How To Install A Letter Plate On A New Wooden Front Door
Posted on: 26 January 2015
If you just purchased a brand new wood door, and your letter carrier delivers your letters to your front door, you might be wondering where they will put the letters. With a few tools and a little extra time, you can install a letter plate. This guide explains the steps needed to perform this task.
Purchase the Letter Plate and Other Supplies
Go to a hardware store, such as DaCorta Bros. Inc., to pick out your letter plate kit and these tools.
- drill and drill bit
- pad saw
- sand paper
- pencil
Have your vacuum cleaner, with attachments, handy as well. The letter plate kit comes with the screws or bolts needed to secure the plate to the door.
Note: A horizontal plate works for most doors. If you door is mainly glass, purchase a vertical plate. The instructions are the same for a horizontal and a vertical plate.
Mark the Position on the Door
Take the letter plate out of the package and line it up in the position you want it on the door. Draw a line around it with the pencil to mark its position. Then set the letter plate aside.
Set the level on the lines to ensure that the marks are straight. Redo this step if necessary to ensure evenness once you install the plate.
Saw a Hole in the New Door
Insert the drill bit into the drill and drill a hole on the sides of the mark right on the lines. Then saw a hole in the door with the pad saw using the holes as a starting point. Saw completely through the door so that the hole is on both sides.
Sand down any rough edges with the sandpaper. Attach the vacuum attachment to the vacuum cleaner and vacuum up the sawdust around the area to prevent it from spreading to other areas of the home.
Attach the Letter Plate
Place the letter plate in the hole. Make sure that the flap portion of the plate is on the inside of the door so the letter carrier can push your letters through with one hand, instead of having to lift the flap. Use the drill to attach the screws or bolts, depending on which fasteners your letter plate came with.
Plan to spend about 30 minutes to an hour completing this project. Ask your home improvement specialist for help if you run into any problems with this project. Share this with others who have letter carriers who provide the awesome service of walking their letters right up to the door, so they too can install a letter plate in a new wood door.
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