Hi folks - this is a project that I want to do, but I don't have any masonry experience. I think I can manage it myself with a little direction. I'd greatly appreciate your feedback. I attached photos for your reference. Basically I have this ordinary and boring looking white pvc vinyl mailbox post. I want to spruce it up and also tie it in with the stacked stone on the front of my house. My initial plan was to completely get rid of my current mailbox and hire someone to build a new mailbox made completely out of stacked stone. But then after thinking further, I would rather just modify my existing mailbox rather than trashing it and starting from scratch. So I'm including a computer mockup with the stacked stone just on the bottom half of the existing PVC vinyl post, with a decorative slab on the top layer of stone. I think it'll look great because it salvages my existing mailbox and it also ties in with the stone on my house. I'm also including a photo of someone who tried to do this with commercial pavers on the bottom half of a wooden mailbox post. I don't think this is as aesthetically pleasing, but it's the same general concept. I imagine I wouldn't even need a full palette of stone for such a small job. Could someone give me some pointers here on how to go about starting this? I'm sure it's fairly basic, but I just want to make sure I do it correctly. Are there any potential problems from a structural standpoint that could go wrong with this project? I imagine I would the stones would need to be mortared rather than dry-stacked? Could I just begin stacking them directly on the dirt, or should I begin a few inches below grade? How about creating the top slab? Would I need to use a wet saw to cut 4 individual pieces and mortar them together around the post? Thank you in advance!

 

For starters, you will need a concrete foundation reaching below the frost line.

 

It's confusing as to which is your current mailbox & which is what you would like to do? Please clarify. Wirepuller is correct about the footing.

 

Thanks for your response Pulpo and Wirepuller. My current mailbox is the white PVC vinyl post with the black mailbox. And what I would like to do is to simply modify it by adding stone veneer onto the bottom half of that PVC vinyl post (as illustrated in my computer mockup). So you think I'll need an additional concrete foundation, even though the current post already has one? I was thinking about digging to wherever that concrete foundation is now and stacking the veneer from there with mud. I just don't know if I should mount the veneer directly onto the existing vinyl post or maybe build a 4-wall base with cinder blocks around the vinyl post. Then mount the veneer onto the cinder blocks. I'm just looking to keep it simple, but also structurally sound. If you have any additional feedback, I would definitely be interested in receiving it. Thanks again!

 

That should work. Dig to where the concrete footing is on the current post & stack you blocks.