"Decorative" Mailbox Post

[Armatron]

No HOA. Most folks have brick mailboxes, which are banned in my city for replacements due to liability. An amazon/ups/whatever truck tapped my mailbox and I need to replace it.

I went to home depot and was disappointed. Boring typical 4x4 t setup or janky steel/aluminum 3 piece post.

Is there some secret to finding a quality 1 piece cast iron mailbox post?

Thinking about maybe going with a 6x6 and cladding it with something?

 

[cvairwerks]

Put it on a swing arm or hang it by chains from a tall cross post...

 

[Joe Reed]

Not sure where you live but here in Memphis there is a company that has specialized in decorative cast iron (mailbox posts, wrought iron fencing, stairway railings, etc.) for decades. When I built my current house the HOA specified one particular model of their mailbox/post - which was fine with me. It's the one I wanted anyway. Google "ornamental cast iron" or something similar and your area and you'll probably find a similar company.

 

[engineer2]

I wish the builder of our subdivision had followed the USPS guidelines. They put the front of the box right at the curb which makes easy for snow plow drivers to hit.

Where to Place the Mailbox​

Here are some helpful guidelines to follow when placing your mailbox:

• Position your mailbox 41″ to 45″ from the road surface to the bottom of the mailbox or point of mail entry.
• Place your mailbox 6″ to 8″ back from the curb. If you do not have a raised curb, contact your local postmaster for guidance.
• Put your house or apartment number on the mailbox.
• If your mailbox is on a different street from your house or apartment, put your full street address on the box.

Installing the Mailbox Post​

The best mailbox supports are stable but bend or fall away if a car hits them. The Federal Highway Administration recommends:

• A 4″ x 4″ wooden support or a 2″-diameter standard steel or aluminum pipe.
• Avoid unyielding and potentially dangerous supports, like heavy metal pipes, concrete posts, and farm equipment (e.g., milk cans filled with concrete).
• Bury your post no more than 24″ deep.

 

[rayra]

Good excuse to buy woodworking tools.

Not a mailbox post, but you get the idea -

 

[rayra]

other suggestion is look for a Habitat for Humanity 'Re-Store' in your area. Find something to repurpose.

Habitat for Humanity ReStores

Habitat ReStores are home improvement stores and donation centers. You can support our work by shopping at and donating items to a Habitat ReStore near you.

www.habitat.org

 

[bwringer]

Menard's has materials lists and plans for some very classy designs. I suppose other home stores might too.

This is the one we used:

OZCO Project #811 Wooden Mailbox Post Material List

Bringing together elements of both strength and style, this mailbox post is perfect to add some curb appeal to your driveway! For more detailed step-by-step instructions, stop by the Building Materials desk at your local Menards® to obtain these plans after your purchase.

www.menards.com

It's held together with long black lag screws, but we chose not to install those weird fake Frankenstein bolt head covers shown in the plans. It was all super easy to build, with just a few basic angle cuts.

Add some nice floating numbers going down the post in black, and you got yerself a very nice mailbox post that's not one of those horrible crappy plastic over a post sorts of things and will last many years.

One of our neighbors hired a company that builds mailboxes. Couple of guys in a truck showed up one day and in a few hours had it built, installed, and painted (he went with a white painted setup with patriotic red and blue accents).

 

[Firstram]

Mine is mounted on a 1 ton truck front coil spring and the cross arm swivels. It has survived multiple slow speed hits!

 

[Doozer75]

My mailbox is on a Ridgid pipe threading vise tri-stand.
(without the vise.)

-Doozer

 

[walta]

Seems like the posts I saw in the stores were all about low cost

This one is thick aluminum the pounder coated finish has been maintenance free. It is not one piece but it is solidly built.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ERW8KO/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Cast iron is all but a lost art today. I often see the fancy cast aluminum post snaped off at the base.

If you start with a 6X6 and pad it out your post may look pretty clunky. Mite as well put you mailbox on a section of telephone pole.

Walta

 

[gahrajmahal]

I too wanted to make a decorative iron mailbox post after using cast iron panels to build our indoor steps railing in the garage with my trusty Lincoln tombstone stick welder I’ve had since age 15.



Instead, I built the current one from a leftover 6 x 6 deck post and some 2 x 6 pressure treated lumber. Our mailbox post gets hit fairly frequently. Actually just last week, when the top had a big dent in the opening hoop. I’d guess from some big pickup with wide mirrors. My mailbox is a HEAVY DUTY locking model. I got out my big hammers and pounded it back to shape. I do need to replace the door magnet as it’s getting weak.



You can see the neighbors standard 4 x 4 Box store model mail box and post next to my heavy duty model. I came out one day to find tire tracks and my mailbox and post in the middle of the yard. It popped out of the dirt when hit and I had a long session with the hammers to make the door close well. I reinstalled it and gave it a paint touch up.

Here is a source for cast iron panels, posts and decorative iron work. I hope to make a big order and make some outdoor decorative railings for the stone steps I built a year or so ago.

You are being redirected...

Decorative Corner Brackets – Ornamental Iron Collection

Shop the best decorative iron corner brackets in online for the home improvement, interior and exterior designs.These iron corner brackets fine up on a corner of post gives the extensive look for interior designs.

www.archirondesign.com

 

[txvwnut]

New of a guy who used a spring from a railway switch line. One of my buddies decided to try his hand at mailbox baseball and laid pretty good swing on it. That thing came right back after him looking for revenge, part of me wishes I had a video camera when he hit it so he could see how he looked trying to get a second swing in, never did. If I remember it right the mailbox wasn't even dented.

 

[Metallitubby]

I have a modern 14ga steel box on a marine-grade stainless post in concrete. It's been hit twice with no one injured, and only a small scratch on the box itself. I bought everything from V_SONS Design

Surface mounted post 42

Description and informations Surface mounted post 42" Surface mounted post stainless-steel post for Anthony and Jeremy mailboxes. The mounting hardware is included to attach the mailbox. The black and white posts are powder coated on stainless steel. This post is a 42" long square 2" x 2" with...

vsonsdesign.com

Post Mount Mailbox

Discover Vsons Design's modern residential mailboxes. Choose from a wide array of unique locking, wall-mounted and extra-large mailboxes.

vsonsdesign.com

edit - They don't show the same box I bought from them previously. It looks like the aluminum version they have listed though.

 

[Beerhippie]

You've reminded me that I need to make a brewery-themed stand for this one:

 

[ronr80]

Haha cool boxes , I put up mine last year we had a PO box and got our mail from the post office , the rental for the box was over $200.00 a year so I built one , got all the measurements from Canada post , I used a axle pipe welded a car rim on the bottom, stacked about 8 corvette brake rotors and welded them all together. then used a hard wood pallet to shield it . works like a charm , and it's moveable and adjustable . R

 

[HenryAZ]

My first experiment using my MIG welder. The balustrade pattern is borrowed from Chippendale.

 

[Mike65]

We used a wood post from Lowes. Ours is the one with the black mailbox.

 

[tjpavlov]

Around my area lots of people use granite posts.

 

[Crowbarman55]

I got this from HD and like it. Also comes in black. Everything was included but the 4x4.
Todd

 

[endangeredspecies]

I just finished building this one.
Kinda tall, but the mailman said it's okay. Many compliments from the neighbors as I was doing it.

 

[bb29510]

i got a piece of drill auger behind the shop, been there 23 years

 

[ATC]

No HOA. Most folks have brick mailboxes, which are banned in my city for replacements due to liability. An amazon/ups/whatever truck tapped my mailbox and I need to replace it.

I went to home depot and was disappointed. Boring typical 4x4 t setup or janky steel/aluminum 3 piece post.

Is there some secret to finding a quality 1 piece cast iron mailbox post?

Thinking about maybe going with a 6x6 and cladding it with something?

Bah, build a brick one and tell 'em it's always been like that!
Or, just make a brick/stone veneer one...



Lots of good ideas here.

When mine needs replacement, I am going to use some kind of 4x6 vertical steel post and a 4x4 horizontal for the box...I haven't come up with a design yet, but it'll be beefy.