SOS Mailbox Painting - Maintenance and DIY Tips

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We recommend cleaning your mailbox every year to prevent the accumulation of mold, mildew, lichens and any other type of debris. Consider using a cleaning detergent like Dawn to start with. For more stubborn items that may be growing on your mailbox, consider using some bleach diluted with water as a pre-treatment before scrubbing off the mailbox with a long-handled brush.

As your neighbors in Lewis Center, we have the same mailbox. Just 2 years ago, we painted (saved!) our aging mailbox and it started showing signs of painting cracking from sun/light intensity in just 2 years. So, the recommendation is to clean, lightly sand and repaint the entire mailbox every 2-3 years.

In the spring, there is known and considerable rainy weather in Ohio. We recommend waiting until there has been at least one or two weeks of dry and warmer weather, usually starting in May each year. Painting or repainting wet wood will lead to rotting and reduce the life of your mailbox.

Just like trim on your house, caulking the exposed seams in the mailbox housing and other sections connected to the post are considered good areas to seal with a high quality exterior caulk that is also waterproof. Doing so prevents moisture from soaking into the wood and can extend the life of your mailbox. Sealing and repainting the entire mailbox within the first two years from the installation date is recommended.

When a mailbox post is noticeably leaning forward or wobbles in almost every direction way too easily, these are symptoms of the post being rotten below ground level. Do NOT use ropes and straps to try bring the mailbox post to an upright position. While a full mailbox replacement may be the best option here, there are some creative and gentle ways to address this problem. We offer a Post Reinforcement service, which takes a gentle and cautious approach to returning the mailbox to the upright position - and will stop if it is discovered that the post below ground level is so rotted or deteriorated that it must be replaced by the customer soon or within the next year.

If you are the proud owner of this style mailbox made locally by Cedar Craft Products, the red flag on the side of the mailbox housing is a newer style than the one found on models from 20-25 years ago. Good news is that you can find the replacement flag at Lowes for under $10. For any SOS Mailbox Painting customer who selects any of our painting service packages, we will install the replacement flag at no charge (just the cost of the flag is what you would pay).

Painting or repainting a mailbox is the easiest step out of all. After cleaning the mailbox, scrape off any loose paint and lightly, yet firmly, sand the entire mailbox using 60-grit sandpaper or sanding blocks. Make sure to sand smooth any edges of paint where existing paint was scraped off. There is NO NEED to sand the mailbox down to the bare wood. For any bare spots, prime only the bare spots as a first coat. After an hour or two, return and do a full coat of paint.