How to replace your old letterbox

This week let’s talk about how to replace your old letterbox, something that may have been causing you some grief. It may seem a tricky job, but once you’ve got this job done, you can move on to something else and stop worrying about it. There are a few tips to follow and we’re always eager to make things as easy as we can for our valued customers.

It doesn’t have to be difficult.

When replacing an old letterbox with a new one, try to make sure the new one is slightly bigger so it will hide the marks left by the old one. This should help cover the shabby patches from the previous letterbox nicely.

Matching your letter plate to the old one.

Look for a close a match as possible to the last one, if the hole is quite close to the previous one, or you’re going to be drilling quite close to the existing hole, then that might prove a little risky. However, you could glue something into the old hole prior to starting, such as a piece of doweling. Make sure you have a steady hand and if you don’t, then hand the job over to someone who does. You want the job to be right first time, so you’re not constantly removing it to straighten or move screws you’ve drilled into the wrong place.

Modifications, sloping and rain.

The cut-out size of your letterbox can be modified, cutting out some more wood is better than trying to put some back in, so a larger letterbox than the previous one is good. On the bottom of your letterbox cut out give it a tiny slope, so that when there’s rain it’ll run on the outside rather than down through to the inside of your door. Keep in mind that the cut out will need to be much bigger than the actual letter plate aperture itself, this is so that it will accommodate the movement of the flap.

It’s not the end of the world if there are some original bolt holes on display, you can easily conceal this with some paint or varnish. It’ll only require a little redecoration, nothing major. You could also place a small bit of grease on the spring and mechanism of the letter plate, and this may prevent failure and corrosion of the mechanisms. This may also help preserve its working ability for a longer period of time.

Sealco Scotland – for quality letterboxes that stand the test of time.

If you’re looking for a new letterbox, then don’t look any further than Sealco, where we have a wide selection of the most hardwearing and attractive letter boxes to suit most homes and budgets. Take a look around, and always get in touch with one of our team here if you have any questions about what we’ve discussed today, or if there’s one of our products that’s left you stumped. We’re a friendly team and always willing to help.