Metal Door With Mail Slot
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Stainless Steel Mail Slots by European Home. The European Home Mail Slots for doors serve up a stunning, highly contemporary look and can even be utilized for office exterior use. Designed to accommodate larger mail packages, these large mail slots measure four inches in height by thirteen inches in length and are crafted by professional artisans in a corrosion-resistant stainless steel.
Mail slots, also called letterboxes, can be added to exterior walls and front doors to eliminate the need to walk to the mailbox to fetch your mail. Mail slots come with flaps or moving panels that block air drafts, and decorative mail slots come in a variety of colors, from bright brass to copper. The slot cover can have letters embossed on it, such as your initials or words like 'mail' or 'letters' and a filigree design around the perimeter for an elegant, antique look.
1
Remove the door from its hinges by tapping the hinges apart with a hammer and a pin tool or a screwdriver.
2
Locate the measurements of the mail slot on its packaging. Transfer these measurements to a piece of cardboard and cut it out to make a mail slot template. If your mail slot comes with a pre-made template, you can use it instead of the cardboard template.
3
Measure 36 inches up from the bottom of the door and make a mark with a pencil. Measure the length of the door (from knob side to hinge side), while holding the measuring tape at the 36 inch line and mark the middle of the door.
4
Center the mail slot template over the middle mark on the door with the long sides parallel to the top and bottom of the door. Trace around the template with a pencil.
5
Drill a hole at each corner of the traced mail slot with a 3/8-inch drill bit to make a starting point for the jigsaw. Insert the jigsaw into one of the drill holes and cut along the traced lines to make the mail slot opening.
6
Sand down the cut edges of the door with fine grade sandpaper to make them smooth to the touch. Wipe off the sawdust with a microfiber cloth.
7
Place the front face of the mail slot over the slot opening on the exterior side of the door. Align the long edges of the front face of the mail slot and make them parallel with the top and bottom of the door. Draw in the screw holes on the front face with a pencil. Do the same on the interior side of the door with the back face of the mail slot.
9
Insert the mail slot sleeve, if you are installing one, into the opening on the door.
10
Hold the front face of the mail slot onto the exterior side of the door and align the screw holes. Fasten the front face to the door with screws.
11
Hold the back face of the mail slot onto the inside of the door and align the screw holes. Fasten the back face to the door with screws.
12
Place the door back onto its hinges. Tap the hinge back together with a hammer and pin tool.
Things You Will Need
- Hammer
- Pin tool
- Screwdriver
- Cardboard
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Drill
- 3/8-inch drill bit
- Jigsaw
- Fine grade sandpaper
- Microfiber cloth
- Paper towel
Tips
- If you find that your mail slot is letting drafts into the house, remove the interior mail slot face and install a draft excluder around the perimeter of the slot opening. Then reinstall the mail slot face.
- You can also remove a door by taking off the hinges, which are attached to the door with screws.
Warnings
- Always wear safety glasses when cutting with a jigsaw.
- Do not attempt to cut the mail slot out of the door while it is still on its hinges. Failure to remove the door prior to cutting could result in an uneven cut or physical injury.
References (2)
About the Author
Alexis Rohlin is a professional writer for various websites. She has produced works for Red Anvil Publishing and was one of the top 10 finalists in the 2007 Midnight Hour Short Story Contest for OnceWritten.com. Rohlin holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in English from Madonna University.
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A mail slot might be quaint, but if it's too small or allows cold, damp breezes or late-summer's heat to intrude, it's no fun. You might want to add a storm door, or you worry about the security of having a hole in the door near the handle. Whatever your reason, plan the work so you're not left with a bigger hole.
How It's Built
Typically, mail slots have two plates on either side of the door, secured with wood screws. Occasionally, the front plate might be secured with bolts from the rear plate. In either case, just remove the screws or pull the bolts through the back plate. If your door is thick, it also might have a fabricated metal channel through the door; plates might be attached to that with bolts. If there's a box on the 'in' side of the door, it's typically attached to a hinge that can be detached before lifting off the box.
Addressing the Hole
After plate removal, you may need to refurbish the door's finish where it's been hidden under those plates for years. With patience, you can fashion a piece of wood to glue in the hole, or you can mask the hole with a set of brass plates. If you can't find the right size cover plates, look for swinging door “push plates” or predrilled brass cover plates for swinging door hinges. Spray foam insulation on the back of each plate and in the door's slot for sound and thermal control.
References (2)
About the Author
An avid perennial gardener and old house owner, Laura Reynolds has had careers in teaching and juvenile justice. A retired municipal judgem Reynolds holds a degree in communications from Northern Illinois University. Her six children and stepchildren served as subjects of editorials during her tenure as a local newspaper editor.
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