Leveling Brick Mailboxes

Many brick mailboxes over time can start to lean in any direction. When this happens leveling your brick mailbox will need to be done. The main cause for this is a poor foundation or no foundation. Soil conditions may sometimes be the problem also but usually just add to the problem first caused by the foundation issues. Besides being an eyesore or an inconvenience for the postal carrier the city itself or a H.O.A. may send out letters for the homeowner to address the issue.

How to fix the problem

When leveling a mailbox you need to get to the root of the problem. Fixing the foundation is always going to be number one.

The wrong way

1. Many companies out there will make 2 unfortunate errors. First they usually only fix the side of the direction that the mailbox has begun to lean to. This almost always is a temporary fix and a cheaper fix. Without pouring a new foundation around the entire mailbox once it has been leveled, giving it a strong base and footprint, the chance of it leaning in the opposite direction is high.
2. Another bad business practice is burying the hydraulic lift. One of the most common ways of leveling a brick mailbox is to dig down next to the mailbox until you reach the bottom brick or the bottom of any foundation that is there. After that a hydraulic jack is placed underneath the mailbox and then jacked up to the appropriate height. The short cut involves leaving the jack under the mailbox and pouring concrete in the whole. This quick fix can just create future problems as well not to mention the leakage of hydraulic fluid into the ground.

The correct way

Leveling the brick mailbox, removing any equipment, and pouring a 365 degree foundation will greatly increase your odds of never needing to worry about another foundation problem again.

When your mailbox has been leveled and straightened it will look much better for your overall curb appeal.

May 2021