Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Purchase a board measuring 1-by-6-inches thick. Use a handsaw or circular saw to cut the board to a length of exactly 6 feet long.
Measure an 8 1/4-inch length of the board, then use a pencil and a ruler to draw a line across the board. Cut the board, using the line as a guide. This is the roof of the birdhouse.
Cut three pieces of wood measuring 9 inches each. Two of the pieces are birdhouse side walls and one piece is the front.
Drill an entrance hole in one of the boards, using a large drill bit. Position the drill where the center of the hole is 2 inches from the top of the board.
Make a smaller hole 1 1/2 inch below the entrance hole, using a 1/4-inch drill bit.
Measure a 2-inch piece of 1/4-inch dowel, then insert the dowel into the small hole. This is the perch. Set the front piece aside.
Cut a piece of wood measuring 13 1/2 inches in length for the back of the birdhouse.
Saw a piece of wood measuring 4 inches in length for the birdhouse floor. Use a drill to make four evenly-spaced 1/4-inch holes in the board. The holes provide ventilation and allow moisture to drain.
Place the floor piece flat on your work surface. Butt one of the side pieces evenly against one short side of the floor piece, creating a 90-degree angle.
Attach the side piece to the floor piece, using three galvanized nails or wood screws. Place a nail or screw in each end of the board and one in the center.
Connect the second side piece to the other short end of the floor piece, using the same technique. Attach the front piece to one end of the birdhouse.
Butt the back piece against the remaining end of the birdhouse, then attach the back piece securely with screws or nails. The wood for the back piece is longer and extends above the roof. The extra length is for hanging the birdhouse.
Hang the birdhouse on a tree or wooden post. Dead trees are ideal because birds can find insects in the old wood.