Frequently Asked Questions
General
Where are your letterboxes made?
Our letterboxes are made in North Plympton, South Australia.
What are your letterboxes made made of?
All our letterboxes are made from durable aluminium that is treated and powder coated, with the exception of the Vandal Resist, which is made of galvanised steel. We also have stainless steel faceplate options.
Do you keep letterboxes in stock?
We endeavour to keep certain colours of our most popular letterboxes such as the Superior, in stock and ready to go. However, this does not always mean they are instantly ready to pick up or ship once you order online.
We always ask that you wait until we send you a 'Ready for Pickup' notification before coming to collect. For shipping, we will send a notification to let you know your order has left us.
What are the lead times for your letterboxes?
As the majority of our letterboxes are made to order to your specifications, this does mean that we are very rarely able to pick the product off the shelf and ship straight away. Here is a breakdown of what to usually expect when ordering a letterbox from us.Â
Superiors & Telescopics - 1-2 weeks
Custom Faceplates - 4-6 weeks
Freestanding Letterboxes 2-4 weeks
Multibanks - 4-6 weeks
However, we are unable to guarantee any of these lead times year round, they are to be used as a rough guide only. As a busy, local manufacturer, conditions are constantly changing and delays do happen so please bear with us if things are taking longer than expected. We will always endeavor to get orders out as soon as possible, but do also need to take the time to make sure your order gets made properly and with care.Â
Do you have a showroom displaying your letterboxes?
Yes! Come around to 60 Kinkaid Avenue, North Plympton to see our display. While you're there check out Heatlie Barbecues as well.
Do your letterboxes come with a lock and key?
If you choose to have a key lock fitted, this will come with 2 keys to match. If you choose a latch lock this will not come with any keys. Replacement keys are available for our letterboxes only.
Do I have to get numbers with my letterbox?
Not at all. If you have an alternative just select the "No Numbers" option under the Number Style option.
Do you offer installation for your letterboxes?
Heatlie Letterboxes can offer installation services for our letterboxes only and only in the Adelaide Metropolitan area. Prices vary depending on where you are located and the type of installation required. Please call us for more information.
To acquire a quote for installation, please email us with a picture of where you want the letterbox installed, and the full address.
Do your letterboxes fit in brush fences?
Brush fences can be tricky with letterboxes, as we always prefer that they are installed in a solid, structurally sound fence or wall. As brush fences have no solid frame or surface to adhere a letterbox to it can open up some risks. We would suggest only installing a Superior in a brush fence, and for it to be installed by a brush fencing specialist. They will usually know what they are doing and have methods for secure installation.
Under no circumstances should a custom faceplate be installed in a brush fence. They carry too much weight for a brush fence and this runs the risk of the faceplate and box detaching from each other.Â
What kind of warranty do you offer?
Please consult our Warranty Information page for more on this.
Are your letterboxes waterproof?
We take every step possible to manufacture our letterboxes to be as waterproof as possible, however we cannot ever guarantee total 100% water tightness. Due to the design of the boxes and the need for them to be usable, there will always be small openings that water may leak through. The mail slot, the hinge and rear door require openings and unfortunately water can be very sneaky at times.
If you are having troubles with your mail getting wet, try placing a wire rack on the base of the letterbox to elevate mail off the bottom where water might pool, or put a towel in the box to soak up excess water.
Do you deliver around Australia?
Yes we do. Shipping rates that are calculated on our checkout page. These costs may vary depending on your location and the size of your order. We may need to contact you for further delivery costs. See our Terms and Conditions for information on this.Â
Do you repair letterboxes?
Depending on the circumstances, we can offer repairs for damage resulting from theft and vandalism. We commonly replace doors that have been pried open with screwdrivers. We only offer this for our own letterboxes in the Adelaide Metropolitan area. To acquire a quote for us to repair your letterbox, please contact us via email with a picture of the damage and the address you are lcoated at.
Do you make sandstone or cement letterboxes?
Unfortunately, no. As we are a metal fabricating company, we do not have the capacity or facilities to manufacture anything but metal.
Fence & Wall
What is the best letterbox for my fence?
The Superior!
This letterbox is suited to almost any kind of fence, including but limited to the following...
- Tubular metal fence
- Corrugated metal fence
- Steel fence
- Picket fence
- Timber fence
- Metal slat fence
- Wood slat fence
- Brush fence (consult brush fencing specialist)
- Emu wire (with supportive frame built into fence)
What about a brick or rendered wall?
If your wall is 240mm deep or less, the Superior will be the best choice. If it is between 240 and 470mm deep, go for a Telescopic. Anything deeper than that will require a custom made box.
Common types of walls that they are installed in are...
- Brick walls
- Rendered walls
- Foam walls
- Stone/masonry walls
How do I install a letterbox in a fence?
The Superior comes with a rear brace that holds the letterbox in place through the fence. In short, you will cut a cavity in the fence to suit the box so it can slide through the front, then place the rear brace around the back of the box, up against the fence. The brace is attached to both the fence and the box.
Check out our installation guides below...
How does a Telescopic letterbox work?
They will supplied in two pieces. The front with the faceplate attached to the inner sleeve, and the back door and outer sleeve. The outer sleeve will slide over the inner sleeve and the two pieces can be easily riveted together through the pre-drilled holes on the sides of the base of the sleeves to form a solid box.
At their shortest they will measure about 250mm and at their longest, 470mm. Set it to whatever depth you need to match the depth of your wall.
Post Mounted/Freestanding
How long are the posts?
Standard posts are 1300mm long for top mounted models and 1600mm long for side mounted models.
Once installed, roughly 400mm of the post should be underground, leave your letterbox slot at the perfect height for the postie.
What if I need to bolt my post to concrete?
You can request a post suitable to bolt to concrete for no extra cost, simply ask for it in the order instructions.
These will be 900mm long and have a 200x200 bolting plate welded to the base.
Do I need to assemble my post mounted letterbox?
If your order is shipped, we will send the post and letterbox head detached. To assemlbe you simply need to attach the basepalte to the base of the box with the provided nuts and bolts.
Can I get just a letterbox head?
Yes you can, see our Box Only range.
These are ideal for attaching to an existing post, or for mounting on top of low lying brick walls or horizontal surfaces.
Multibanks
What is multibank cladding?
The cladding is the outer layer that surrounds the letterboxes.Â
None - Boxes are left bare with external seams, rivets and nutserts visible. Suitable with any style of mounting.
Basic - 1mm smooth sheet around top and sides of the bank. Hides external box seams, rivets and hinge pin holes. Only suitable for wall-mounted or post-mounted boxes.
Advanced - 32mm SHS frame with a 3mm sheet surrounding. Features mounting plates on the rear for easier wall-mounted installation. Not available with rear opening or post mounted.
Can I get custom sized boxes to fit a particular space?
You can, just not over the website. Please send us an email detailing your needs and we will supply a quote to make custom sized boxes.
Can you provide labelling for business names, strata etc?
We can provide numbering and/or business names and strata/body corporate labels to be put on the letterbox doors for no extra cost. Simply note what labels you want in the order. These are applied in a vinyl stick on decal.
Custom Faceplates
Can I alter the dimensions of my faceplate?
You are welcome to change the dimensions of our standard designs. The maximum dimension is 700mm for either width or height. Anything bigger than 700mm, please contact us for a quote.
Do I have to get a letterbox, or can I just get a faceplate?
The faceplates are sold separately to the boxes, so you are free to get one without the other if you already have a surface to attach the faceplate to for example.
Do I have to have a slot in my custom faceplate?
You do not. If the purpose of your custom plate is to display your address only, order a custom signage plate.
Numbers
Do I have to get numbers on my letterbox?
No you don't, you are welcome to choose "No Numbers" under the number selection drop down. We can also supply them unattached to the letterbox if you would like to put them on yourself.
All numbers are included in the price of a brand new letterbox. They can be purchased later separately for a price.
What size are the numbers?
This depends on the model of letterbox.
Bolt on numbers are only available in 75mm high.
Stainless steel 75mm or 150mm.
Vinyl can be whatever you want (max 150mm) as long as it fits on the letterbox.
How do I install numbers?
If you purchase a new letterbox and have numbers included, we will install them for you at the time of manufacture, unless you tell us otherwise.
If you purchase them separately you can install them the following ways...
Bolt On - If you are installing through a thing surface (like the front of a letterbox), simply drill matching holes and secure with the supplied nut on the other side.
If you are going into a wall or a surface thicker than the bolts can reach through, drill holes to match and fill with glue.
Stainless Steel - We will supply these with double sided tape already attached to the back. Simply peel off the white cover from the tape and firmly press against the surface. Works best on smooth, flat and clean surfaces.
Vinyl - Your vinyl will be supplied with a smooth backing tape, and a rough front tape protecting it.
- To begin, using a hard, flat object like a spatula, firmly press and drag over the vinyl to help dispel air bubbles, and to adhere the vinyl to the tape.Â
- Make sure the surface you are sticking it to is clean.Â
- Begin to peel the two layers of tape apart, very slowly, making sure that the coloured vinyl stays stuck to the front, rough tape layer.Â
- If you are having trouble and the vinyl is sticking to the rear smooth tape, go back and rub over it, retrying very slowly and carefully. You can use tweezers to gently grab the vinyl and pull it away from the rear tape. Be very careful not to damage it.
- Once it is fully off, position your vinyl at your desired placement on your letterbox, then stick it down. Like before, rub over the vinyl firmly to adhere it to the surface. You can spray the surface with windex before placing the vinyl. This allows you to slide the vinyl around to get position perfect before firmly adhering it.
- Slowly and carefully peel the rough tape layer away, making sure the vinyl stays stuck to your surface.
- Done.Â
Do you do laser cut numbering?
We do but only on Custom Faceplates, not on standard models.
Keys and Locks
Can I purchase replacement keys for my letterbox?
If it is a letterbox made by us or previous owners Adelaide Letterboxes, then yes. We carry spare keys for all 200 lock serial numbers available. They can be ordered here.
Can the locks be replaced?
Yes and they are very easy to swap out. There is a nut on the back that hold it within the hole in the door.
My key/lock isn't working, what can I do?
Generally this is due to something jamming or blocking the lock from moving, or something inside the key hole stopping the key from entering. You can try blowing compressed air to clear dirt and grime that may build up over time. We also recommend lubricating the lock with graphite spray.
Also, please check you are using the correct key!
Some models such as the Augusta, require you to insert the key at a angle that matches the surface the lock is installed on.
Do you offer combination locks?
We do, however not over the website. Please reach out to us for a quote for this.
Combination locks can fit almost any model of letterbox, but we have to make alterations to the design so there is an extra cost involved.
What is the difference between key locks and latch locks?
Keys locks are straight forward, simply insert a key and turn to open the lock.
Latch locks can be left unlocked if you don't want to mess around with keys, OR you can loop a padlock through it to lock it.