corrosion impregnation;
dye.

The workflow looks like this:

An American mailbox will require more effort to operate, but will be stronger and more durable

From a plastic bottle

A practical and original mailbox can be made from scrap materials. The process is incredibly simple and fun, and the result is an attractive design that can be decorated to suit your taste. So, to create a box you will need:

plastic container with a capacity of 5 l;
stationery knife;
plywood fragment 25x5 cm;
lightning;
quick-drying fabric;
glue;
long needle;
synthetic strong thread.

The manufacturing process is performed in the following sequence:

Empty containers must be cut crosswise at the bottom so that the bottom opens, but does not separate completely. We apply a sewing zipper to the cut to make sure the length of the product is appropriate.
Using a needle and thread, sew the zipper to the bottle. You can also glue it, but it is worth considering that the box will be located outside, and under the influence of precipitation, the strength of the fixation will decrease every day.
We check the functionality of the zipper - the improvised folding bottom should open and close well.
We wrap the container in decorative material - fabric, burlap. We leave the bottom part transparent to see the presence of correspondence. We cut off excess material.
Then we remove the fabric and coat the surface of the bottle with glue. We reapply the material and firmly fix it. We are waiting for the composition to dry completely.
We cut out a hole for mail on the front wall of the container.
We fix the plywood panel on the back using glue. You will need it to mount the box on a fence or wall.
At this point the product is ready. After complete drying, install the box in the right place and enjoy the work done.

Important! For decoration, you can use not only fabric, but also any types of moisture-resistant coatings. You can paint the facade, paint it and varnish it or decorate it with artificial flowers.

A mailbox made from a plastic bottle is the easiest way to make it

From cardboard

Such products are easy to manufacture and also cost-effective. Any unnecessary box will be suitable for constructing a mailbox. All you need is a minimum of effort and a little imagination. In this example, let's look at a step-by-step master class using an empty tablet box for a washing machine as an example.

So, before work you need to prepare the following tools:

cardboard containers;
stationery knife;
glue gun;
decorative paper;
wood varnish;
paint brush.

The construction process is carried out in the following sequence of actions:

As you can see, making an original mailbox is not at all difficult; you just need a little effort and imagination. Various design variations allow it to be made from the simplest materials, even using recycled materials. However, before you make a box with your own hands, keep in mind that its appearance should be in harmony with the overall ensemble of your site.

Country real estate or a private house may have its own address. Therefore, people living here can receive letters, newspapers and other necessary correspondence. To prevent it from scattering all over the site or being damaged by snow or rain, you need to arrange a mailbox. There are many options for such designs today.

You can get creative by creating your own mailboxes. In this case, such a product will be original and interesting. There are many simple and more complex options for mailboxes. Even without much experience in using hand tools, you can create similar structures yourself.

Design Process

To create a functional and beautiful mailbox with your own hands, you must first design the structure itself. First of all, you should consider its dimensions. The correspondence that the owner of a private home will receive can be of different sizes. It doesn't have to be just letters. You may need to place magazines, newspapers or even books in your mailbox. In this case, the internal space of the product must provide such an opportunity.

Next, you need to decide on the type of material and style of the box itself. In this case, you can show your imagination. There are many options to create an original and beautiful product. The design style should be selected in accordance with the appearance of the cottage or house itself, as well as the landscape design of the site.

When learning how to make a mailbox, you should also consider your abilities and skills. Some materials will be easier to work with, while others will require the use of special tools.

Style

Mailboxes for a private home can be made in different styles. Today, the most popular are traditional, American, and English varieties of design. There are also original designs.

Traditional mailboxes look like an oblong box with a slot for correspondence. They are made from various materials. This is a simple, convenient option. This box can be installed on a gate or fence. To give an aesthetic appearance, such products are decorated with various additional details and designed in accordance with the taste preferences of the owners.

The American design style involves using the same design for all drawers. They differ only in color. The correspondence is located inside such a box in a horizontal position. Such products are installed on a special support.

The English mailbox has the shape of a cabinet-table. It is made of steel and installed directly on the ground in front of the entrance to the site. This is a strong, durable design.

Original developments involve the use of materials such as plastic or other polymers. In this direction, creative imagination has no limitations.

Material

There are a huge number of options for creating a mailbox. A variety of materials are used for this. Metal mailboxes are considered the most reliable. However, not every master has experience working with such material. In order for the design to be reliable, you must be able to work with a welding machine. If you wish, you can do without it. In this case, sheets of metal are tightened using rivets or even bolts and nuts.

Another popular option is wood. It does not require the use of complex tools. At the same time, you can create various decorative elements for a mailbox from wood. With proper processing of this material, high reliability and durability of the product can be achieved.

One of the simplest options is to create a structure from polymer materials. For example, it could be a mailbox made from a plastic bottle. This type of mailbox is easy to create. However, these are the most short-lived types of structures.

What needs to be provided?

In addition to the fact that the box must be durable, beautiful and in harmony with the overall design of the house and site, it must be reliable. To do this, you need to take into account several recommendations. Whatever material is chosen for making the box, all the details of working with it should be taken into account. For example, when creating a structure made of wood, it is necessary to fasten the planks using corners.

It is important that water or snow cannot get inside. If the letter slot is at the top, you need to install a visor over it.

You need to purchase a secure lock for your mailbox. It can be mounted or internal. When choosing, it is better to give preference to products from trusted manufacturers.

The drawer door should be located at the bottom of the structure. If it is on the front side, you need to ensure that it fits snugly to the doors. Otherwise, water may get inside during heavy rain.

When creating mailboxes with your own hands, you should consider a few tips for designing such products. During the design process, you should take into account the type of fence the house has, the style of the facade, and the features of the landscape design.

If a country cottage is located far from a big city, you can give preference to country or Provence style when decorating the product. The best material in this case would be wood.

If the fence is made of forged elements, the best option would be a metal mailbox. It should be in harmony with the fence. When designing the product, you can use the same motifs as for the fence.

A stone fence requires the use of high-quality materials. In this case, the plastic will most likely look out of place. It is better to give preference to metal.

Making a Wooden Box

A wooden mailbox will look beautiful and original. To create it, you will need to prepare sheets of plywood or veneer, the length and width of which are 63 cm. Their thickness should be at least 1 cm. You also need a wooden beam with dimensions of 100 x 7.5 x 5 cm. It is necessary to prepare a stainless steel loop (12 cm) and a castle.

You will also need sandpaper, screws, staples, wood glue, colloidal silica.

The timber is sawn into 3 identical parts. On one of them you should draw 3 lines. One of them will run in the center, and the other 2 will run across. The distance between them should be at least 30 cm. A smooth curve is drawn. It is cut out and cleaned. The same procedure is performed on the remaining sections of the timber. All elements are glued together.

8 pieces measuring 32 x 16 cm are cut out of the veneer. The blanks are inserted into the concave section of the block and treated with epoxy glue. The first layer is paper, followed by veneer sheets. The glue dries, after which the lid is sanded.

A slot is cut in the front wall for letters and newspapers, as well as an opening for the door. It is fixed with screws. The lock is installed. The lid is fixed to the box using silica glue. The finished structure must be varnished and, if desired, painted.

Cardboard box

To create an original mailbox, you can give preference to cardboard. It can be decorated in the style of a dollhouse. You will need to prepare cardboard (4 mm thick), a mailbox lock, glue, tape and a utility knife. For decoration, purchase decoupage napkins and acrylic paints.

According to a pre-developed pattern, all the details of the box are cut out using a stationery knife. The part with the window should not be cut completely. All bends are fixed with tape. The structure is assembled together and secured with glue.

American mailbox

To create an American street mailbox with your own hands, you will need sheets of metal. Blanks are cut from them in accordance with standard sizes and shapes of the product. The bottom of the product will be made in the form of a rectangle. The semicircular roof is attached to it. The side sheets will be the same size.

All elements can be fastened using a welding machine. If you don't have one, you can use bolts and nuts. Finally, you need to attach the door with a handle. If desired, such a structure can be made of wood. It all depends on the preferences and skills of the master.

This structure needs to be coated with paint. When the checkbox is raised, it means that the mailbox needs to be checked. When decorating, different coloring techniques are used.

English mailbox

The approach to creating a design in each case must be individual. The mailbox will look original if it is decorated in English style. In this case, a variety of materials are used. Even plastic bottles or pipes can be used.

When creating an English mailbox, the author's imagination is practically unlimited. Such designs are created from an old grandfather clock, system unit, school bag, speakers, etc. You might think what things have long gone out of use and lie idle. They can be used to create such a creation.

You can take a medium-sized log. The core is removed from it. Then the door is screwed to the workpiece. The mail opening should not be exposed to direct rain or snow.

Plastic boxes

When creating mailboxes for a private home, you can choose a design made of plastic or plexiglass. Almost everyone can work with such materials. To ensure that all elements fit tightly together, special attention should be paid to the choice of glue. It must fully correspond to the selected type of material.

Plexiglas looks beautiful, but fastening elements from it can sometimes be quite difficult. This will take quite a long time. However, after creating the box, you can decorate it with special paints.

Plastic is widespread in the modern world. There are many finished products made from it. You can choose a ready-made box from this material, modify it and decorate it at your discretion.

Working with metal

When learning how to make a mailbox, you should highlight metal types of products. When properly processed, they are the most durable and strong. To be able to create a metal mailbox, you will need to prepare special equipment.

In addition to the welding machine, the master will have to use a grinder or a hacksaw for metal, or a drill. You need to know how to handle such tools correctly. Also, in the manufacture of such a product, forging elements are actively used. If the owner of a country house is not familiar with blacksmithing, he will be able to purchase such decorative elements in specialized stores.

The finished box should be primed and painted. In this matter, you should use your imagination.

Installation

When creating mailboxes with your own hands, you should consider where such a product will be installed. This could be a fence, a house wall or a gate. In the first case, slits are made on the back of the box. Metal clamps or wire are threaded through them. This way you can simply secure the structure to the fence.

If the owners want to fix the mailbox on the gate, 2 holes are also made on the back side of the structure. Fixation is carried out using bolts and nuts.

To install a mailbox on the facade of a house, you will need to use anchors or dowels. In this case, the material from which the wall of the house is made is taken into account.

American mailboxes are mounted on a support. It is taken out to a separate area, most often behind the gate. This also applies to the English style of design.

Having considered how mailboxes are created with your own hands, every owner of his own home will be able to create an original, beautiful product. This will emphasize the individuality of the owners. A well-chosen design will allow the mailbox to fit harmoniously into the overall exterior of the cottage or country house.