How to Buy a Mailbox

 

A mailbox is arguably the most useful and practical outdoor purchase you can make. Everyone needs a mailbox—and if your mailbox has ever been taken “out of commission” by a swerving car, you know how inconvenient it is not to have a mailbox. Besides being necessary for sending and receiving mail, mailboxes also often mark the entrance to your driveway or front door path, and in a sense, they are first to welcome your guests to your home. There are many different styles of mailboxes available, and you can find the perfect one to reflect your home’s personality.

Most mailboxes are post-mounted, meaning they are mounted on top of a post which is either direct-buried into the ground or bolted to a concrete slab for security. Post-mounted mailboxes can be purchased as sets, including both a mailbox or post, or a post can be purchased individually. Classic, stately styles are usually available in sets, such as the one pictured at left.

There is a wide variety of post-mounting mailboxes available, including personalized mailboxes, copper-wrapped mailboxes, cedar mailboxes and locking mailboxes. Locking mailboxes ensure that your mail will be secure and only retrieved when you open the mailbox with your key. Locking mailboxes can help ease worries about identity theft—no one can get your personal information out of your mailbox before you come home. For the truly unique who want to express a personal interest, there are mailboxes in the shapes of fire engines, golf bags, and more!

If your mailbox does not come with a matching post, you can use any standard mailbox post with it, but you will need a mailbox mounting plate to fit between the top of the post and the mailbox itself. The mounting plate, if it does not come with the mailbox, is readily available in most hardware stores and is nearly universal among all applications.

If your mailman still delivers mail to your door, then you can choose from a beautiful selection of wall-mounted mailboxes. Designed to be placed next to your front door, many of these mailboxes have a neat rack underneath to place outgoing correspondence. Wall-mounted mailboxes are available in contemporary, Victorian & Colonial traditional, locking, and scenic styles. We also have a select category of traditional European-styled wall mailboxes with a truly classical look.

A great way to dress up a new or existing mailbox is to add a personal touch. Having your name, address, or both on your mailbox can aid in having mail delivered correctly and having guests and delivery persons find your home more easily. We offer mailbox plaques to fit on top of or underneath a standard mailbox, vertical reflective markers that fit onto mailbox posts, and vinyl lettering that can be made-to-order and pre-cut for application on an aluminum or steel mailbox. Some of our mailboxes come with address toppers, which have a blank space where you can insert address numbers. You will want to use numbers that are 1 ¾” high to fit these toppers.

 

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