How to: The Pink Mailbox

You may have seen it, or maybe not: my new mailbox is pink! I didn't buy it that way... I had to make it myself. This post is a tutorial on how I did it- It is so easy, and I think it is a great way to get the "fun-colored-door" look without painting the whole door. (In my case, my apartment is a rental, so painting the whole door wasn't really an option!)

Materials you'll need:

1) Manual Screwdriver (the screws in mine were phillips heads, not flat- be sure to check on that!)

2) Favorite Color of Spray Paint. I chose a Pantone Pink from Lowe's. 

**Make sure your spraypaint is indoor/outdoor and that it is for metal/plastic! Otherwise, it will never last outside!

3) Damp Cloth

Step 1:

Take the mailbox off of your door.

(This should be very easy... if it isn't coming off, you can tape very carefully around the mailbox and cover the entire door with plastic- spray paint gets EVERYWHERE.)

Step 2: 

Wipe down the mailbox and door with a damp cloth- they are probably both in need of a little cleaning! Set the mailbox aside and allow to dry.

Along with this: find a spot that is clean and dry for the mailbox to sit on while you paint it. This spot should be one that can get messy, because it will most definitely get paint on it. I chose the bed of my dad's trailer, because it was off of the ground and convenient... cardboard laying in the grass would be a great option too!

Step 3: 

Paint the mailbox. Shake your can of paint very well!

I chose to start with the mailbox laying with the front facing up and the flap open. (Don't even worry about painting the backside!)

Use quick, even strokes to put down the first coat on the front, bottom, and left and right sides.  Also, paint the two hooks from the top. Be patient with the paint! If you put too much on at one time, the paint may run and drip. 

Allow the first coat to dry for around an hour- even more if you have time, and then repeat this step 3-4 more times until the paint covers the black fully.

Step 4: 

Bring it inside and let it dry overnight. I know, waiting is annoying. I didn't want to either! (If you don't wait, it could damage the paint in the areas that the flap comes down. Yikes.)

Step 5: 

Stand the box up and close the flap. Using the same technique, paint the top. Pick up the hooks, and cover any spots you missed before before. Allow to dry for a few hours. 

Step 6:

Place the mailbox on the door and screw it into place. Easy peezy!

xx