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Attaching Your Mini Tool Shed (mailbox) to Your Potting Bench
by
The Garden Frog with C Renee
(IC: blogger)
I have used mailboxes for years and until now I always had them sitting on posts or ladders. However, where my potting bench sits now I cannot dig a hole to plant a post because of the power and cable lines run right under my area {plus I have 4 huge Oaks surrounding the area}.
Well, while re-arranging and re-decorating my potting area this spring my ladder collapsed when I opened my mailbox to retrieve my garden tools. "Great, I thought" but to tell the truth I never really like using the ladder so I thought about what to do for a few days while working in my gardens and yard. I knew I wanted to attach it to the bench somehow and then it hit me-attach 'legs' to the side of the bench and mailbox on top.
Angles are not my thing but I do know that 45 degree angles work for many things and so I grabbed my green treated 2x4 and cut it 30" and then cut 2-45 degree angles and hoped that my guesswork for height would be close (Okay I am not an exact or precise kind of gal). I then got my drill driver to drive the screws in and a drill with drill bit to pre-drill pilot holes for the 3" screws-it is best to pre-drill holes which avoids splitting the wood when driving in a screws or nails. You will also need a board that fits under your mailbox to screw onto the boards so then you can secure your mailbox onto the board.
So out to the potting bench I go and did my thing...I used 3 screws to attach each board to the leg of the potting bench in a triangle. I wanted to make sure it would not move (and so far 6 weeks later it is still solid).
I now wish I had gone higher but that was all I had for wood at the time so I "make do" with what I have.
I actually have 2 large mailboxes in separate areas so that I can quickly put things away if I get caught in the rain or too tired to put them away in the potting area.
Well, while re-arranging and re-decorating my potting area this spring my ladder collapsed when I opened my mailbox to retrieve my garden tools. "Great, I thought" but to tell the truth I never really like using the ladder so I thought about what to do for a few days while working in my gardens and yard. I knew I wanted to attach it to the bench somehow and then it hit me-attach 'legs' to the side of the bench and mailbox on top.
Angles are not my thing but I do know that 45 degree angles work for many things and so I grabbed my green treated 2x4 and cut it 30" and then cut 2-45 degree angles and hoped that my guesswork for height would be close (Okay I am not an exact or precise kind of gal). I then got my drill driver to drive the screws in and a drill with drill bit to pre-drill pilot holes for the 3" screws-it is best to pre-drill holes which avoids splitting the wood when driving in a screws or nails. You will also need a board that fits under your mailbox to screw onto the boards so then you can secure your mailbox onto the board.
So out to the potting bench I go and did my thing...I used 3 screws to attach each board to the leg of the potting bench in a triangle. I wanted to make sure it would not move (and so far 6 weeks later it is still solid).
I now wish I had gone higher but that was all I had for wood at the time so I "make do" with what I have.
I actually have 2 large mailboxes in separate areas so that I can quickly put things away if I get caught in the rain or too tired to put them away in the potting area.
My pink mini tool shed {okay mailbox} attached to my bench which now makes room for my garden thingy and more potted plants that I rescue!
Everyone needs a chop saw (or compound miter saw). You will also need a board that will fit under your mailbox to screw on top of these boards to hold the mailbox on
I like using the ladder for display and sure wish I could find another one!
This mailbox is at the gate to the back yard and close proximity to my tool shed. It houses extra hand tools and gardening stuff.
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Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Published July 11th, 2014 1:00 PM
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3 comments
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Valerie on Jul 11, 2014I absolutely love your garden! There are so many interesting 'bits and pieces'. What is the 'sun' made of - the one near the ladder? And the frog is great ...
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Douglas Hunt on Jul 12, 2014I am going shopping for a backyard mailbox!
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