How to Make a Birdhouse Using Anything

Birdhouses can be made from almost any kind of material: wood, plastic, ceramic, and even dried gourds. Metal usually is avoided for birdhouses, as it tends to get too hot inside for the birds. Making a birdhouse is a good opportunity to recycle old vases that you have, which will give a really interesting look mounted in the trees in your garden, or even under the eaves on your house. You can make your own birdhouses out of just about anything, for use in an aviary, or for wild birds to live in.

Things You'll Need

  • Ceramic vase
  • Drill
  • Ceramic drill bit
  • Old saucer
  • Glue/sealer
  • Water
  • Wire
  • Wire cutters
  • Gourd
  • Wood preservative
  • Oil-based primer
  • Wood slabs
  • Clamps
  • Nails
  • Enamel paint
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Instructions

  1. Vase

    • 1

      Drill a 1 1/2-inch hole into the side of the vase, about four inches from the bottom. Try to choose a vase that has a barrel before the stem of the vase, which can act as a hollow for the bird's nesting area.

    • 2

      Drill small holes, less than one-eighth-inch in size, about 1 inch apart, under the rim of the vase for ventilation. Drill three additional small holes around the base of the vase for drainage incase moisture gets inside.

    • 3

      Clean the inside of the vase thoroughly with water, rinsing it out a couple of times to make sure there is no debris left inside. Let dry thoroughly.

    • 4

      Place the saucer upside down on top of the vase, covering the hole in the vase top. Once you have a position you like, glue the saucer down using the glue or sealer. Choose a saucer that has decoration on both sides, as it will add detail to the birdhouse. Let the glue dry.

    • 5

      Wrap wire around the rim of the vase, underneath the saucer, then hang the vase birdhouse from a tree branch or an eave of your porch with the wire. Make sure that the birdhouse is very secure, before leaving it for its new tenants to inspect.

    Gourd

    • 6
      Dried gourds make great birdhouses.

      Clean the gourd in hot water, with a squirt of detergent. Soak the gourd for 15 minutes, then scrape off the outer layer of skin with the spoon handle. Let dry.

    • 7

      Hold the gourd by its stem to see how it hangs. Find the place where the gourd belly allows for an entrance hole that goes directly outward and drill there. Drill the hole about 2 inches wide.

    • 8

      Drill four small holes on either side of the gourd neck, two for hanging and two for ventilation. Drill three or four small holes in the bottom of the gourd for drainage.

    • 9

      Clean out the seeds from the inside of the gourd using the spoon, then dip the gourd into the wood preservative, leaving it submerged for 15 minutes, before hanging up to dry for at least three days.

    • 10

      Paint the gourd with the oil-based primer, then two coats of enamel paint, allowing sufficient drying time between coats--check the paint labels for appropriate drying times. Let dry thoroughly before hanging the birdhouse with wire through the pre-drilled holes.

    Wood

    • 11
      Wooden birdhouses are sturdy and durable.

      Drill a 2-inch hole in the middle of one of the wood slabs, then arrange the slabs to form a cube.

    • 12

      Place a line of glue between each joining point, then clamp the cube together with the band clamp. Let dry.

    • 13

      Nail in four or five nails per join, while the clamp is still in place, only taking it off once all the sides are nailed together.

    • 14

      Set the cube so that the entrance hole side is facing you, then drill two small hole on the upper back edge of the sides for hanging with wire, three small holes along the side for ventilation, and a hole in each corner of the bottom for drainage.

    • 15

      Prime and paint if desired, and dry before hanging with wire.