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Home > DIY How To Projects and Tutorial Guides > How to Fit a Letter Box into a Door

How to Fit a Letter Box into a Door

Step-by-step instructions with pictures on how to fit a letter box into a door. In this project we show you all you need to know about fitting a letterbox including how to mark out and cut the hole, how to check the hole is the right size, how to make sure it's level and how to mark the holes that need drilling for the fixing studs.

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Fitting a letter box is not the easiest of DIY tasks but approached with care it can be done in both wooden doors and PVCu doors alike. The biggest problem with fitting a letter box is the fear you face when cutting a huge hole in your door! Remember Diydoctor’s tip, measure twice, cut once, follow our instructions for fitting a letter box and you wont go far wrong.

If you have not yet selected your new letter box or are looking to purchase a new door, there are many differing styles and finishes available, and some of these can be seen in your local DIY store.

As you can see from the below images we are fitting an industrial office letter box for the purposes of this how to tutorial as this makes it a little easier to see how it’s fitted, but on the whole, the principles are the same regardless of the door and letterbox style or type.

Industrial letter box

Industrial letter box

Letter box opening

Letter box opening

Tools for Fitting a Letterbox

  • Drill or cordless drill/driver
  • Suitable sized drill bits – one for drilling stud holes, one for drilling holes to get jigsaw blade into
  • Jigsaw with blade for cutting chosen door material e.g. timber blade or PVCu blade etc….
  • File or rasp for smoothing cut edges
  • Spirit level
  • Pencil
  • Straight edge
  • Mallet or hammer
  • Old cloth
  • Spanner/socket for tightening letterbox studs
  • Letterbox of your chosen style

1. Mark out the Hole for Your Letterbox

This box opens inwards so the flap pushes into the hole you will need to cut in the door, making it even more important to cut the hole accurately.

Mark the hole a couple of mm larger than the opening required to push the flap into. Use a spirit level to get the letter box absolutely level.

Mark opening for letter box

Mark opening for letter box

2. Drill Holes in Each Corner

Drill 4 holes large enough to get a jig saw blade into. The edge of the holes should be touching both lines near each corner. Make sure you keep the drill level in your hand.

Drilling  holes in hardwood door

Drilling holes in hardwood door

Holes ready for jigsaw

Holes ready for jigsaw

3. Cut the Hole for Your Letterbox

Use a jigsaw very carefully to cut along the lines you have marked. Don’t hurry, let the saw do the work and don’t push it too hard.

Using jig saw to cut opening for letter box

Using jig saw to cut opening for letter box

Cut the hole inside the lines and when you have pushed the middle out use a wood rasp to tidy up the hole. Cutting straight lines with a jigsaw is just about the hardest thing to do in woodwork so take your time!

Hole ready to insert letter box

Hole ready to insert letter box

4. Check the Hole is the Right Size

Screw in the threaded studs provided with the kit to the back of the plate. Once you have cut your hole and tidied up the edges with a rasp, place the letter plate with the studs in place to make sure that the hole is big enough and everything lines up correctly.

Try letter plate in hole to get size correct

Try letter plate in hole to get size correct

5. Mark and Drill Holes for Fixing Studs

Using a mallet or a hammer with some cloth over the face to avoid damaging the letter plate, tap the plate at each corner where the studs are.

This will make a small mark in the door to enable you to accurately drill the holes for the studs to go through.

Close up of letter box bolt holes through door

Letter box bolt holes through door

Drill the holes for the studs and then push each stud through until the letter plate is right up against the face of the door.

Using a cordless drill to drill letter box bolt holes

Using a cordless drill to drill letter box bolt holes

Push letter plate bolts through holes in door

Push letter plate bolts through holes in door

6. Screw up the Nuts and Tighten

Tighten the correct size nuts and cut off any excess thread with a hack saw. Easy wasn’t it!?

Letter box bolts tightened in inside of door

Letter box bolts tightened on the inside of the door

If you would like further information on using a jigsaw why not go to our video section on using a jig saw to watch a film on how to use this useful power tool correctly.

All project content written and produced by Mike Edwards, founder of DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology.

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Related Projects That May Help You:
  • Fitting a Door Knocker to a Door
  • How to Fit A Night Latch or Yale Cylinder Lock
  • Fixing to Hollow Doors
  • How to Fit a Mortice Latch or Tubular Latch to an Internal Door
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