The Post Box

Even in these days of emails and other electronic transmission of correspondence, the humble Letter Box is of paramount importance for your communications.   There are four main designs of Letter Boxes for incoming mail – a simple slot in the door,  a box attached directly on to your house, a Post Box on the street and a unit which is designed for multi occupancy buildings which provides Letter Boxes for individual residents.

The simple slot in the door style of Letter Box by far the most commonly used in the United Kingdom, especially in urban areas.   It is convenient for the postman as he can simply deliver the mail without having to open individual receptacles.  The Letter Boxes are often pre-fitted into new doors and can be made of aluminium, chrome, brass, uVPC or stainless steel.  The design of the Letter Box allows weather proofing by having an interior draught excluder.  Many Letter Boxes have spring loaded flaps to ensure that they close automatically and are weatherproof.   The slots in the door are usually horizontal, but can be vertical, and measure 30 cm by 5cm (12inches by 2 inches).

Letter boxes which are directly attached to your property  may be more beneficial if you regularly receive larger envelopes which will not fit through the standard slots.  .  The Letter Boxes can be mounted on the door and be made of stainless steel, cast aluminium, uVPC or wood.  Security of your mail may be an issue with this style of letter box and the slot should be small enough so that the mail cannot be retrieved once it has been delivered.  The front of the box usually has an aperture which can be opened with a key by the owner of the letter box.

Standard letter boxes on the street in North America consist of a metal box mounted on a post, usually with a tag which can be reset to indicate that mail has been delivered.  In the UK,  there is a selection of letter boxes which can be mounted by the roadside on posts or on walls for the convenience of the postman.  If you have a dog who does not like the postman, this may be an option for you as you can mount the post box outside the gate so that the postman does not have to come into the garden.  To keep your mail safe, the post box will have a key so that mail can be retrieved only by the owner.

Letter boxes for multi occupancy buildings usually consist of a bank of individual boxes with keys.  This style of letter box can be located either inside or outside the building with the numbers on the boxes corresponding to that of the apartment or office.   The Letter Boxes can be constructed to suit each building, with the same number of individual boxes made available for each company or residence.

All in all, Letter Boxes continue to be an important part of any communications, despite the phenomenal rise in the usage of email and electronic messaging.

As more and more people work from home, a Letter Box which can accommodate larger envelopes and even small parcels has become more important. It may be that, even though you are lucky enough to work remotely that you are not at home for much of the day and the postman will need a Letterbox in which to place documents of all sizes from the main office if you are working for an organisation as opposed to being self employed. Important documents which need to be signed for cannot of course be put in the Letterbox and you will need to collect them from the sorting office. The next day delivery postal service promises that documents sent by this method will be delivered by noon the following day so you can plan to be at home to receive the document to save you travelling to the sorting office which may be on the other side of town.

It will depend on the nature of your business as to the quantity of mail you receive through the post. If you buy and sell on web sites such as E-bay or are a mail order company, you may receive regular packages and your Post Box should be big enough to be able to accommodate them. Not all post is delivered by the post office, and you may use a courier company, in which case the size of your Letter Box may not be so important as every package will require a signature. If on the other hand, most of your work is done by email and is a service industry, you will not need such a large Letter Box.

The location of your home office will also be a factor in deciding the type and size of your Letter Box. If you live in an apartment block or other residential property where there is a common entrance, you may want to consider purchasing a large lockable Post Box so that your mail is secure and can only be retrieved by the addressee.

There are many companies which supply a wide range of styles and types of Letter Boxes. Whether you live in a remote area and require a US style Mail Box which can be mounted on a post or in an apartment block which has a multi occupancy Post Box system you will be able to find a Letter Box to suit your requirements. You will have a wide selection of colours and materials to choose from, so whether you require an indoor or outdoor Letter Box, a Letter Box made of aluminium, stainless steel or cast aluminium, you will be spoilt for choice. Where security of your mail is important, there are many types of lockable Post Boxes on the market and there are even Post Boxes available which are specifically for newspapers. The size, style and type of your Post Box will depend on your individual circumstances and the amount of mail you receive.

Looking for a new letter box?  Firstly, consider capacity. Think about how much post you get, and the size of envelopes which come through the door.

Generally speaking, the larger the letter box, the safer it tends to be. With smaller ones, post can be ‘fished’ from the slot.

When it comes to choosing the style of mail box, there are several to pick from. Fence mount postboxes, for example, have a mail slot at the back so you can mount on the inside of a fence or gate.

Door mount postboxes are ideal if you want to install and keep a letter plate on your front door. They are rear collection and have an open aperture rather than a mailslot.

You can also buy a mail box specially designed to be arson or weatherproof. The latter for example could be good if you live in a coastal area.

Top loader postboxes have mail inserted via the top of the box, and these can accept larger items more easily than their front loading counterparts.

Front loading boxes are perfect if there is little headroom above its location, and some are designed for side by side installation in blocks of flats.

At Mailbox Mania, we have loads of designs whether you are a business, property developer or homeowner, made from high quality steel. Want multi-occupancy, extra large post boxes or ones with newspaper holders? We can help! Prices include VAT, and there’s free delivery on orders over £100.

There are thought to be over 100,000 letterboxes across the UK, and the Royal Mail delivers 68 million items daily. But where did it all begin?

The first postboxes are believed to have been installed in Paris in 1653. In the UK the first pillar postboxes were put in place much later, in Jersey in 1852. Roadside wall boxes first appeared five years later as cheaper alternatives to pillar boxes, particularly in rural areas.

In 1853, the very first pillar box in mainland Britain was erected at Botchergate, in Carlisle. Three years later Richard Redgrave designed an ornate pillar box to be used in London and other urban locations. In 1859 the design was enhanced, and it became the first National Standard pillar box.

The standard colour for early Victorian post boxes was green. Between 1866 and 1879, the hexagonal Penfold post box became the standard design for pillar boxes and it was during this time that red became the regulation colour. The first boxes to be painted red were in London in July 1874.

Today, the post is part of our daily lives, and we all need letterboxes for our homes and businesses. Like the boxes in the street, these have also evolved over time.

At Mailbox Mania, we are a leading UK retailer of quality letterboxes to private, consumer, residential and business customers. We only sell the highest graded galvanised and stainless steel products around – at competitive prices. There’s more information on our website.

The letter box could be considered one of the unsung heroes of the front of your home. You and your postman interact with it daily, and it probably sees more use than the expensive outdoor umbrella stand Aunt Maud gave you for Christmas in 1993!

Our mail boxes are designed do one of two things, either perform the basic function of a secure, simple post box, or make a stylish statement to the front of your home that you can rely on 100% in terms of security and durability.

Statement Mail Boxes
In the current financial climate, most folks don’t have the resources to get the brickwork of their house re-pointed and have a Groundforce-like garden makeover on the front garden. That said, there are still thrifty little ways to make a difference; re-painting the fence, re-painting the front door, clearing weeds and defining pathways using large stones/bedding fences etc. can have a huge effect on the frontage of your house. Item number two – statement mail boxes! When all the other bits and bobs of your front area facelift are to do with simplifying and generally tidying up a bit, something cheap and cheerful like a statement letter box could be just the finishing touch!

Simple Mail Boxes
Simple and stylish needn’t be mutually exclusive. Many of our simple mail box designs are ideally suited to nestle harmoniously with the frontage of your property, adding that little extra subtle final touch to your own makeover elbow grease!

These days, a great deal of the correspondence your company deals with will probably come through cyberspace. Indeed, emails and messages sent through networking sites are now a major part of business.

However, it is still vital that you have an attractive and functional letter box. Traditional post remains a highly important part of trading and without it, you might struggle to function.

When you are seeking a new mail box, you will no doubt be looking not only for great value but also for an object that looks attractive and is durable. This is where we come in here at Mailbox Mania. We are specialists in the field and know exactly what makes a great product.

That is why we provide a huge selection of offerings. For example, you might need an extra large capacity letter box to cope with the volume of mail you deal with. Also, we stock a parcel safe option, which can come in handy.

Meanwhile, you can be certain of the quality of the products we supply. We use the highest grade steel to ensure that the items you buy last longer. Not only does this save you hassle in the long run, it can also save you cash.

To ensure that your mail box looks the part, we produce offerings in a range of styles and colours, so you will be able to find something that matches your company perfectly.

If you are eager to find out more, simply have a look around our website.

If you are planning to buy a letter box for your house or flat, you may be unsure of what type of box to buy, or where to buy it. Here are some ideas and suggestions to help you decide form a variety of letterboxes.

First, find a company that offers a good variety of choice, such as Mailbox Mania. They offer many different styles, sizes, shapes, and colours of letterboxes.

Now, figure out what kind of letterbox you need. Do you get a newspaper delivered? If so, you will want a box large enough to hold your post along with a newspaper. Do you have parcels delivered? Again, you’ll need a large box. Do you like traditional looking boxes? You may want a red one or a stainless steel one. Or, if you want a modern looking one, you could ven choose a plastic one.

Decide what will look good on your gate, fence, door, or the side of your house. For instance, if you have a red door, a red box might look good — but then it might also be harder for the postman to spy from the road and he might not realize you have a box. Choose a colour that is visible but that you think looks good.

Mailbox Mania offers letter boxes in the following colours: red, green, black, white, silver, and stainless steel. There should be something for everyone.

Once you find the box you like, simply purchase, and have it put up on your door or gate, or wherever you want it mounted. If you need permission first, make sure to obtain it.

It’s one of the most popular post destinations in the world. All of us are likely to have sent letters there on a few occasions. In fact his mail box must be one of the largest, most study and magnificent mail boxes in the world!

The hopeful little children of the 1800’s didn’t invest their dreams and wishes in the postal service. The tradition of burning your letter in your home hearth, safe in the knowledge it would pop up in old St Nick’s mail box was the custom of the day.

Flash forward a few decades and we see less home hearths and more electric heaters – oh no! The practice of popping a letter to Santa in the general post is a harmless one. However is does create a hefty amount of, dare we say… waste! The Royal Mail actually provides an excellent reply service, sending notes back to the mail boxes of good little boys and girls all across the UK!

In the USA, a little town rather jauntily named “Santa Claus, Indiana” receives hundreds of thousands of crayon-addressed letters to Santa every year. The good people of Santa Claus actually make the effort to reply to as many as they can too!

Our team couldn’t quite decide on which of our mail boxes Santa might choose, suffice to say it would almost certainly be red! And just in case you’re in the mood for a little festive wishing and maybe dropping a note into Santa’s mail box….

Santa/Father Christmas,
Santa’s Grotto,
Reindeerland,
SAN TA1

We all love our pets, but if the dog gets his teeth into that new bank debit card you’ve been waiting for you might just…! Pet-proofing your mail used to mean the singular option of weak metal or plastic cages to catch the day’s post. We’re pretty sure our old granny could pull those things off the door, never mind our hyperactive Labrador!

Choosing the right letter box to keep your little ball of fur firmly separated from the post is crucial. Protecting your pet from harm is as much of a reason as any to install one of our letterboxes or sturdy mail cages. Creepy as it might sound, you quite simply never know what might come through the door, meaning the health and well-being of your pet could be at stake alongside the health and well-being of your bank statement!

This blog entry could have been very short because almost all of our letterboxes are pet-proof! One of our most popular products is the Brass Indoor Letter Cage (which is actually galvanised steel coated in tasteful brass). Evolved from the flimsy cages of old, our model is strong enough to take on the fiercest pooch (or granny!), and comes with a five year warrantee (testament to our confidence in its performance).

Installing the most appropriate letter box pertaining to your particular needs is something about which our telephone team can offer great advice.

Keeping your correspondence safe is just as important whether you live in a building with three other flats, or a hundred others. With identity fraud on the rise, it might not even be your neighbours you have to look out for, but any number of visitors or contractors that might pass through your building.

Many smaller apartment blocks, and even some larger ones, still do not have individual mailboxes, but instead have a single letter box and let each occupant collect their own mail from the jumbled pile scattered across the floor or stuffed into a recess. If you want to keep your items safe, purchasing – or insisting upon being supplied – your own personal letter box is essential.

Multi-occupancy mailboxes are available in many styles, designed specifically to fit in or outside of any communal dwelling, whether you need two or two hundred. They can be attached to any wall or fitted into any recess meaning that gaining security doesn’t mean you necessarily have to lose a great deal of space. There is also the option to purchase predesigned versions for those who don’t want to have to choose separate letter boxes, surrounds and fixings.

Whatever your needs, Mailbox Mania can meet any requirements you may have, whether you need them freestanding, recessed or wall fixed. There are a wide range of colours to suit any colour scheme and a range of sizes to suit anyone, bringing you great quality, making your life that little bit simpler and giving you peace of mind all at the same time.