Although squirrels are not exactly everyone’s favorite animal, their presence can make a yard more attractive. Building a shelter for these creatures, in turn, can make for a rather rewarding project.
Fortunately, building one is not as difficult as you think. With the right tools, materials, and a reliable woodworking plan, you can have one set up within a week.
1. Tools and Materials
Squirrel dens are entry-level woodworking projects which means you don’t have to have in-depth woodworking experience to pull one off. What you will need is a basic hand saw, an electric screw driver, 3 to 4 dozens of galvanized screws, and sandpaper. Alternatively, if you don’t have electric screwdriver, you can use the standard hammer and nails.
For the wooden boards, you will need something stronger than exterior grade plywood as squirrels have a tendency to gnaw at things. You will need two boards measuring at 12 x 12 inches to make up the overhang, the feeder box, the floor, and the roof.
You will also need additional boards measuring at 35 x 6 inches. However, if the squirrels in your area are larger than 6 inches like Grey and Red squirrels, you will need 35 x 10 inch boards.
The cutting measurements for the boards will be different from one woodworking plan to another. You may even change the measurements to fit what’s best for your yard. Just make sure that everything fits upon assembly.
2. Preparation
The first components you will have to make are the back and front panels. When cutting them, make sure that the front panel is an inch shorter than the back to give an overhang effect on the den.
Next, you will have to create the side walls. Again, one side should be an inch shorter than the other for the overhang. However, this time, you will also have to give the panels a slanted edge. This is in order for the roof to fit in.
Lastly, you will have to create a hole in the front panel using the drill. This hole serves as an entrance for squirrels which is why you will need to give it a diameter size no smaller than 3 inches.
At this time, you might want to consider sanding your panels to smooth out the edges. You may also want to attach a mounting piece at the back panel for easy installation on a pole or a tree.
3. Assembly
Once the panels are ready, all that’s left to do is attach them to one another using the nails/screw and a bit of wood glue. It’s best to start with attaching the front and back panels to the side and then to the floor.
Before you install the roof, it would be a good idea to place in some leaves or moss at the floor. This will make your den even more comfortable for its would-be tenants.
Once the flooring is complete, you can then attach the roof to the walls and seal it with screws. You can also apply a wooden finish to make the den attractive to squirrels and mount it in the nearest pole or tree.
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