How to make a mailbox from tin with your own hands

How to make a mailbox with your own hands

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

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

DIY knitted box

This storage box will appeal to crafters who love to crochet.

The photo shows a small round knitted basket in which it is convenient to put jewelry.

Tools and materials:

Hook.

Yarn (you can use knitted yarn).

Wallpaper glue and brush.

Step-by-step instruction:

We knit the base for the future box. The larger the square, the more voluminous the product will be:

We tie the base with single crochets, knitting each loop:

We continue knitting until we reach the required height of the box. Cut the working thread.

We fix the product with wallpaper glue and dry it with a hairdryer.

You can watch a detailed master class in this video:

Varieties

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

With a door at the bottom
Now let's look at the main types of mailboxes, which are divided by style.

Traditional mailboxes are purchased exclusively for receiving all types of correspondence. These types are common in post-Soviet countries and can be made from a variety of materials. In the modern world, to make them more attractive, they are additionally decorated with a variety of objects. They are mounted both on the fence and on the gate. It should be noted that this particular type is universal and popular, as it is simple and convenient.
American
American boxes are the same in design, but different in design. This allows everyone to choose the best option. All mail is left horizontal, so bulky magazines and newspapers will have to be rolled up. A special difference from other models of boxes is the presence of a special flag. If it is raised, it means there are letters to be sent. Unlike our rules, in America postmen retrieve letters and send them through the mail themselves. An American mailbox should be installed on a separate support made of wood or metal, or a decorative figure.
The design of English-type drawers is a stationary cabinet-table, which is laid out of brick or welded durable metal. Install it directly on the ground, a couple of meters before the entrance to the site. Skilled builders make a replica of the house in miniature, which will harmoniously complement the main building of the estate. These boxes are quite spacious and also very durable, so they will last for many years.

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

Made of metal

Some tips for making

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

When choosing lumber as side fasteners, choose corners that will give additional strength, in addition, if necessary, it will be possible to simply carry out restoration.
The slot for correspondence, located at the top, requires additional protection from precipitation, made in the form of a special protective visor.
The door for removing letters is most conveniently located at the bottom; it is better if it is hinged. If the door is placed on the front panel, then it is necessary to make accurate calculations so that cracks and cracks do not form during operation.
The safety of all letters and newspapers will be ensured by a small but durable lock for the mailbox. It is best to attach the key to a common keychain.
To protect yourself from a large amount of paper advertising, which is of no interest to the owners, it is recommended to make an additional table next to the mail.

Making a door with your own hands: theory, practice from the portal’s craftsmen

Today, not only city dwellers, but also the majority of country property owners prefer metal structures as entrance doors. In theory, they are much stronger, more reliable and durable than their wooden or plastic counterparts. But in fact, many solid-looking metal doors from the budget segment can be opened with a can opener, and a crowbar for them is a universal key. Not everyone can afford to install a massive, expensive structure, and high cost is not a guarantee of appropriate quality.

Therefore, craftsmen who have welding skills and the appropriate tool base prefer to make such doors themselves. In this situation, you can be confident in the strength of the frame, and in decent parameters of noise absorption and thermal insulation, and also give the appearance in the general style. FORUMHOUSE users have also mastered the process and are sharing the results. We study their experience and prepare a metal door.

Manufacturing Instructions

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

Plywood and wood

Scheme of a wooden mailbox
To work, first of all, you should collect and purchase all materials with tools:

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

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

The beam is cut into three sections 33 cm long. Three lines are drawn on one beam: a central one and two transverse ones (the distance between them should be 30 cm). Using a pattern, draw a smooth curve. A cut is made along the line with a hacksaw, and the edge is cleaned. Using similar actions, the remaining two bars are processed.
The prepared elements are glued together.
The plywood sheet is cut into pieces according to the diagram below.
The veneer sheet is cut into eight sheets measuring 32x16 cm. The finished elements are laid one by one on the concave section of the block and each is coated with a layer of epoxy glue. The first layer is laid on a pine block with a sheet of newspaper, and then sheets of veneer. It is important to check that all elements match in size and that there are no gaps.
When the glue is completely dry, the prepared cover is sanded and adjusted to fit the front and back walls.
Using a hacksaw, cut out a slot for mail and an opening for a door on the front wall.
The width of the door is fixed to the hinge using screws.
A place for the lock socket is selected and a keyhole is cut out.
The lid is secured using glue to which colloidal silica is added.
The door is installed, and the entire structure is completely cleaned with sandpaper.

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

Cardboard box

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

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

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

Decoration

According to a pre-prepared diagram, we cut out all the necessary parts with a stationery knife.
Pay attention to the part with the window: it is important not to cut the cardboard to the end. This will prevent ruptures.
The folds are fixed with paper tape.
The prepared parts are glued with PVA glue and the finished structure is left to dry.
When the mailbox is dry, you can move on to decoration: to achieve the effect of antiquity, all external elements are covered with napkins and covered with black and white paint. The corners are finished in silver.
Install a miniature lock on the door and complete the decoration with drawings cut out from decoupage napkins. The lid is decorated with lace.

From cardboard

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

Video

See how to make a house-shaped mailbox:

In the form of a house

With forged parts

With an image

Wooden mailbox covered with stain

Decoupage box

Decoration

House

Wood

American Mailbox
Source

Types of mailboxes for outdoor use

Simple instructions on how to make a mailbox with your own hands begin with recommendations for choosing a general idea, focusing on landscape design.

To decorate the exterior of any type of housing located on a plot of land, you can not limit your flight of imagination and choose the most daring ideas from a design with all sorts of features and a method of removing and laying printed materials and notices:

top tab of received mail;
side bookmark with closing door;
bottom tab with a special limiter.

The main requirement for the practical use of a homemade mailbox is its ease of use.

Such a design should ideally fit into the concept of landscape design and correspond to the design style of the house itself, other outbuildings and the local area.

Cardboard box

An affordable, environmentally friendly and very convenient material - cardboard - is perfect for making your own boxes for storing things. Its creation will not take much time.

The photo shows a simple cardboard box for small items that can be decorated with stamps, decoupage or photographs.

What you will need:

Micro-corrugated cardboard (approximately 1.5 mm thick).
A printout of the drawing or a ruler and pencil to redraw the workpiece.
Double-sided tape or glue (PVA or second).
Scissors.

Step-by-step instruction:

To make a storage box with a cardboard lid, we will use a ready-made drawing. Transfer it to cardboard and cut it out:

Carefully bend the workpiece along the dotted lines:

And we connect the parts together using glue or double-sided tape:

And this video tells you step by step how to make a box for storing things or clothes in a closet:

Design style: basic selection rules

To make a beautiful and practical decoration for your site, you should choose the type of mailbox design.

Most often it is placed at the entrance to private territory, which will provide convenience for the postman and the opportunity to always receive fresh mail; according to the generally accepted classification, such structures are divided into the following types:

classic mailboxes have a simple design, without any special frills; they come in rectangular and square shapes;
English mailboxes are characterized by a rather discreet design, built into a wall or gate door or installed separately;
American mailboxes are quite colorful in design, installed on a special support and supplemented with an alarm.

Traditional boxes for received mail can be replaced with original and unusual designer designs.

For their manufacture, scrap or scrap materials are most often used, because a beautiful mailbox does not have to be constructed from valuable wood or made of plastic.

Source

Folding box

An original and practical case that folds and unfolds as needed. This is a convenient option for needlewomen who find it difficult to organize a workplace during the creative process.

The photo shows bright folding storage cases measuring 15x15x20 cm.

What you will need:

Cotton fabric size 50x45 cm.
Adhesive interlining 50x45 cm.
Chalk or water-soluble marker.
Sewing machine, scissors or roller cutter.

Step-by-step instruction:

Iron the fabric onto the adhesive interlining and carefully cut it:

Draw 4 lines at a distance of 15 cm from each side and stitch them:

We cut horizontal lines from two edges, as shown in the photo:

We retreat 1.5 cm from the edges and mark the holes on four sides of the rectangle with a marker or chalk:

We draw lines for the valve:

The next step is to cut out the valves:

We process the edges in any way:

We assemble the box by threading the flaps through the side slits:

After creating your first folding organizer with your own hands, the following products will be much easier to make:

What to consider when choosing an idea for creating a useful craft

Often, a mailbox is placed outside the yard and is necessary for timely receipt of mail; decorative structures can be used to decorate the courtyard or complement the landscape design composition, and it is important to take into account the following factors:

correspondence between the style of the box design and the design of the local area;
a set of performance characteristics of the materials used for its manufacture;
ease of access to the interior of the mailbox and ease of installation.

Decorative mailboxes can be used as universal storage systems, providing an increased level of moisture insulation; stylish and beautiful designs help to emphasize the overall style of the site’s design and become its bright accent.

The best materials and their properties

To install a beautiful mailbox on a summer cottage or in a private house, you don’t have to buy a ready-made structure; you can make it yourself using various materials and selected ideas, be sure to take into account the advice of the experts:

wood must be treated with an antiseptic to prevent destruction and rotting;
metal and forged products are coated with a layer of paint to preserve their attractive appearance;
The plastic of the mailbox requires periodic care and cleaning, which prolongs its service life.

To simplify the process of manufacturing a practical product, you can use not individual materials, but ready-made designs; they can be decorated and converted into mailboxes, decorating it in a certain style.

Tools and materials

So, we have found out the dimensions of a homemade gun safe with a drawing, now we begin to prepare the necessary materials and equipment so as not to be distracted during the work itself. We prepare the following:

Sheets of metal from which we will subsequently assemble the frame and walls. Above we discussed how thick they should be.
Ruler or tape measure for taking measurements.
High quality fireproof locks. If you want, you can use several different locks, but 2 mechanisms for the main compartment and 1 for the department with cartridges and ammunition are required.
Metal corners or profiles with a square-shaped section. The main purpose of these elements is to make connections and organize additional cameras.
Door handles.
Welding machine.
Canopies. Their number directly depends on the size, age and number of doors.
Grinder with a disc for cutting metal to the desired shape.

The list above is minimal - only what is absolutely needed. If necessary, it can be expanded and supplemented depending on the tasks at hand.

Original ideas and available materials

In addition to traditional wood materials, metal and plastic, all sorts of containers can be used under the mailbox, having previously used all kinds of decor and finishing materials to decorate them.

Such products are distinguished by a recognizable design, but fit perfectly into the overall and conceptual composition of the landscape composition, matching practical and aesthetic functions, which is important for owners of beautiful and attractive homes.

School bag or backpack

An unusual and stylish mailbox in a country house can be made from an old satchel; to do this, just cover it with paint and varnish and securely fasten it to the fence; you can decorate the structure with an abstract or original design.

When decorating a mailbox with your own hands, you can use all kinds of materials and create amazing compositions that will appeal to neighbors and household members; such unusual boxes will decorate the area and emphasize the individuality of the composition.

Source

Mailbox mounting options

Containers for letters in Russia, as a rule, are placed on the fence or on the gate. If the mailbox is made in America, it is placed on the territory in front of the cottage. A wooden or metal pole is used as a support. English containers are dug into the ground: they do not require additional drains or other devices. Before installing such a structure, you need to level the ground in the place where the summer resident plans to put it.