# Vinyl Siding and a Mailbox



## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

Forget the beam, forget the faux shutters. They sell mounting blocks for siding you can use to mount lights, outlets, etc.. Pick up two the size you need and just screw them through the siding into the sheathing. Screw the mailbox to the blocking.
Ron


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## Altutor (Apr 26, 2010)

Ron,

Thank you very much. I will look into the mounting blocks today at my local Lowes. Will everyday wood screws be the best bet for attaching the mounting block? And should I pre-drill a hole through the siding?


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

You want to predrill the holes and apply a caulk around and in the hole so water doesn't get into the house. You want to use a screw that will not rust, either a deck screw or stainless steel.
Home Depot carries the blocks that can be mounted on installed siding. They have square blocks that are 6 1/2" x6 1/2". They also carry octagonal blocks about the same size. I don't know if Lowes has them
Ron


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## Altutor (Apr 26, 2010)

Thanks once again for the help!!!


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## ferris13 (Sep 25, 2009)

funny how something so simply can get you

Be sure to specify you need the mounting block for "pre-installed siding". Ron referenced this but I wanted to make sure you caught it. These blocks will have a notch on the back profile that allows it to sit flush against the siding. 

here is a random example of what it might look like
http://www.a1components.com/itemdisplayn.aspx?item=10603

You still need to screw the mounting block in. This brings you right back to your original dilemma "How do I know if I have wood or "foam" behind the siding?" .

I would use a simple tool to pop up a course of siding and then probe underneath to see what the sheathing was (wood or foam). Depending on the age of the home the foam you think you see could just be 1/4 inch fan fold foam that is used to create a flat surface for siding installs. Behind that fan fold could be wood, cement shingle etc..

example:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1295112&CAWELAID=109366794

I had an older home, 1950's, that I sided years ago. It had a shingle on it originally. I hung a mailbox just as you are doing, no mounting block, just had two screws directly into the siding and hung the mailbox on the key hole mounts. I knew what I was screwing into though.

sorry if I made it worse.


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## Altutor (Apr 26, 2010)

Thanks Gents! I will give this a whirl and let you know how it comes out!


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