Whale Mailbox


  This fun project will have your friends talking. Now you can whale watch in your own front yard!

What you need:

  • Standard mailbox
  • 1/4" particle board (approx 2' x 2')
  • 1/4" armature wire (approx 2')
  • Plastic water bottle cap
  • Assorted Medium size beads (10 pieces)
  • Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Gray Primer (Note: If painting a plastic mailbox, substitute Indoor/Outdoor Primer with Krylon Fusion for Plastic White.)
  • Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Satin Ivory
  • Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Gloss Blue Ocean Breeze
  • Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Gloss Global Blue
  • Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Gloss White
  • Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Satin Jade
  • Black Sharpie marker
  • Dremel tool with sanding attachment
  • Jigsaw
  • Sandpaper (100grit)
  • 5 minute epoxy
  • Painter's tape
  • Newspaper
  • Pliers
  • Dykes

How and How Long:

  1. Draw a tail and fin pattern. Cut them out and trace them onto particle board. Cut out using jigsaw.
  2. Use Dremel to sand the edges.
  3. Optional Step: Gently break the tail so that it comes towards you at a slight angle. Use five-minute epoxy to reset tail.
  4. Lightly sand entire mailbox and fins. Dust off and use five-minute epoxy to glue on tail and side fin to the mailbox.
  5. Cut 4 sections of armature wire at different lengths from 6" to 15". Use pliers to curl wire into spiral patterns. Use five-minute epoxy to glue wire together.
  6. Cut hole in bottle cap to receive wire water spout. Epoxy the bottle cap to top of mailbox. Leave wire separate to paint.
  7. Prime entire mailbox piece using Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Gray Primer. Sand and prime separate wire piece. Let dry for 10 min.
  8. Draw out mouth with pencil and paint area with Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Satin Ivory. Paint wire also. Let dry for 10 min.
  9. Use painter's tape to make a crisp line for the mouth and belly area. Mask over area painted with Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Satin Ivory with the painter's tape and newspaper.
  10. Paint entire mailbox Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Gloss Blue Ocean Breeze. Let dry for 10 min.
  11. Use Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Gloss Global Blue and lightly spray fading up - starting from the bottom of the mailbox and working your way up to the middle of the box. Let dry for 10 min.
  12. Glue beads together in groups of 2 and 3 for barnacles. Paint with Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Satin Jade. Let dry for 10 min.
  13. Unmask all areas on mailbox. Draw on mouth and eye with Black Sharpie marker.
  14. Use five-minute epoxy to glue on water spout and barnacles.
  15. Gently spray/spatter Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Gloss White on the top of the box to mimic water spray. Let dry for 10 min.

Whale Mailbox by Melissa Corrado

Approximate project time: 2-4 hours.


What it Costs:

Cost is $40-50.