How to re-line/finish a mail slot?
July 13, 2010 12:56 PM Subscribe
How should I re-line/finish the inside of my house's mail slot?
My house's mail slot is basically just an oval hole cut straight through the wall, and was at some point lined with a sheet of material that is now crumbing, warped and stiff, and prevents the flap on the outside of the house from closing completely. Here is a pic from inside the house, after I removed the brass plate which covered the slot, and here is a closeup of the old lining.
I plan to carefully remove the old lining and pull all the tiny nails out which hold it in place... but then I'm at a loss as to how to replace the lining and finish the inside of the slot. What material is suitable for this purpose? I am also open to other suggestions as to how to finish the inside of the slot cleanly...
My house's mail slot is basically just an oval hole cut straight through the wall, and was at some point lined with a sheet of material that is now crumbing, warped and stiff, and prevents the flap on the outside of the house from closing completely. Here is a pic from inside the house, after I removed the brass plate which covered the slot, and here is a closeup of the old lining.
I plan to carefully remove the old lining and pull all the tiny nails out which hold it in place... but then I'm at a loss as to how to replace the lining and finish the inside of the slot. What material is suitable for this purpose? I am also open to other suggestions as to how to finish the inside of the slot cleanly...
Maybe a short length of aluminum flue pipe (the stuff they use to vent free-standing wood stoves).
I think flue pipe is generally 4" in diameter, and I can't tell from the photo whether you could deform it to fit the existing hole.
posted by monkey.pie.baker at 1:28 PM on July 13, 2010
I think flue pipe is generally 4" in diameter, and I can't tell from the photo whether you could deform it to fit the existing hole.
posted by monkey.pie.baker at 1:28 PM on July 13, 2010
Once you peel away the remains of the old lining, you could coat the surface with a 2 part epoxy resin (any hardware store will have it) and a putty knife. Once it hardened, you could take some sandpaper to it to smooth off any rough spots.
As a bonus, the resin will act as an adhesive while still pliable, so if you wanted to, you could use it to clean up the shape of the hole by building it up and squaring it off with some thin strips of wood, tile, or plastic inside the slot.
Add a nice cover back on to the outside and it'll look better than new!
posted by quin at 1:35 PM on July 13, 2010
As a bonus, the resin will act as an adhesive while still pliable, so if you wanted to, you could use it to clean up the shape of the hole by building it up and squaring it off with some thin strips of wood, tile, or plastic inside the slot.
Add a nice cover back on to the outside and it'll look better than new!
posted by quin at 1:35 PM on July 13, 2010
Best answer: I'd make a loose tube of thin galvanized sheet metal that was about an inch longer than from the inside to the outside of the hole. I'd cut a bunch of 3/4" wide tabs, 1/2" long on each end of this piece and bend all of the ones on one end to the outside of the tube. Next I'd slide my tube into the hole and pack it with something (a big sponge or some wadded up newspaper) to hold it to shape and apply the apropriate flap on the side with the bent tabs. Then I'd go around to the other side and bend all it's tabs flush with the wall and apply that sides flap. Pop riviting the seam in the sheet metal from the inside of the tube prior to instalation or driving some tiny nails through the tabs might be a good idea, particularly if the inside and outside plates don't clamp the tubes tightly.
The issue with this plan is that if there is very little rim around the hole that is covered by the inside and outside flaps
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 1:38 PM on July 13, 2010
The issue with this plan is that if there is very little rim around the hole that is covered by the inside and outside flaps
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 1:38 PM on July 13, 2010
Response by poster: Great idea, Kid Charlemagne - I'll try that approach.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! The only problem with leaving the inside of the slot unfinished is that the wall isn't solid wood, so without a lining to guide the mail in, the corners of the mail get caught in the space between the interior and exterior walls.
posted by illenion at 2:16 PM on July 13, 2010
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! The only problem with leaving the inside of the slot unfinished is that the wall isn't solid wood, so without a lining to guide the mail in, the corners of the mail get caught in the space between the interior and exterior walls.
posted by illenion at 2:16 PM on July 13, 2010
Glad you liked it. The trick is to make sure all the little tabs get burried inside the thing and there aren't any sharp edges sticing out. Lining it with adhesive backed felt might help bury anthing like that if it looks like it's a problem.
Oh, if you get the idea of trying to insulate the area around the flap with one of those foam in a can products, makes sure you get a low expansion version and go slowly. There are a lot of horror stories out there where people destroy walls and door frames with foam in a can.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 8:15 AM on July 14, 2010
Oh, if you get the idea of trying to insulate the area around the flap with one of those foam in a can products, makes sure you get a low expansion version and go slowly. There are a lot of horror stories out there where people destroy walls and door frames with foam in a can.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 8:15 AM on July 14, 2010
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posted by rubbish bin night at 1:23 PM on July 13, 2010