How to Build a Wooden Mailbox, Continued

4. Assembly:

• After all of the pieces were cut, they began to assemble the mailbox. The "L" shaped top and bottom sections were each made up of two pieces of wood.

• Steve brushed water-resistant glue along the edge of one board and then Ron held the second board in place while Steve attached it with nails. These two pieces formed the top and the bottom of the box.

• Taking the two side pieces cut earlier, they attached the sides to the top and bottom of the mailbox, completing the frame assembly.

• Ron gave the frame a good sanding while Steve cut out the last few pieces to form the bin that would go inside the frame area.

• Ron showed Steve the bottom, front and back of the bin and then where the mail would be stored. The bin unit would fit inside the opening of the frame section. To assemble the bin, they once again used glue and nails.

• They hinged the bin onto the bottom front edge of the frame using a piano hinge so that the bin would flip out of the frame. While Steve held the hinge in position, Ron installed the screws.

• Once the assembly of the mailbox was complete, Ron planed down the edge of the bin to ensure a smooth opening and closing.

• They created a handle out of a scrap piece of redwood. They clamped the handle in place and then drove in the screws from the inside of the bin. Since it was tight fit for the drill, they used a drill bit extension.

• Finally, they installed an address frame and house numbers with a bit of clear silicone and the mailbox was complete.

5. Mounting:

• Steve decided where he wanted to mount the mailbox and Ron drew a level line on the wall where the top edge would go.

• Steve drilled clearance holes in the top and bottom mounting sections of the mailbox where Ron had marked them.

• Next, they transferred the location of the holes to the wall. Ron held the mailbox on the level line and centered it. Then Steve passed a small masonry bit through the mailbox clearance holes and marked their location on the stucco.

• They took the mailbox down again and then enlarged the holes with a bigger masonry bit and then hammered in plastic anchors.

• They put the mailbox back up on the wall and installed pan head screws through the mailbox and into the anchors.

6. Paint:

• Steve applied a coat of exterior house paint to the new box and the project was completed.