# Making a brick mailbox question



## bnew17 (Feb 10, 2010)

Ive been pondering the idea of building myself a brick mailbox. This may seem like a stupid question but how do you get the brick to fit around the top curve of the actual mail box. Do you chisel it to the right shape, or do you have to use some sort of saw? Have looked on the internet but all the instructions i see leave out this part.


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## Havana Dude (Feb 10, 2010)

I am no brick mason, but the ones I have seen, they just lay the brick along the curve of the box and the mortar joints are uneven all the way around the curve. Maybe someone on here is a mason and can be of more help(alot more)


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## win280 (Feb 10, 2010)

Lay the pattern out on a pc of cardboard of the radius that you want.
Then rent a saw and cut the angles you need on each brick to fit the radius.
Or you can make the mortar joints close on the bottom and larger on the top edge of each brick.
There are some block/brick masons on here that can probably be more specific.
Make sure you have a proper footing or it will lean with the weight and you will then have  the leaning box of Dublin as a landmark for you house.


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## rjcruiser (Feb 10, 2010)

win280 said:


> Make sure you have a proper footing or it will lean with the weight and you will then have  the leaning box of Dublin as a landmark for you house.





This is essential.  There is a house in my neighborhood that has two columns...on each side of the driveway...one being his mailbox and they are both leaning and the ugliest things ever.

Everytime I drive by, I'm tempted to go push them over so he'll get rid of them.


My advice, go with a square top.  I think it looks much better.  Use cinder blocks and go 2 blocks deep into the ground.  Then just use bricks on the outside of the cinderblocks.


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## FF-Emt Diver (Feb 10, 2010)

I don't know how to do it but let me say that if you're on a state highway you can't have a stationary box...

I know you didn't ask this but I just got thru building a home and was thinking of a stone box and it's no go.


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## NOYDB (Feb 10, 2010)

You can use a chop saw with a diamond blade. Or they do make dedicated saws for cutting bricks. They charge more, but really they are just chop saws with diamond blades.


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## postal guy (Feb 10, 2010)

When I was a mason, I used a brick hammer. I would lay the mortar and I would use the chisel end to break or chip the brick. You could use a chisel and hammer if you have that. Get some old bricks to practice on. You could use a saw; but trust me, they are extremely messy and wet!


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## Ballplayer (Feb 10, 2010)

E.M.T is correct and I'd check with the city/county also if its on their right-a-way due to car wrecks. You don't want to be involved in a law-suit due to a death in an accident that your bricks were involved in instead of having wood/metal post.


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## Milkman (Feb 10, 2010)

I would only put it on the front edge for show. Otherwise you may not be able to get that box out when the door or hinge goes bad.


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## shakey gizzard (Feb 10, 2010)

Ohhhh! The arch! As long as the mailmans happy, Clematis will hide the rest!


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## aligator (Feb 10, 2010)

This is ours, it is 22 years old, mail box portion still good, Will wash with bleach when  the rain is over


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## scoop069 (Feb 10, 2010)

Has a great picture of a build including the curve you want.

http://brickmailbox.net/brickmailbox1/


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## Gaswamp (Feb 10, 2010)

Also, as a courtesy check with you mailman on height of box and where you put it.  Aint no moving it after you are done


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## bnew17 (Feb 11, 2010)

This is kinda  crude drawing of what im wanting to do. I want the top of the mail box to be flat. By curve i mean the bricks on top of the actual mail box that the mail goes in. The bricks im talking about i put a red dot on. Thanks for all the advice and info everybody.


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## Capt Quirk (Feb 11, 2010)

A brick and tile saw from Harbor Freight will trim those nicely.


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## rjcruiser (Feb 11, 2010)

bnew17 said:


> This is kinda  crude drawing of what im wanting to do. I want the top of the mail box to be flat. By curve i mean the bricks on top of the actual mail box that the mail goes in. The bricks im talking about i put a red dot on. Thanks for all the advice and info everybody.



That is actually a very close rendering to what my neighbor's box looks like

To cut, you can just get a masonry blade for your circular saw and go at it.  It will create a lot of dust, but get about half-way through and then just break it.

Good luck.


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## Wild Turkey (Feb 11, 2010)

A thought.
You can build the structure with treated lumber and treated plywood. Wrap with mesh. Then use thin brick to face it.
The thin brick is actual brick but thin slices. Stick em on and go.
Makes a lighter structure and easier to do.
I stick the thin brick with tile thinset and mortar joints also.
Very hard to tell its not full brick if you do a good job


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## JohnBenoit09 (Feb 11, 2010)

Measure your brick layout so that the top of your mailbox is even with the grout line. This way you would only have to cut angles on two bricks and the rest of the space just be filled in with mortar.


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## PattyMcM (Feb 12, 2010)

Build a wooden template that you'll remove later


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## bnew17 (Mar 17, 2010)

about how much will it cost to build a brick mail box, for those who have done one themselves?


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## Jeff1969 (Mar 18, 2010)

> That is actually a very close rendering to what my neighbor's box looks like



You must live next to this guy......

Redneck Neighbor

Here is his mailbox that he bricked in himself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





In all seriousness, you really need to check to make sure your neighborhood covenant(if you have one) allows brick. The ones I've seen use uncut bricks and just fade em around leaving the larger gaps to be filled at the top edge.


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## bnew17 (Mar 18, 2010)

Jeff1969 said:


> You must live next to this guy......
> 
> Redneck Neighbor
> 
> ...



The house is way out in the country,,,so im not sure who i would have to ask?


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## 7Mag Hunter (Mar 18, 2010)

Start with the post office...They should be familiar with county
regs as far as allowing brick/stone mailboxes.....


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## Eddy M. (Mar 18, 2010)

Ballplayer said:


> E.M.T is correct and I'd check with the city/county also if its on their right-a-way due to car wrecks. You don't want to be involved in a law-suit due to a death in an accident that your bricks were involved in instead of having wood/metal post.



TRUE  some areas won't allow them due to auto accidents /deaths  but a brick saw or if your good with chipping bricks a chisel    easy way is extra morter ad just use plain bricks


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## virgil (Mar 18, 2010)

Gaswamp said:


> Also, as a courtesy check with you mailman on height of box and where you put it.  Aint no moving it after you are done



usps regulations : the distant from the bottom of the lid straight down to the pavement should be 42".


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