1951 stucco house in Lakewood Cal, so heat loss is no problem. MIL bought a new door with big window. Post office won’t allow her to install a mail slot like old door because it would be a foot too low.
She is too frail to step outside to collect mail from a mailbox everyday, so she wants me to install a mail slot in the wall that will allow mail to drop onto the floor like she is used to with the slot in her old door.
Something like this looks good to her and PO likes that letter carrier can insert mail with one hand – no outer flap to lift up. http://www.mailboxes.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=Mailboxes&category%5Fname=Mail+Slots&product%5Fid=439&parent%5Fcategory%5Fname=Residential+Mailboxes&Related_Product=&sCondition=&Previous=yes
The task seems straight forward enough – cut outer slot in stucco and inner slot in plaster, install shop-built sloping guide channel for letters, screw outer and inner face plates to faces of guide channel stock.
Has anyone done this and have suggestions for design of inner channel that worked particularly well for you? Or what you tried that turned out to be a bad idea?
Thanks,
Replies
I haven't done this but it's pretty common, many of my customers have this original construction in their old houses. Difference is, the slot doesn't drop the mail on the floor. Rather, it's a box built-in to the wall that the mail drops into. On the inside there is a simple door you open to collect the mail. It's a little more complex than what you're talking about, but if she's frail she'll appreciate not having to reach the floor to collect the mail.
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I've seen what Ted suggested but also just a simple box under the slot that collects the mail is good. She wouldnt have to bend over to pick it up off the floor.
I think you have the general idea on how to proceed, try to avoid landing on a stud!
Doug
I'll be removing a mail slot at my daughter and SIL's 50's era house later this summer. Theirs works fine for envelopes, but flyers, odd sized cards, small packages, etc, often get stuck and are a real pain to remove.
They want a basic wall mounted mail box - lol