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• 2 Pocket Door Lock Installation
• 3 Cut a Hollow Core Door
• 4 Make a Door Out of 2x4s

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

Mail Slots For Home

• 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.

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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Related Articles

Front Door Mail Slots Home Depot

• 1 Install a Mortise Lockset and Door-Knob
• 2 Pocket Door Lock Installation
• 3 Cut a Hollow Core Door
• 4 Make a Door Out of 2x4s

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.

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.

Choose Citation Style