The choice of letterbox
A letterbox complying with standards can be identified by the AFNOR NF D 27-404 or NF D 27-405 indication. It can be bought in DIY stores, on the Internet or even in supermarkets. If you are a handyman, it is also possible to do it yourself, but you will have to make sure you meet the different standards.
Whichever letterbox you choose, it will need to be of sufficient quality to protect your mail and packages. Its lock must be PTT approved, to allow the agent to open your mailbox, if necessary. It must also be equipped with a door which can be fully opened. In this way, it will be possible to place larger packages there, when they do not enter through the introduction window. It must also be provided with a label holder on which will appear your name as well as the name of the other people living there, if it is different. The name (s) must be presented in a clearly legible manner.
Its internal dimensions must be at least 26 x 26 x 34 cm. In addition, the receiving slot should measure at least 23.5 x 2.4 cm. These standards are valid regardless of the type of accommodation, individual house or building.
Install your mailbox
Once your mailbox has been chosen, in order to allow the correct distribution of mail, it must be installed in accordance with certain recommendations.
The location
Regarding the location of your mailbox, the key word is accessibility:
- it must be installed at the edge of the property and on a road open to traffic;
- it must also be possible to turn around without risk to agents or residents;
- the bottom of the letterbox must be placed between 1 m and 1.5 m from the ground to allow accessibility from a vehicle;
- its access must be direct and not behind a fence;
- its access must also be safe, for example, out of reach of a dog.
In some housing estates, hamlets or even in remote areas, letter boxes can be grouped into a battery of standardized letter boxes or CIDEX boxes. The latter are also individual letterboxes which are grouped together in a battery near a road axis.
In a building, mailboxes can be located inside the building. It must then be freely accessible or via an access control compatible either with a “T pass” or with a standard such as VIGIK. Again, the space must be safe, sufficiently lit and close to the entrance. If there are more than 4 mailboxes, they must have a collective door. The entry window should be located between 0.40 m and 1.80 m from the ground.
Installation
In the case of a newly built single-family dwelling or collective dwelling, in order to receive your mail, it is necessary to complete the initial postal connection formalities.
You can embed a letterbox in masonry. It is then integrated when making your fence. This solution is aesthetic and easy to implement. There are then letterboxes with 2 doors. Not only do they allow the agent to drop the mail from outside, but they also allow you to collect your mail without going out on the street.
Another solution is to integrate your mailbox into the fence of your property. It can then be placed on top of a wall or the side of a pillar, for example.
Finally, when there is no support to install the letterbox, it is possible to install it directly on a metal stand. This solution allows you to install it in the place you want and which will meet the accessibility criteria. The foot must be sealed to be strong enough.