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Having a new house built is an exciting project and one that has many things that need to be done before you can move in and settle down. One of these projects is installing your mailbox. Sometimes the builder will do this for you but it is such a simple process that you should do it yourself. The gratification of taking on the project will make you proud every time you go to get your mail.
First you need to go to any home improvement store and buy a premade mailbox post of the kind and style that you want. If you are really handy you could purchase some regular 4x4 posts and put together your own. Just remember to get some pressure treated material that has been protected against the elements. The post is generally open to rain, snow and everything else and you don't want to have to replace it a couple years from now.
Buying a mailbox can be fun to do as well as there are many styles, kinds, shapes and colors to choose from. Again, make sure that the material that the mailbox is made out of is weather resistent and can stand the test of time. You may also want to buy the stick on letters and numbers for your last name and house number to put on your mailbox. An alternative would be to paint the words and numbers on your box if you are an artistic type. The last item you will need is a bag of dry mix concrete to solidify your post in the hole.
After you get all your material home, one step to do that many people overlook is to call your local post office to find out how high your box should be and how far back from the side of the road is allowed. Not finding out these things may force you to dig up your box later and move it. Some rural carriers are rather picky about these criteria because they are on a time schedule and having the box at the right height lets them not have to get out of their car to deliver your mail.
Once you have the specifications of the height and placement of your post, it is time to dig your hole. Use a long-handled shovel and make the hole about twice as wide as the diameter of your post. This will allow for enough fill and cement to go around your post to keep it firmly in place.
Dig the hole deep enough so you can place a few small stones in the bottom of the hole, and then put in the post to arrive at the correct height for the specifications that your post office gave you. The reason you put the stones in the bottom of the hole is so that moisture and dampness can't attack the bottom, cut-end of the post that would be the easiest place for rot and damage to begin at.
After you place the post in the hole, take your bag of dry cement, put some in a pail, mixing in the amount of water and a little sand into the pail as per the instructions on the bag. After the cement reaches a gooey texture, put some in the hole around the pole. Take a stick and poke some holes down into the mixture to release any air pockets and pack the cement down a little. Wait for the mixture to harder up and then put a layer of 2 or 3 inches of sand on top of the cement layer. Then you are done and can finish up your project. Leave the post alone for a little while, not wiggling it for a day or two so the cement can really harden up and solidify.
This project is very easy to accomplish and can be done quite simply, especially if two people are working together.
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