DIY mailboxes: sizes, choice of material, manufacturing tips. DIY mailbox - a work of art for the home DIY mailbox made of plastic

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.
Tin sheet 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 gap 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)

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 performance style;
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 flag 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.

In recent years, we have been receiving more and more letters by email: it is fast, convenient, and reliable. But despite all the advantages of electronic mail, printed publications, advertising booklets, leaflets and, of course, paper letters and greeting cards are in considerable demand. Well, to receive correspondence, of course, you need a mailbox. This is exactly what we will talk about today in our article. Let's look at what they are, and also learn how to make a mailbox with your own hands.

Mailboxes

Such boxes are not particularly diverse; consumers purchase the same type of wooden or metal models at a retail outlet. But in vain. After all, those made according to individual sketches attract attention no less than a work of art. It is very good when, with an unusual design, they also fit into the overall design of the exterior.

American

American mailboxes in most cases resemble a travel bag.

A metal box with a flat bottom and a hemispherical top, mounted on a low pole near the house. And their decoration can be very diverse, and most often it is the support that acts as a decorative element. These can be figures of animals, people, fancy, ornate columns. Although the letter receivers themselves are quite original.

English

English mailbox

English ones are made in the form of a free-standing cabinet made of brick or metal. Most often they have a circular cross-section in cross-section, but there are also rectangular or faceted models, crowned with various finials. By the way, they are impressive in size compared to our boxes and reach a height of more than a meter, and for some reason they are almost always painted red.

For the eyes of residents of the post-Soviet space, flat rectangular boxes made of wood or metal are most familiar. In addition, they practically do not differ in size and are made to conveniently accommodate publications in A-4 format. And the more attention is attracted by original mailboxes in the form of houses, metal chests or briefcases with forged elements, painted in the Khokhloma style, with Zhostovo or Gorodets motifs or decorated using the decoupage technique. There is no limit to variations, everything is limited only by flights of fancy.

Requirements for boxes

Homemade mailboxes

Of course, the first thing that mailboxes must ensure is the safety of correspondence, and not only from those who like to read other people's press, but also from precipitation. Therefore, it is advisable to provide each design with a small lock that will securely lock the door. In addition, it is necessary to ensure tightness, because falling raindrops quickly spoil paper publications. This is especially true when the slot for loading mail is located in the upper horizontal edge of the box. In this case, it would be a good idea to place a protective visor over it.

The size of the mailbox plays an important role, especially if you receive thick, glossy magazines or catalogs by mail. They should be placed freely inside without being deformed externally; nevertheless, picking up a crumpled magazine is not very pleasant.

It is very good when in order to remove the newspaper you do not need to perform unnecessary movements. Think in advance about how the excavation will be carried out. When placing the door at the bottom, keep in mind: neither newspapers nor keys should fall to the ground when opening the door if you decide to install a super complex locking mechanism. A vertical door is much more convenient in this regard. Inspection slots or holes are also very necessary elements; thanks to them, you won’t have to open and close the structure again, everything will be visible in advance.

Note. Don't forget about convenience for the postman: it's not good if he has to load your press for too long, especially in the rain or snow. It is advisable to make the slot large enough for the normal passage of magazines and newspapers, and its edges should be smooth and even so that the paper does not tear on them.

Boy throwing a letter into the mailbox

The aesthetic side is exactly what pleases the eye and brings satisfaction to the owner of the box. Think about the design, a harmonious combination is never superfluous. On forged or cast iron fences, beautiful iron mailboxes with similar forging elements will look much more appropriate than wooden carved houses. It is better to place them on fences made in a rustic style. This could be, for example, a small copy of a house, decorated in decoupage style and located on a free-standing cabinet.

Boxes for a private home are attached not only from the street side; it is quite possible to place them in the yard. Then the slot for letters is located in the fence or gate, and the box itself is installed on the reverse side. With such a device, there is no need to install a lock at all; a small hook will be enough to prevent the door from opening spontaneously. And the vertical facade wall can be made not only of wood, but also of glass, through which the contents of the box will always be visible. Moreover, the door can also be glass; you just need to make a frame and enclose the glass in it.

Installation

There shouldn’t be any particular difficulties with installation; this is probably one of the easiest things to do when creating a mailbox. However, despite the simplicity, we will still consider some methods of fastening.

Through - holes are drilled in advance in the back wall of the box and in the fence and tightened with bolts.

Sometimes it is much more convenient to attach hinges to the finished structure and screw a self-tapping screw with a washer directly into them. You don’t have to buy such fastenings; you can easily make them yourself from metal, thereby somewhat reducing the total cost of the box.

It is not necessary to attach the box to a fence or wall of the house; you can assemble a free-standing structure for it. This could be a wooden shield under the canopy, on which, in addition to the box, you can place additional decorative items, flowers, or decorate it using the same decoupage technique.

Metal mailbox

Assembly

Making a wooden mailbox.

Having familiarized yourself with the basic recommendations for creating a mailbox, you can begin assembling it. Let's figure out how to make a mailbox, stylized as a country house, with which you can decorate your site. For the frame we will use an OSB board and a wooden beam with a cross-section of 20*20, which we will subsequently cover with aged pine boards.

First of all, you need to draw a sketch with all dimensions. The volume and dimensions can be chosen according to individual wishes, or can be made according to standard dimensions of 300 * 300 mm, and a ridge height of 400 mm.
Cut 2 rectangles 400*300 mm, these will be the back and front walls.
Connect temporarily with clamps or self-tapping screws. Cut 2 triangles at the top to form the roof gable.
Cut out the sides from the OSB board, the width of which is 300 mm, and the height is the same as that obtained on the facade blanks after the formation of the pediment.

Wooden mailbox

Strengthen the timber along the vertical ribs on the front and rear walls. To do this, first glue it with wood glue, and then additionally secure it with staples. Trim the excess timber flush.
Assemble a box of 4 parts, connecting the parts in the same way, using glue and staples.
Mount a frame from the same timber along the perimeter of the lower part from the inside.
Cut the bottom 300*300 and attach it to the frame.
Mount the timber frame in the upper part from the inside along the roof gable.
Install the slopes, creating overhangs on all sides.
Secure all connections with self-tapping screws.

Note. Of course, you can assemble the frame only from bars, connecting them together with a tongue-and-groove connection, or metal corners, and then cover them with plywood.

Post box in England

Cover the top with thin pine slats, which are first artificially aged with a grinding machine, installing abrasive brushes on it.
Cut a slot through which correspondence will be loaded.
Cut the door and install it on the hinges.
Embed the lock.
Cover the roof slopes with soft roofing material and install a decorative wind board.
Cover the house with stain.

You can decorate with any material: PVC plates, plastic lining. Or you can cover it with plywood and decorate it in decoupage style, choosing any design you like. In this case, a final varnish coating is necessary, which will protect the structure from the aggressive effects of the environment.

Making an American box

Despite the seemingly difficult shape to manufacture, an American box can be easily made from an old car muffler. You just need to cut it into two parts, one of them will become the roof.

The remaining parts for the rectangular box can be cut from metal sheets.

An American box can be easily made from an old car muffler

Don’t despair if your household doesn’t have a welding machine; a rivet gun will do. You will need to pre-drill holes for the rivets with a metal drill.

Carefully seal the seams with silicone.

The door will need hinges and a lock.

A can of spray paint in your hands - and in a few minutes the box will shine like a new car.

If desired, you can install a folding flag, although it is unlikely that you will be able to use it for its intended purpose.

Instead of a conclusion

Mailboxes are easy to assemble from available materials around the house. After all, they come from plastic bottles, canisters, cardboard and plywood boxes, and they can be decorated with napkins in the decoupage style. You just need to apply a little ingenuity and patience, and you will be able to not only save some money, but also create an individual decorative item

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 of 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 are dry, 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. Leave the bottom part transparent so you can 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.

Hello, dear readers. Today I would like to tell you about how you can make a mailbox with your own hands and from scrap materials.

Making a mailbox with your own hands

Basically, this is my own experience. However, let's talk about everything in order.
After manufacturing and installing a new metal gate, we found ourselves without a mailbox (it was dismantled along with the old wooden one).

For some time the mail was inserted into the gap between the gate and the gate. In the end, my wife got tired of it and set a clear task - to make a new mailbox.

After thinking a little, I came to the following decision.
I had several boxes from an old wardrobe in my shed. These boxes were made of planed boards, plywood and fiberboard.

It was decided to use them as donors for the new mailbox.

The only thing that didn't suit me was the size of these boxes.

So I carefully disassembled them and then, sawing the blanks to the sizes I needed, assembled a new base for my mailbox.

The rectangular frame was assembled using nails, although it is better, of course, to use thin and fairly long self-tapping screws for these purposes.

Well, okay, because the back wall made of plywood gives additional rigidity to my structure. By the way, I used a drill and a jigsaw to cut out the slot for letters and newspapers.

First I marked the hole, then I drilled a hole on the marking contour using an electric drill (the diameter of the drill was selected so that it was slightly larger than the width of the jigsaw blade), after which I used a jigsaw to cut out the hole along the marked contour. It turned out quite neat. The edge of the crack was additionally treated with sandpaper.

Now a few words about how my mailbox door is made. It is also made of plywood, and in order to prevent the lid from warping or turning inside out, I provided it with a kind of frame on the inside.

I got the slats for the frame from the same boards from the boxes, loosening them with a circular saw and additionally processing them with a plane. To ensure that everything was in the best possible shape at the joints of the slats, I used a miter box for sawing (a cool thing, by the way).

I hung the door on the mailbox using hinges and small screws found in the barn.

Naturally, I tightened the screws using a screwdriver (although you can also use a screwdriver, but this is quite boring). The loops are a little big, but I didn’t think it was advisable to buy more suitable ones.

I made the door latch from an old door latch, beveled it as needed and secured it to my new mailbox using self-tapping screws.

I secured the box to the fence, positioning it in such a way that the hole for letters and newspapers would fit into the gap between the boards (fortunately, at one time I made a non-solid fence). The entire structure was attached to the fence pickets through the back wall of the box with self-tapping screws. The final result in the photo:

I made this mailbox with my own hands in a couple of hours.

By the way, yesterday the postman dropped the first letter in it!

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Each of us has repeatedly sighed with chagrin, standing at our overcrowded mailbox, from which not only a mass of advertising newspapers and booklets, but also useful correspondence that we were expecting, awkwardly sticks out or sometimes even falls out.

You can solve the problem of inconvenience due to printed spam in a radical way: daily watch over couriers, leaflet distributors and postmen, personally sorting and returning to them the waste paper you do not need. Or you can approach the solution creatively and make a spacious wooden mailbox with your own hands. If you choose the second option, then this article is for you.

To make a mailbox you will need:

materials: waterproof 19 mm plywood, larch boards 32x150 mm, wood glue for external use;
tools: adjustable square, hacksaw, drill/driver, 4mm drill bit, countersink bit, stainless steel screws, two edge hinges and long screws.

How to make a mailbox frame?

It is better to make the back panel and bottom of the structure from waterproof plywood; this guarantees a long period of operation of the box itself and reliable protection of its contents from atmospheric moisture.

Using a sharp hacksaw, cut two pieces of plywood measuring 15x30 cm - this will be the bottom of the box, and 30x50 cm - this will be the back panel.

Fold the parts so that the back wall rests with its short end on the bottom, and draw a line along it, marking the junction. Drill three holes, placing them along the center of the outlined part. Apply a layer of wood glue to the joint, connect the parts and fasten with three screws using a screwdriver.

Please note: first of all, you should screw in the middle screw, then check whether the parts are evenly adjacent to each other and continue fixing along the edges of the structure.

This sequence will help to easily avoid distortion in the connection.

We continue to assemble the mailbox frame. Next up are the racks that will hold the front and side panels.

How to make your own mailbox

The width of the racks should be at least 3-4 cm, and the length in height should be 10 cm lower than the height of the back panel, that is, 40 cm. We will also cut them out of waterproof plywood.

We mount the racks in the usual way: we make a hole for the screws, glue the joint and screw the parts tightly.

The frame is ready.

What and how to cover a mailbox?

The lining of the mailbox has not only a functional, but also an aesthetic component. The design must have a pleasant appearance, because this is the object that sees you off and greets you at the entrance to the house every day.

We offer larch boards as cladding.

Use a hacksaw to cut the required number of facing elements and use a countersink drill to make several holes around the perimeter. To begin, place the first part on the glue, and then tighten it with screws. In the same way, gradually sheathe both side panels.

Each front panel piece will require slight adjustments to ensure that the edges of the front panel pieces line up correctly with the edges of the side panel pieces.

Using a square, mark the angle that should be transferred to the front panel boards and give them the required shape using a hacksaw.

Pay special attention to the manufacture of the mailbox cover.

Firstly, it must match the thickness of the front and rear walls, and secondly, it is a moving part of the structure and must work flawlessly.

Use an adjustable square to guide the front panel to the correct angle for the end piece of the cover. Cut off the narrow part and sand it with sandpaper. Connect the resulting part with the beveled board as usual, glue and screws. We fasten the third plank using a support block.

All that remains is to cut off the protruding back part and the lid is ready. Connect the box and the lid by attaching the edge hinges to them with screws.

A voluminous and beautiful wooden mailbox that you made with your own hands will become a source of special pride for you. Attach it in a convenient place and the problem of print spam is solved.

How to make a mailbox with your own hands

How to make a mailbox with your own hands is easy to make, which is attached to the back of a fence or gate.

How to make a beautiful mailbox for a private home: first-hand master classes

This method of securing the box will protect your mail from vandals, hooligans and petty thieves.

The picture shows a cross-section of the box and its detailing.

1. Side wall.
2. Bottom.
3. Roof.
4. Upper back strap.
5. Lower back strap.
6. Lid.
7. Pen.
8. Metal mounting bracket.

Material for making:

Wooden planks or moisture-resistant plywood GOST 3916.1-96
wood screws
piano hinges for lid
folding handle for lid
metal corners 26x26x30 (mm)

How to make a mailbox with your own hands and assembly procedure:

1. According to the drawing, we will cut out all the structural details from planks or plywood.

2. In the places where the parts are attached, we will drill holes Ø2.5 (mm).

Reference:
Mark the center of the mounting holes:
in the center of the end of the parts
at a distance of 15 (mm) from the edge of the parts

3. Let's connect all the parts of the structure body together.
4. Attach the cover to the body.
5. We screw metal corners to the side walls.
6. Sand the assembled product with fine sandpaper to achieve a smooth, even surface.
7. We will saturate the wooden structure with an antiseptic and cover it with a decorative layer of paint.
8. Let's cut a through groove in the gate or fence measuring 30...40 x 220 (mm).
9. On the front side of the gate or fence, we will attach a visor above the groove.
10. We will secure a mailbox on the inside of the gate.