How To Make A Birdhouse By Yourself – An 8-Step Guide

In these difficult times of covid pandemic, we all need to pass time and keep ourselves busy in order to keep ourselves and our mental health afloat, or else one can easily spiral. Many are trying to do something or the other to keep themselves engaged, while some have gone back to their beloved hobbies, some have picked up on new ones. And, if you’re some who wants to experiment with woodwork and then this guide on how to make a birdhouse, is just the right thing to do.

Birds have to be one of the most innocent creatures on the planet, who are always looking for a new home and trying to nest. So, building a birdhouse is not only a treat for you to learn something new, but also gives a new home to a cute bird. You can either do this job by yourself or get others involved to make it a group activity.

Complete Guide On How To Make A Birdhouse

Make sure you use wood like oak or beech which is weather-resistant, or otherwise you can use water-resistant plywood. Place the birdhouse at least 1.5-2 meters above the ground to keep the birds safe from predators like cats. It is best to build the birdhouse on the north side of the tree for better shelter from direct sunlight and rain.

Required materials:

We’ll take a suitable size of the birdhouse for small birds like finches and great tits as an example. You can make all the walls from a single plank of the width of 15 cm. The best thickness of the plank would be around 20 mm. Make the roof at an angle so that rain can easily run off the birdhouse.

The Raw Material Required

• 1 rear wall of 38 cm length
• 2 sidewalls of 22×26 cm dimensions
• 1 roof of 18 cm length or slightly longer to allow water to run off easily
• 1 front of 23 cm length with an entry hole of the diameter of 32 mm
• 1 base of 12 cm length
• 1 mounting post placed in the line of flight of the birds with a pre-drilled hole
• Glue (wood glue)
• Nails (suitable size)
• Screws (suitable size)

1. The decision of the right opening size

The size of the birdhouse and of the entrance will determine the type of birds that are going to visit it. The right opening size for birds such as finches and great tits is 3.2 cm, while for a crow or jackdaw it should be about 15 cm.

2. Saw the wood to the right size

Draw out the lines according to the required size on the plank and saw the parts according to the right sizes.

3. Cut and finish the pieces of plank

Rub the sawn edges to make them smooth with sandpaper

4. Drill out the entry opening of the birdhouse

Drill the entry opening at about 18 cm from the bottom of the front plank with a 32 mm hole. Place the plank on a piece of waste wood while you are working to prevent the wood from splintering. Drill through the plank and to get a nice smooth result at the same time, drill a small distance into the piece of waste wood.

5. Mount the side panels

Mount the side panels of the birdhouse against the rear wall using wood glue and nails or screws. You should drill the holes first to prevent any kind of splitting in the wood. After that pre-drill the mounting holes.

6. Assemble the front panel of the birdhouse

 – Fit the front panel to the side panels of the birdhouse using wood glue and nails or screws.
– Fit the roof of the birdhouse
– Saw, shave, or file the rear panel of the roof of the birdhouse at a slope of 20 degrees. This will ensure that the roof fits better onto the rear wall and get a good slope.

7. Finishing the roof of the nesting box of the birdhouse

You can fit hinges to the rear side of the roof if you want to. Fit some extra planks under the roof to get better strength. These should be 5 mm less than the internal size of the walls and the front size of the wall, so the roof gets fixed. Then cover the roof with a piece of roofing felt or lead sheet.

8. The base of the birdhouse

Drill a number of 10 mm holes underneath the birdhouse to get good drainage. You can also make the front side lower as an alternative for the front hole. It gives an advantage to different types of birds to use the birdhouse.

This is the easiest and best guide on how to make a birdhouse at home with minimum material. You can also make a birdhouse out of cardboard using the same process by just replacing wood with cardboard.