Vintage Mail Box for Kids

It's that time of the year when being outside is absolutely magical for kids. I decided to up that ante with a mailbox just for them! Now they can receive "letters" and post their own mail! A little Imagination is all you need!

See how I transform a boring old mailbox into a colorful, vintage mailbox for kids!

Let's get started!

I bought a glossy-finished vertical mailbox that was approximately 6x9 inches. I knew I wanted to hang the final product outside, and also because bright colors are what childhood are all about, so I decided to paint the mail box a beautiful hue of turquoise.

Before spray painting, I lightly sanded the glossy mailbox so that the paint/primer would have a better time being applied. I used a 150 grate sand paper. As you can tell from the photos, just 5 minutes of hand sanding completely altered the black finish. Next, I wiped the mailbox thoroughly with a damp cloth so there would be no sand/ paint residue.

I choose a satin finish Valspar paint and primer in one, and waited about 1 hours between coats, of which I applied only two. However, if you choose to go with a lighter color, you may need to apply more coats to achieve even coverage.

After the final coat, I waited about 36 hours to allow the paint to harden.

You can find mdf letters at your local craft store (I was lucky enough to have a laser printer at my disposal). I decided to really ride the vintage feel, and chose the word "POST." I simply hot glued the letters to the center of the mail box.

I knew I wanted to hang the mailbox from a tree in my backyard, but didn't want to drill into bark with screws, so alternatively, I bought craft wire from Michael's faux floral department. This stuff was a god-send, because it was a thicker gauge wire wrapped in a type of twine= completely camouflage against the bark of a tree.

I threaded some through 1 rear hole of the mail box and tied a small knot.

With the remaining wire, I wrapped it around the tree trunk, cut it, and then threaded it through the 2nd hole on the back of the mailbox.

My Kid's had a blast putting toys and outdoor-inspired artwork in their new mailbox!