A serious homeowner might consider building a birdhouse to be a pointless undertaking. But there are a number of good reasons to proceed with the project. It’s an excellent way for a novice woodworker to get some tool use experience and learn the principles of shaping wood. Another ideal first project to introduce your child to the joys of carpentry is a straightforward birdhouse. The project’s completion will also provide wild birds with a place to nest, which may spark interest in ornithology.
This article’s featured birdhouse is intended to entice bluebirds, house wrens, or finches. It might draw English sparrows as well. Because there are just six pieces total—two sides, a top, a front panel, a back panel, and a bottom—the project is easy to assemble. Almost any kind of wood can be used to create the birdhouse, but pine is probably the greatest option due to its affordability, accessibility, and ease of usage.
Bird house: Choosing a birdhouse for your garden
Personal preference plays a role in selecting the ideal bird housing. They come in a variety of sizes and forms to complement any outdoor décor. A birdhouse can easily match the style of your outdoor landscape. Get your DIY tools out if you don’t want to buy a birdhouse.
Any backyard garden benefits from having birds, and birdhouses serve a purpose beyond simply luring birds to your yard. Select the ideal birdhouse to ensure that you will benefit fully from having birds nearby.
Bird house: Different types
Bird House is made of tiny sticks picked from the backyard
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You can use the sticks available in the backyard and stick it to tin to make a bird house.
Bird house made with a piece of bamboo
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You can make a simple bird house with a piece of bamboo that is aesthetic and looks earthy.
Milk carton converted into a birdhouse
You can cut an empty milk carton, paint and make a fine bird house.
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Waste coconut shell made into a birdhouse
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You can use an empty coconut shell to make a bird house.
Bird house: Building a birdhouse
Select (also known as clear) are common grades of pine. Select boards cost more but contain fewer flaws and need less filling and finishing than common ones. In addition, building a birdhouse only requires a small amount of lumber, so costs should be low.
The birdhouse may alternatively be built out of plywood. But if you do decide to use plywood, make sure it is plywood made for outdoor use. Internal-grade plywood is laminated to withstand just typical interior moisture; if exposed to the elements, it will deteriorate.
There are several different plywood thicknesses available, but for this project, 5/8- or 3/4-inch panels work well. The fact that plywood is often sold in 4 by 8-foot panels is a drawback (some lumber yards may sell smaller sections). It goes without saying that a small birdhouse doesn’t require that much lumber.
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Materials
Redwood is a strong, weather-resistant material that works well for any outdoor project. However, it is more expensive and difficult to work with than either pine or plywood; mistakes can be expensive. Because of the chemical preservatives in pressure-treated wood, it should not be used to create the birdhouse near food or animals.
Steps to build a birdhouse
- You will need one board that is five inches broad (for the back, front, and bottom) and another board that is 6 1/2 inches wide.
- Purchase a board that is 12 inches wide and 3 feet long because most lumber yards do not sell boards that are any narrower than 8 inches wide (the extra few inches of length will allow you to trim).
- Typically, sawing leaves the wood with unattractive cut marks. In order to trim and smooth the edges of the sawn boards, it is recommended to cut a little wider than the mark.
- Mark off each piece with the ruler, and then use the try square to create straight lines across the board’s surface. Using the back saw, cut following the pencil lines. The abrasive teeth of the rip saw will chew up the wood if you use it for these cuts.
- Use a clamp or a vice to hold the board in place while making these cuts. This will keep it steady, so you can focus on making precise, precise cuts.
- Cut corners off the bottom piece with the backsaw. Four drainage holes will be produced at the finished birdhouse’s floor by these minor cuts.
- Drill the entry hole, a 1 1/2-inch hole, in the front piece once all the components have been cut out. For this, you can either use a hole saw or a spade bit.
- Near the top of the back panel, use a twist drill or a thin spade bit to drill a 1/2-inch mounting hole. You are now prepared to put the bird home together.
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Final touch
- Use finishing nails that are 4D galvanised (they won’t rust). After fastening the sides to the rear piece, fasten the bottom.
- Just two nails, one on each side, are sufficient to secure the front piece in place.
- At the end of the season, you may tilt the front up and clean out the birdhouse using these two nails as swivel points.
- Set the top in place. The top will obliquely converge with the back panel. After eliminating any gaps with the block plane and bevelling the back edge of the top, nail it into place.
- Use the nail set to countersink each nail head, then fill the resulting holes with wood putty. After finishing with exterior latex paint or polyurethane varnish, lightly sand the birdhouse.
- Because many birds are put off by highly glossy surfaces, use a matte or satin finish.
- To hang the finished birdhouse, hammer a 30d nail around 8 to 10 feet up into a tree. Leave two inches or so protruding. Through the mounting hole on the nail, hook the birdhouse.
- The birdhouse should, if at all feasible, face southeast. The birdhouse should be installed before March, when most birds begin looking for a place to nest.
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Bird house: Importance
Other than simply providing passing birds with a place to roost, birdhouses have several advantages. The birds will assist you in your garden in a variety of ways if you can draw them to your yard with bird-friendly birdhouses and fresh, clean water. Because they offer a sheltered area for birds to build their nests from the outdoors and predators, birdhouses are frequently referred to as nesting boxes. They offer passing birds a place to gather in the winter to stay warm away from the chilly air.
- Controlling pests- Birds will help to get rid of pests in your yard because they consume insects, saving you from using potentially dangerous chemicals.
- Flower pollination- Many birds like drinking flower nectar and aiding in pollination. Attracting birds that do this will undoubtedly improve the health of your garden, as bee populations are declining.
- Conservation- Native flora attract birds. Your gardening tasks will decrease if you cultivate these and then entice birds to your yard with bird-friendly birdhouses.
- Weed control– Birds enjoy consuming weed seeds. Gardeners dislike pulling out weeds. A situation where everyone wins!
- Property values- The curb appeal of a well-kept home with native landscaping that draws birds increases property values.
FAQs
What is the best spot for a bluebird house?
Open areas with enough space for birds to perch and hunt. It should be at least 4-6 ft from the ground, with the entrance hole facing away from prevailing winds.
Should the birdhouse be up for the entire year?
Yes. However, it depends on the weather conditions where you put the house and what extra cooling or warming materials you add to it.