To assist you in understanding key terms on our web site, we have defined below various words and phrases that are important at Mailboxes of Distinction.
Accessories are optional equipment for your mailbox. We can customize your architectural mailbox structure to accept the options you have selected and install them in the factory prior to shipment.
All of our architectural mail boxes are fabricated from aluminum. When we refer to aluminum we are referring to the substructure (frame) and sheet metal that covers the substructure.
Architectural mailboxes incorporate ornamental details that are exclusive to the architecture of a home. Examining the exterior of your elevation can identify these unique features.
These are the highly skilled designers that are responsible for creating your custom mailbox design.
Our brick mailboxes are fabricated from aluminum with a lightweight faux brick cladding. We do not fabricate and/or ship masonry and brick mailboxes.
A lighting term meaning to illuminate from behind. We internally back-light translucent plastic in mailboxes to fulfill a variety needs. i.e.: way finding, aesthetics, etc.
A partition device designed to control the flow or direction of material. We utilize baffles inside some of our letterbox compartments to segregate the storage compartment from the incoming mail entry chute.
This term refers to a covering applied over a primary structure to protect the structure or improve its appearance. Examples of cladding are brick or siding on a home’s exterior.
A contemporary brick mailbox incorporates brick with metals in its design to compliment your home’s architectural details with a more modern look.
These are our helpful and knowledgeable staff members that assist you after your initial contact. Your consultant will remain with you throughout the design, fabrication and delivery processes.
This is a fee that you are required to pay prior to our working on your mailbox design. You will not forfeit this deposit if you purchase your mailbox.
These are the highly skilled artists that are responsible for creating your custom mailbox design.
This term refers to a method of setting your mailbox into the ground. It generally means to pour concrete directly into a hole whereas the earthen sides create the mold for your foundation.
This term refers to ornamentation. When we use it we are typically referring to the architectural features unique to your home such as arches, columns, molding and trim. Our designers will embellish your mailbox with the features that are exclusive to your home.
Stands for "Free On Board." FOB Shipping Point implies that the buyer assumes title and owns the goods in transit, pays the freight bill and handles any necessary claims for loss or damage.
Fine metals refer to exceptional metals or metals with high quality finishes. When these metals are incorporated into a mailbox design the result is a truly stunning structure that is often interpreted as art.
A term for a style of printing type where all the characters in the set are of the same design and size.
A foundation is the underground counterweight that secures your mail box in an upright position. The recommended material for your foundation is concrete.
This is the cladding material we utilize to create the realistic patterns on our mailboxes. This dense foam product with a tough exterior is manufactured in authentic patterns. It is extremely durable and light weight providing the ideal solution to shipping heavy masonry or brick mailboxes.
Abbreviation for “Light Emitting Diodes”, an LED is a low voltage, energy saving light source that is very small and available in six bright colors. We utilize LED’s in internally illuminated mailboxes.
This is the metal box with a hinged door and /or a mail slot that holds your mail. It is constructed separate of the rest of the mailbox structure and is designed to conform generally to the same requirements as approved manufactured letterboxes. We offer a number of compartment configurations.
These mailboxes have keyed locks so that only you can retrieve your mail. Your postal carrier is not permitted to carry a key to your lock, therefore the mail is dropped into a slot and the locks are positioned on your private entry door only.
This is a finish characteristic of copper, bronze and brass frequently referred to as “verdigris”. It is a thin layer formed by corrosion on the surface and is valued for its colorful shades of blue and green.
A light weight, durable, and virtually unbreakable plastic suitable for molding into shapes. We utilize this material to manufacture our simulated clay roofing tiles for Mediterranean style mailboxes.
Sacrete is a concrete mixture that you can purchase in any home improvement or hardware store. Mix it with water in a bucket or wheel barrel and pour it into your excavated hole. It is fast setting and a convenient means for providing the concrete required to secure your architectural mail box.
This is a catchall term used to describe any metal that is manufactured in flat sheets. When we use it we are referring to the aluminum that covers a mailbox’s substructure.
When we use this term we are referring to the entire mailbox assembly.
This is the internal welded aluminum frame that is the basis for your mailbox design. It is the first step in the fabrication process.
A term we use to describe any surface, material or finish that is rough, uneven or patterned.
This term refers to the support pole that we install in the center of your mailbox structure. It is an aluminum support and will not rust. It is designed to set into a shallow concrete foundation hardly penetrating the surface of the concrete. It is designed in this manner pursuant to USPS and DOT recommendations to ensure it will give way and safely break free in the event a vehicle collides with your mailbox.
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