Check with your local building authority or homeowners association (HOA) before buying. While mailboxes come in various sizes, some dimensions are more common than others, and community restrictions may apply. Once you determine the best type of mailbox for your needs, you’ll want to consider other factors, such as the best size and how to ensure the mailbox complements your home’s curb appeal. What to Consider When Choosing the Best Mailbox Like other mailboxes, if you install a mail vault at the curb, it must meet USPS height and setback requirements. The owner can then retrieve the mail using a key or a digital code to unlock the box. The postal worker delivers envelopes (or small packages if the vault opening is large enough) through a slot, and they fall into a locked steel box. Mail vaults offer an added measure of security. Drop boxes come in various sizes, and other delivery services such as UPS and FedEx might use the box when delivering packages. In addition to mail slots, in-wall drop boxes are available that install directly in the home’s front wall with the box’s front flush with the siding. You can have a mail slot installed in an existing door or purchase a door with a pre-installed slot. If you’re on a walking delivery route, you can opt to have the postal worker deliver the mail by dropping it through a mail slot installed in the front door. Mounting a mailbox to a wall is DIY-friendly and straightforward since this type of mailbox attaches with fasteners to the siding. In some communities, mail carriers still walk residential routes, and if you’re lucky enough to live in a neighborhood where this is the status quo, you can install a mailbox on the exterior wall of the front of your home. Check with your local building authority to determine footing depth, which is typically just below the frost line in your area. Column-mounted boxes can be elaborate affairs with fancy copper or cast iron boxes, but they require installing a concrete footing and pad to bear the column’s weight. The same USPS box height and setback measurements still apply, but the column is usually built from stone or brick to match the residence, and the mailbox embeds within the column. Similar to post-mounted mailboxes, column-mounted mailboxes are designed for curbside delivery. Surface mount: If you purchase a surface-mount post, you’ll need to bolt it down to a concrete pad that’s a minimum of 3 inches thick.Pouring concrete around the post is the best way to stabilize it-and local codes might require it. Post depth: The USPS requires mailbox posts to be buried in the ground to a minimum of 24 inches.This gives the postal worker a little leeway for opening the box, and it reduces the risk of the delivery vehicle striking the box when pulling up to the curb. Setback: The front of the mailbox should be 6 to 8 inches back from the curb.This ensures the postal worker can reach out the delivery vehicle’s window and open the box with ease. Height: The height at the bottom of the mailbox should be 41 to 45 inches from the ground. Post-MountedĪ post-mounted mailbox is designed for curbside mail service, and the USPS makes the following requirements: Knowing the rules in your community before choosing a mailbox can save you from potentially having to remove the mailbox if it doesn’t comply. Mailboxes come in various sizes and styles, but be aware that you might have to install your mailbox per United States Postal Service (USPS) rules or by the local building codes.
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