Outdoor Stone Mailboxes

 
Stone pier mailbox

Your mailbox is often the first impression people have of your home. A stone enclosedmailbox is a permanent fixture that leaves a strong impression on the viewer. A sturdy mailbox thats inset into or sitting on top of a stone column will never break or be stolen and becomes a permanent part of the home that adds beauty and value to your property 

There are myriads of stone enclosed mailbox styles. Differences  depend on the shape of the pillar, the size, color, placement, and material of the mailbox, the type of stone used (cultured versus natural) , stone color and placement,  house address appearance and placement,  use of just stone or stone veneer,  type of capstone, and the surrounding landscape.  We will consider each of these qualities below. 

Mailbox pillars are usually square and may be squat (pier shaped) or taller and thinner. Some pillars are round. More rarely mailbox  columns are arched or gable shaped. 

Mailbox inserts are frequently made of iron or brass. The mail boxes may  contain the house address on front or not. Most mailboxes are recessed into the stone, though some protrude out. Most mailboxes are brass, dark metallic colored, or grayish; however, they may be white or any other color that strikes the fancy. Most have an arched top and some are wider and some are taller and narrower. Some mailboxes are rectangular shaped. Some mailboxes come with a flag on the side, which permits the mailman to alert the home owner when mail has arrived.

Column stone is broadly divided into natural versus cultured or manufactured stone. Natural stone is rock that has been taken from the natural state. Fieldstone, which refers to stones picked out of the top soil of fields being cleared for agriculture, are often used to create mailbox columns.  In the Plain states fieldstones are usually remnants of rocks left over from the last glacier. In New England, fieldstones were picked out of virgin soil made bare by the lumbering efforts of the early pioneers. They were often piled into natural fences that separated neighboring farms.  Manufactured stones are usually made of Portland cement, aggregates and iron oxides. Modern manufacturing processes allow companies to produce manufactured stone that looks just like any type of natural stone. 

Stone color is partially dependent on the type of stone used and partially dependent on the artistry of the mason. Since most stones come in a variety of colors they can be placed so as to create attractive combinations. For example, fieldstone  comes in beige brown, buff, and tan. New England fieldstone comes in beige, brown, lavender, and tan. Fieldstone from other locales features additional colors. Manufactured brick has its own characteristic shape and comes in a wide variety of colors. By adding circular layers of brick or brick arches to stone pillars the mason can achieve additional color combination s and contrasts.  The appearance of the stone pillar also depends on how the stones are placed together. Stones may be held together with mortar, which creates a traditional look or may be stacked naturally with no mortar between individual rocks. In modern pillars  the visible part of the mortar between rocks is often scraped away so more of the rock shape is visible.

  

Placing the house address on the stone column provides an additional opportunity for the mason to exercise his creativity.  Letters might be placed individually or all together on a metal plate that is inserted into the stone. The address area may be decorated and embellished with a stone or brick arch and or border. The address may appear on the front or side of the column depending on its orientation to the street and may be made in a variety of colors that blend in with or contrast with other colors in the pillar. 

Mailbox columns can be made of whole stone or stone veneer, As opposed to whole stone, veneer is a decorative thin stone,  attached with mortar to the surface of the actual weight bearing structure. Veneer may by thin  (less than 2 inches) or thicker,  2 inches or more. The three most well known veneer stone manufacturers are Cultured Stone, El Dorado, and Coronado Stone Products.While stone veneer is easier to work with than whole stone it is still best installed by a skilled mason.

Capstones add beauty and distinction to mailbox pillars. They are often square, concrete, and around 2/3 of an inch thick. They might have round edges and might be double layered. They can be flat, peaked, or arched, They may have a light,  flowers, or a decorative sculpture on top. Caps can also be metallic and may be flat, peaked or arched. Capstones are often natural stone color; however with the right columns, red, blue. white or other colored capstone can be very attractive. 

Mailbox pillars vary in the type of surrounding landscape they are placed in. Some pillars stand alone and others are part of a wooden, stone, or iron fence. They might be one of two gate pillars.  Sometimes mailbox pillars are placed in a decorative garden bed or  enhanced by a colorful flower display or with a planter on one side. 

Other features that set pillars apart include the use of lighting at the top, near the top, on the mailbox, and or on the address. Some families choose to add a newspaper insert, which is a hole in the column where the delivery man can place the daily newspaper. Because of al the possible selections and combinations, selecting the stone mailbox that is right for your property is a task calling on creativity, knowledge, and deliberation.

Resources:  For help installing a stone mailbox in Yorktown Heights or Westchester County, New York contact the Turf Barbers at 914 302 2469; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; http://www.theturfbarbers.com