Adding Curb Appeal – Mailbox Makeover

If you’re looking to add curb appeal, an easy and inexpensive place to start is with a mailbox makeover.

My Aunt asked me if I could build her a new mailbox;

She’s had this one for over 20 years and as you can see it’s seen better days. She let me take it with me so that I could replicate the measurements, style etc.

As I got to work on the mailbox makeover however, I noticed that this box was made of oak.

If you don’t buy wood, you might not know that oak is not easy or inexpensive to come by. A cedar version would have been okay, but it would never compare to oak.

I decided to sand this one down to see what condition the wood was in and (thank goodness) it was absolutely perfect. It was just the finish that had aged – no rot anywhere to be found.

I couldn’t believe my luck because I was expecting there to be a considerable amount of damage. If you don’t get this lucky when giving your mailbox an update then you might just want to look for a website that lets you buy mailboxes online. If you get a metal one, it can’t rot!

Thank you again Rockwell for my Jawhorse – it was invaluable clamping this piece down to work on.

Gorgeous right?

The scrollwork wasn’t as easy to sand out, but the extra time and effort were well worth it when you see the results:

I used Minwax Red Mahogany – which leans a bit more to the brown side than the other reds they offer.

I photocopied the front of the mailbox before I sanded it so that my Aunt could re-paint the tulips and butterflies if she wanted – I can paint and stain, but not with any kind of artistic talent.

I added 4 coats of outdoor-appropriate polyurethane, hand sanding with 320 grit between layers and she’s smooth as a baby’s bum!

Need a before and after to show the improvement (in both the mailbox and the curb appeal)?

Not too shabby, and a big improvement.

Adding curb appeal to your home doesn’t have to be big-budget or labour-intensive – sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest impact start with a mailbox makeover and work your way up.

Check out this cutie I saw as I was leaving my Aunt’s neighbourhood:

Yup, another project on my never-ending wish-list.

Have a great one!

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Linked to:

• Between Naps on the Porch
• Skip to My Lou
• One Project Closer

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