How to Build Wooden Birdhouses

Building wooden birdhouses is a time-honored tradition in many countries. Birdhouses can serve as colorful yard ornaments or simply as a place for the birds to use as shelter. There is an almost endless array of materials that can be used to construct birdhouses, but wood has always been a traditional favorite, as well as one of the most durable. Adding a coat of paint to a wooden birdhouse provides an even more attractive nest site, as well as making it more weather-resistant.

Things You'll Need

  • 1-inch plywood
  • Jigsaw or handsaw
  • Carpentry protractor
  • Ruler or tape measure
  • Pencil
  • Drill
  • Hammer
  • 3-inch wooden dowel rod
  • Wood glue (optional)
  • Paint (optional)
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Instructions

  1. Measuring and cutting the plywood

    • 1

      Measure and cut a 6-by-6-inch square from the plywood, which will serve as the base or bottom of the birdhouse.

    • 2

      Measure and cut three 6-by-10-inch rectangles from the plywood. These will be the sides and back of the birdhouse and need to be uniform in size.

    • 3

      Measure and cut an 8-by-8-inch square from the plywood. This is the roof or top of the birdhouse, and it will be oversized compared to the bottom.

    • 4

      Measure and cut a 45-degree angle at one end of two of the 6-by-10-inch rectangles. This will give the pieces a sloped or slanted top, used to angle the roof downward for rain runoff. The bottom of the angular cut should be 2 inches lower than the top.

    • 5

      Measure and cut a 6-by-8-inch rectangle from the plywood, which will be the front of the birdhouse.

    • 6

      Drill a large hole in middle of the front piece of the birdhouse, which will be the entrance.

    • 7

      Drill a smaller hole in the front of the birhouse, 2 inches below the opening hole.

    • 8

      Insert the wooden dowel rod into the smaller hole for the perch and make sure it stays firm. Use some wood glue around the edges of the hole if the dowel rod is loose.

    Assembling the pieces

    • 9

      Nail the 6-by-10-inch piece to the base of the birdhouse.

    • 10

      Nail the two angled side pieces to the base and back of the birdhouse.

    • 11

      Nail the front piece in place between the two sides.

    • 12
      roof sloping downwards

      Nail the roof to the slanted top of the birdhouse. The roof should slope downward to help keep water from running into the hole.

    • 13

      Drill a small hole in the back of the birdhouse, from which to hang the birdhouse from a nail or wire.