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Need a new Mailbox and post--plastic?

15 years ago

I had a neighbor wipe out my mailbox, so must start over.

Does anyone have experience with the Rubbermaid variety

plastic boxes and post combinations? They will never

win a beauty contest, but they look durable and they are

inexpensive. I did notice the ratings at LOWE's are not

especially high, so there must be issues.

Two questions:

1. If you have a plastic one, how do you like it?

2. What are other recommendations? I don't need a top of the line expensive and showy one

thanks in advance

John

Featured Answer

turnage (8a TX)

15 years ago

I have a rubbermaid plastic box, but just replaced the plastic post and metal stake with a metal fence post. After about 5 years of being "kissed" by passing cars and trucks, the original metal stake was bent beyond repair. Surprisingly, the plastic mail box suffered no damage.

Also, the rubbermaid set comes with a carriage bolt and nut to mount the plastic post to the metal stake. Mine rusted so bad it was impossible to remove (the carriage bolt just turned in the plastic with no way to grip it with vise grips). I'd use a hex head bolt instead.

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Comments (10)

rjoh878646
15 years ago
i have and a lot of the neighbors have step-2 mailboxes. They seem to hold up fairly well. The one I have has a extra slot for the ad bag they deliver by car. It has been out front for over 5 years, whacked into by a car a couple of times and it is still holding up.

Here is a link that might be useful: step-2 mailboxes
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jerry_nj
15 years ago
Hum, my metal (galvanized?) has held up for about 15 years, with a minor repair or two. When it wears out, if ever, I'll give plastic a consideration, not.
tommyjmcintosh
15 years ago
If you live on a service road or a farm to market road, the highway dept. will put a post up for you free.
jenie16
15 years ago
I had a metal post and mailbox for years. Let's just say the years took its toll. I replaced it last year with the large plastic mailbox from Lowe's (with the extra slot on the bottom). Your right, it will not win a beauty contest, but I really like it. More room for the mail, no rust by the flag, and ,for me, most important, no dents suddenly appear.
jwats612
Original Author
15 years ago
Jenie
thanks so much for your response..I was looking at the
Georgian Manor box and post on the Lowe's site, but
surprised at the low consumer ratings--2.1--do you have
any idea why? Did you have any problems? Have others had
issues?
thanks in advance
John
jenie16
15 years ago
My mailbox it the same as the one rjon878646 had mentioned, Step2 Mailmaster. And as he also said, almost all my neighbors have the same also. So far, I have not seen one with damage, and many of them have sat out a lot longer than mine.
JMRGF_aol_com
15 years ago
I have had the Rubbermaid Georgian Manor mailbox for about 7 years now and I do like it alot. It has looked really good until just recently when my husband backed his truck into it. The post is undamaged so I am now in the process of trying to replace the damaged parts, or I will repurchase the same mailbox combo.
drizler
15 years ago
Here in The Rust Belt I find that the metal ones don't hold up very well with the road salt splashing on them. Give me the plastic any day. The thin black painted metal boxes don't seem to last more than a year or 2 around these parts.
deedee-2008
15 years ago
I live where it snows alot, and we lost two mail boxes in five years due to the plows throwing the heavy, wet snow on them (both metal, both posts snapped). We have had the plastic Step2 box for seven years now, and it still looks great (black, with no fading). So put me in the "yes to plastic" column.

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