The new mailbox design was presented in the Glenleigh Homeowners Association 2005 yearly meeting and approved by quorum vote. !!!

How to Install Mailbox.

Here are installation guidelines that should be more understandable than the guidelines provided with the mailbox. Read these before starting to install. These guidelines should also make installation easier and give you a better result. Also see manufacturer instructions for tools you will need and depictions of parts and screws, nuts, and bolts for installing each part.

General Overview
Installing the mailbox and post is a two day process. First, the mailbox post (with anchor attached) must be installed in concrete, leveled and held in place while the concrete hardens. The concrete takes twenty four hours to harden before you attach any other parts to the post.

The location of the post is important. It should be located at least 40 inches away from the side of your driveway as a precaution against someone backing out of the driveway and running into it. Also, remember the mailbox cross arms will be installed on the side of the post that is next to your driveway. (This is the optional side mounting shown on manufacturer instructions.)

In addition, note that the mailbox post should also be 15 inches distance in from the inside edge of the curb (the part of the curb that meets your grass). At this distance the mailbox door when opened will not protrude into the street, but is the right distance from the curb for the mail carrier to open the door and insert the mail. Also, the mail box post should be a minimum of three feet away from any fire hydrant or the fire deptartment may tell you to move it.

Instructions

1. Assemble the Post before installation

The mailbox post comes in two pieces. The post itself is a hollow rectangular piece. There is also an anchor (angle iron support rod). The anchor has two mounting brackets attached to it from the factory (or in some cases two brackets are provided and must be bolted to the anchor). Instructions provided by manufacturer depict how to attach brackets. Next, slide the bracket end of the anchor into the bottom of mailbox post, line up the bracket screw holes with those in the post. Use four screws specified in manufacturer instructions to secure the anchor brackets to the post.

2. Dig Hole (Use caution when digging not to cut any below ground wires or pipes)

Determine where the hole should be dug (center line of hole should be 15 inches away from inner edge of curb and at least 40 inches away from side of driveway). Dig a hole exactly 9 inches in diameter and exactly 20 inches deep. This hole will accept exactly one 80 lb bag of concrete mix. And, it will accept the 20 inch long anchor you attached to the bottom of the post in step 1 above. Be sure the diameter of the hole is no more than 9 inches because the undisturbed firm soil around the hole must support the concrete you will install in step 3 below. (The best shovel for digging the hole is one that has a blade that is narrow and long. (Not your typical shovel but they’re available at garden centers.) Or, use a post hole digger.

3. Mixing and Placing Concrete

Purchase one 80 lb. bag of regular dry concrete mix. (Regular concrete mix has small stones in the mix) from Lowe’s, Home Depot or other hardware store.

Place the concrete into a large strong container (80 lbs is heavy) like a wheel barrow. Gradually mix the concrete with approximately one gallon of water. Use a folding action to mix it, gradually adding the water until it gets to a consistency of chucky peanut butter left at room temperature and there is no dry mix remaining.

Next, shovel the mixed concrete into the hole until it is filled to the top of hole. Go to step 4 immediately.

4. Placing the mailbox post into concreted hole

Now that the mixed concrete is placed in the hole (step 3 above), you must push the anchor portion of the assembled post into the concrete while concrete is still wet and the consistency described in step 3 above. (Do not wait to install.) Standing next to the hole, firmly grasp the top portion of the post holding it in front of you with both hands. (Be sure that the holes in the post are facing to the side not to the front. These holes will be used to mount the cross arms on the side.)
Holding the post as described above, center it over concreted hole and gradually push the anchor into the wet concrete until it goes down to a point where the rectangular post bottom is about ½ inch above the wet concrete. Note that when pushing the anchor into the concrete it will go down easy at first. When near the bottom there may be some resistance. In order to overcome the resistance you will need to lift the post up 4 to 6 inches and push down quickly and forcefully possibly several times (like a slight hammering affect) to get it to go down to the right position. Also, once the post is in place be sure the front face of the post is positioned parallel with the curb.

5. Supporting the post and leveling

Once the post is in the concrete, it must be held in place and made level. Obtain 3 large heavy stones (15 to 20 lb each) or three heavy blocks of wood to place around the bottom of the rectangular post to hold it place and prevent it from drifting to one side or the other in the wet concrete.

Next, level the post using a “carpenter’s Level”. Obtain a two foot long “carpenter’s level”. Borrow or purchase at Lowe’s /Home depot” or other hardware store.

Level the post in two directions (side to side and front to back). To do this, place the Level long ways on one side of the post and move the post slightly to one side or the other until the bubble in the glass tube of the Level is centered between the two black lines on the glass tube. Reposition the stones/wood to hold the post in this position.

Next, place the level long ways on the front face of the post and move the post slightly to the front or back until the bubble in the glass tube of the Level is centered between the two black lines on the glass tube. Reposition the stones/wood to hold post in this position. Double check for level both ways until it is level both ways. Go back in about 50 minutes to check that post is still level.

6. Next day, install finial, brace, cross arms, mounting plate and mail box

The next day when the concrete has hardened you can install the finial, brace, cross arms, mounting plate, and the mailbox in that order. (Use the manufacturer instructions for screws, nuts and bolts to use.) Install the long cross arm on the side next to the driveway and short cross arm on side away from driveway. Install the mounting plate onto the long cross arm at right angle to it using the mounting holes on the cross arm and those in the center of the mounting plate. (This is the “optional mounting” position shown in the manufacturer instructions). Next, mount the mail box onto the mounting plate.

For additional information, click link for a copy of the USPS customer receptacles guidelines. Please note guideline 1.4 - Clear Approach. On garbage pickup days, do not place your garbage can in front of your mailbox. Our current postal delivery person will push the garbage can down the road with her mail truck. She has the option of not delivering your mail if the mailbox is obstructed.

This page was last updated 06/22/06 07:31:26 AM