Things You'll Need
- one board of rough-cut lumber (1 x 6 x 6 inches)
- 1 1/2 inch hole cutter
- Hammer
- Drill and 1/4 inch bit
- 13 1 1/2 inch galvanized nails
- Saw
- Carpenter's square
- Pencil
Instructions
Building Your Birdhouse
Start by marking off measurements with a pencil and the carpenter's square. Draw a straight line across the wood's width in these measurements:
(A) 13 1/2 inches, back (13 1/2 x 6 x 1 inch)
Saw the segments, making six pieces that will form your birdhouse.
With the hole cutter, make the hole for the birds to enter and exit in the front piece (C). Be sure it is 1 1/2 inches across at most or else other, larger birds will enter. Drill air holes in the walls of the house.
Nail the floor and roof to the back piece (A) with a nail on each end of the wood. Leave ten inches between the floor and roof. Attach one side piece (D) to the roof by hammering nails into the top of the roof down into the edge of the side piece. Nail two more nails into the outside of the side piece (D) into the edge of the floor of the birdhouse. Nail the front (C) onto the birdhouse with the hole at the top.
Now you will create the other side (E), which will be a door that you can swing open to clean. Place the last piece of wood into the side you left open. About an inch from the top of your bird house, nail in a nail on each side, front and back, so that the nails penetrate the last side you are putting in. Leave the bottom unfastened so that it swings out. With your last nail, hammer the bottom front piece into the swinging side piece (E). Leave it loose. You can now pull it out and put it back in when opening and closing your birdhouse.
Enjoy the beautiful Eastern bluebirds that come to visit their new house.
(B) 7 1/2 inches, roof (7 1/2 x 6 x 1 inch)
(C) 9 inches, front (9 x 6 x 1 inch)
(D) 9 inches, side (9 x 6 x 1 inch)
(E) 9 inches, side (9 x 6 x 1 inch)
(F) 4 inches, floor (4 x 6 x 1 inch)