Whether it is for personal use or you intend it to be a gift, a birdhouse is always a great addition to any house. By giving small birds in the local area a place where they can rest and shelter themselves from danger, you give your backyard a more earth-friendly vibe.
The best thing about birdhouses is that they are easy to build. With the right tools, materials, and an easy to follow woodworking plan, you should have a decent yet still dependable shelter for birds built in a few short days.
1. Preparation
The first thing to do is to prepare tools and materials. The wooden panels should come from a rot-resistant tree like cypress or cedar and has no treatment or preset paint. Also, refer to the woodworking plans for the required dimensions. If none are specified, the standard should be at 1 inch in width and 8 feet in length.
Instead of nails which can loosen and wear the panels down over time, use galvanized screws instead. However, screws will require a drill to be set on the wood. Other materials you will need is glue, clamps to hold the panels while the glue dies, and paint.
2. Cutting, Painting, and Treatment
First, have the long panel cut into several different segments using a handsaw. The segments you should make are as follows:
2 wall panels
1 floor panel
1 roof panel
1 roof panel
2 front and back panels
The measurements for these panels would differ from one woodworking plan to another. Whatever the case, you must make sure that all panels follow the plan’s specifications so they would fit into each other snugly.
For the front wall, drill a hole that is 1 to 3 inches wide. This will serve as the entrance for birds. Once drilled, soften the edges with a fine grit sandpaper.
Once every panel is ready, apply the paint or treatment. Use a neutral or natural paint color to invite birds in. Also, the paint and varnish should be for the outside portions only.
3. Assembly
Start assembling the birdhouse by setting up the walls. Apply the wood glue on each of the edges and hold everything together with the clamps.
Once the glue has dried up on the walls, you must then attach the floor panel by drilling the galvanized screws in. Make sure that there is no glue residue near the screws as this would seal the floor completely, preventing you from cleaning the insides later on.
Lastly, glue the roof panels at two sides to form a triangular shape. Once the glue has dried, you can then attach the roof to the birdhouse with glue. You may want to drill screws at 4 points in the roof as well for extra security.
The last thing to add to the birdhouse is a mounting piece at the back or the floor for the metal pole. You may also want to do a few shake tests firsts to see if everything is secured. Whatever the case, you should have a stable and ready to use birdhouse once the assembly process is complete.
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