Whether as a place for your postal worker to deliver your bills or as a catch-all inside your home, mailboxes are a stylish décor feature and Antonio Bellusci shows us three stylish DIY versions.

Casserole mailbox

Materials & tools:

• Rectangular metal casserole pan with flat lip around top of casserole (approximate size 9.5 inches x 14 inches)
• Wood trim flat stock (1 inch x 5/8th inches)
• Epoxy glue
• Screws
• Flat board (press board, chipboard or plywood, 1/4 inch thick)
• Small hinges
• Earth magnet (strong magnet available at hobby stores)
• Metal plate (cabinet magnet plates)
• Cabinet safety chain
• Weather stripping
• Paint
• Jig saw & drill with drill bits
• Letters (optional)

Method:

Cut flat stock to frame casserole ledge.

Secure flat stock onto casserole ledge with epoxy glue and screws.

Cut flat board 1-2 inches larger on all sides than casserole.

Cut out mail slot out of flat board.

Trace placement of flat stock from casserole onto flat board and using epoxy glue, glue flat stock onto one side of flat board to mirror “frame” from casserole ledge to match up on flat board.

Paint casserole assemble one colour.

Paint flat board another colour.

Secure hinges at bottom of casserole assembly and flat board, screwed into flat stock.

Secure earth magnet at top of casserole flat stock frame with epoxy glue – you can drill through magnet and secure magnet with screw as well.

Secure metal plate on flat board assembly where earth magnet comes in contact with flat board’s upper frame.

Secure cabinet safety chain to casserole assembly frame and flat board frame at a suitable length to allow proper access to mailbox interior.

Secure weather stripping around opening of flat stock to get a proper seal.

Optional: Secure letters or numbers to face of flat board to personalize it.

Approximate cost $30

Gate post mailbox

Materials & tools:

• Wood stock (3/4 inches thick)
• Screws
• Vinyl placemat (12 inches x 18 inches)
• Paint
• Cabinet magnet with metal plate
• Small hinges
• Epoxy glue
• Cabinet knob
• Cutting tool & drill with drill bits

Method:

Cut flat stock to create base of mailbox, 5.5 inches x 10 inches.

Wrap placemat over top of mailbox base and trace ends/opening.

Cut two end pieces using traced outline.

Secure one end piece to base with epoxy glue and screws.

Wrap placement over top of mailbox and secure in place along base edges with screws and epoxy glue.

Screw hole through remaining end piece for cabinet knob.

Secure mailbox door to base with hinges.

Secure cabinet magnet and metal plate to mailbox interior.

Paint wood.

Approximate cost $25

Cedar trimmed mailbox

Materials & tools:

• Flat board (press board, chipboard or plywood, 1/4 inch thick)
• Cedar “nailing strips” (3/4 inches x 3/4 inches)
• Wood stock (1.5 inches x 3/4 inches)
• Epoxy glue
• Screws
• Small hinges
• Paint
• Jig saw & drill with drill bits

Method:

Cut flat board material to create bottom, back, two sides, front and top pieces for mailbox – see diagram for dimensions.

Cut wood stock to frame back piece of mailbox. Four pieces are required: top, bottom and two sides. Top piece of wood stock positioned at top of back flat board edge. Position two side pieces 1/4 inches in and position bottom wood stock up 1/4 inch from bottom flat stock edge. Positioning wood stock 1/4 inches in allows adjacent pieces to form a tight box. Secure wood stock to flat panel by screwing through panel face (exterior) and into wood stock and screw hole should be within 1/2 inch from edge.

Cut two wood stock pieces for front piece (long sides / width of front panel) – both wood stock pieces to be ¼ inches shorter than front piece. Positioning wood stock ¼ inches in allows adjacent pieces to form a tight box. Secure wood stock to flat panel by screwing thru panel face (exterior) and into wood stock and screw hole should be within ½ inch from edge.

Secure side panel to back assembly by screwing through side panel face (exterior) and into wood stock and screw hole should be within 1/2 inch from edge. Repeat for other side panel.

Secure side panel to front assembly by screwing through side panel face (exterior) and into wood stock and screw hole should be within 1/2 inch from edge. Repeat for other side panel.

Secure bottom panel to mailbox assembly by screwing through bottom panel face (exterior) and into wood stock.

Cut cedar nailing strips to trim all faces of mailbox and secure in place with epoxy glue.

Cut cedar nailing strips to trim / frame mailbox top piece.

Secure hinges to mailbox base and top piece.

Paint exposed flat board sections.

Approximate cost $30

Courtesy Antonio Bellusci
www.antoniobellusci.com
@abellusci