If you love crafting but aren’t into woodworking projects, there are plenty of creative ways to make a birdhouse more custom. Pick up a pre-made birdhouse from the craft store or build one using a simple kit. Then, paint it your favorite home color. Next, gather a bunch of pennies and glue them on as the roof. Make sure you use the right type of adhesive so the roof won’t fall off. DIY Birdhouse With Penny Roof from Dream a Little Bigger
15 DIY Birdhouse Plans and Ideas
Lauren Thomann is a jewelry and antiques expert, sharing over 15 years of hands-on experience with DIY jewelry, gemstones, heirlooms, as well as home renovation projects. Her businesses, Ageless Heirlooms and Heirlooms at Home, focus on antiques. Lauren has also studied at the Gemological Institute of America.
Updated on 05/05/20
Birdwatching is a favorite pastime for many. In fact, you might find yourself enjoying your chirping friends so much, that what started as one birdhouse in your yard might quickly multiply into half a dozen birdhouses. Unfortunately, pre-made birdhouses can get expensive.
These DIY birdhouses are fun to make, and they’ll save you a few dollars, which you can opt to spend on some birdseed for a bird feeder or two.
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Basic Wooden Birdhouse
For beginner woodworkers, a birdhouse might be one of the first things they learn how to make. Constructing a basic wooden birdhouse is a relatively simple process once you know how to do it. Likewise, this particular house is so easy to make, that you’re encouraged to have your kids help you along with the project. How to Build a Wooden Birdhouse from Skip to My Lou
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Repurpose an Old Teapot and Drawer
By combining an old teapot with a drawer, this blogger created a whimsical birdhouse ready for some nesting. First, she hung the pot from twine using the drawer handle holes. Next, she glued the thrifted teapot to the back of the drawer. Finally, she glued the top of the teapot to the bottom of the drawer to act as a landing perch. New Teapot Birdhouse from Robin’s Nesting Place
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What Attracts Birds to a Birdhouse
Just as home buyers look for specific features when house shopping, such as a large kitchen, enough bedrooms, or sufficient garage space, birds also need certain features in their houses. Factors that affect which birds will use a birdhouse or nesting box include:
- Entrance hole size
- Overall cavity depth and house height
- Interior floor dimensions
- General house shape and design
- Materials used
- House location and mounting style
To build the best birdhouse, you first need to learn what cavity-nesting birds are frequent visitors in your region. These are the birds most likely to investigate your house, and when you keep their needs in mind, you can build a birdhouse to invite them to become more permanent residents.
Start With a Plan
A birdhouse doesn’t need to be complicated, but if you haven’t built one before, it is best to start with a tried-and-true plan. There are many free birdhouse plans available online with styles and designs suitable for beginning woodworkers to experienced architects, or you can buy a book of birdhouse plans for a hard copy reference. If you are a confident woodworker with some building experience, you may even feel comfortable designing your own birdhouse with the information you’ve learned about what nesting birds want.
If you are a novice, however, building a birdhouse from scratch may seem too intimidating or ambitious, even with detailed, step-by-step plans. In that case, you may want to consider using a birdhouse kit with pre-cut pieces to assemble. Another option is to start with a simple birdhouse and make modifications to the design to make it more friendly to suit the species you hope will take up residence. You might even consider an alternative design, such as turning a mailbox into a birdhouse.
Use the Proper Equipment
You can build a good, safe birdhouse if you use the right tools for the construction. Be sure you have the proper drill bits, screwdrivers, hammers, saws, and other tools for building birdhouses on hand and that those tools are in good working order. Reread instructional manuals if needed, and always practice proper safety when using different tools. If you are unfamiliar with the necessary tools, you might consider a beginner’s woodworking or woodshop class instead, and building a birdhouse is often a class project you can select. This will allow you to build your first birdhouse with expert guidance to be sure you are building it correctly and using tools properly.
Along with the tools you use, you also want to have the appropriate materials for the house. Most birdhouse plans will suggest the best material, or you can opt for slightly different materials you may already have on hand. Recycled or upcycled materials are great for building birdhouses, such as using parts of old fences; barns; or other older, well-seasoned wood that birds will appreciate.
Tip
Untreated, weather-resistant cedar or redwood are ideal woods for building birdhouses. Pine works well, too, but it may not be as durable as the other two.
