Letter Box

Advice please!

Charlie Hill	26/09/2010 20:59:59
76 forum posts 53 photos	Hi Guys I want to make a letter box from some 150mm x 22mm treated sawn timber. It will be big enough to take the newspapers as well as the letters, and will need to be weather proof as we occassionally get some rain down here in the South West! I am wondering how best to joint the boards as they need to be wider than 150mm and also how best to joint it all together. Initially I was thinking about biscuit joints using Titebond exterior glue. My concern is that the exposure to the weather will cause the timber to expand / contract quite a lot. As this is not intended to be a work of art I want to use a fairly simple solution, so wonder if you clever guys have any suggestions please?
Oddjob	27/09/2010 11:37:44
1635 forum posts 79 photos	Rubbed joints withTitebond exterior glue will do the job perfectly well. I have made bird boxes and hedgehog boxes this way and they are still surviving after more than ten years! Richard
Charlie Hill	27/09/2010 21:07:09
76 forum posts 53 photos	Hi Richard Many thanks for that. When you made your boxes did you butt joint them using the Titebond exterior please? Regards Charlie
Oddjob	28/09/2010 10:19:48
1635 forum posts 79 photos	Charlie Yes I used Titebond exterior. Richard
Charlie Hill	30/10/2011 17:53:31
76 forum posts 53 photos	Well I built the letter box last year. Sadly it is n't waterproof so I get soggy newspapers & post when it rains heavily!!! I tried adding the oak strips after I realised it let in the wet, but this made little difference. Does anybody have any idea why it is leaking? I wonder if the angle of the roof is too shallow? You can see a photo of the letter box in my albums. I hope somebody can help please.
Paul Jones 4	30/10/2011 18:36:04
45 forum posts 1 photos	Hi Charlie Does the water enter through the opening as shown in my picture. Try cutting a gully as shown so that the water will fall before running down the wall of the box. Paul
Charlie Hill	30/10/2011 19:31:27
76 forum posts 53 photos	Hi Paul Tanks for that. I think that most of it is coming via the sides and front. Maybe I should rout out a gully on all four sides?