Steps to Build a Birdhouse

Find the Right Plan

• When searching for a birdhouse plan, it's important to have an idea of what kind of bird may be using your birdhouse. The entry hole needs to be big enough for the bird to enter and should be located at the appropriate height from the base. The floor space and ceiling height need to provide enough interior room too accommodate the bird's size.

Materials

• You're going to need typical construction tools, such as a drill, hammer, galvanized nails, waterproof wood glue, sandpaper, and a saw. For the finish, you'll need some sort of wood stain or paint and a paintbrush. When choosing paint, it is good to know what kinds of colors attract the bird your birdhouse is built for.

  You can use any type of wood you'd like, depending on your tastes. It is recommended that you use rough-hewn lumber that is at least ½ inch thick, though an inch would be better. This will help protect the interior from the heat. Some plans call for plywood, while others recommend cedar. Some plans do not make any recommendations, so ultimately it is up to you. You can use scraps of wood you have around the house, or purchase lumber. Depending on your plan's design, you may also need a wooden dowel for the outside perch.

Building

• After you know what size you're going to build your birdhouse, you'll need to cut the wood to size to form the walls, front, back, roof and the floor. In the front, drill the entrance hole big enough for the type of bird you want to house. Remember that the hole should be a certain height from the floor for easy access.

  If building an A-shaped roof, be sure to cut one side longer than the other by the thickness of the wood. In other words, if you're using ½ inch wood, one side will need to be a ½ inch longer. This way, when you place the roof on the sides, the roof will connect at a right angle to form a solid construct.

  The roof should also have a bit of an overhang to protect the entry hole from the wind.

  When attaching the sides to the floor and roof with the glue and nails, you may want to consider enabling one to pivot open, like a door, so that you can peek inside when the parent birds are gone. This way you can see the eggs and watch the course of development of the young. Also, having access means you can easily clean out the birdhouse at the end of the breeding season.

  If you do not want to leave a pivoting wall, you can attach the floor using screws instead of glue and nails. This way, you can unscrew the floor to clean the birdhouse.

  If painting the house, do not paint the interior. Birds will not be attracted to a painted interior, nor will they like an area that smells of humans.

Placement and Protection

• When placing the birdhouse, you can hang it from the limb of a tree using rope or mount it atop a pole. You can also nail it to the side of a tree or wall.

  Face it away from the wind, if you can. Keep in mind that certain birds like certain habitats. For instance, bluebirds like open, field-like areas, while the Carolina wren likes shrubs. Mounting the house on a building may attract sparrows.

  Protect the birds and their new house from predators and "burglars." Some wire around the entrance will deter raccoons but allow the birds to enter. Putting metal around the entry hole will prevent squirrels from chewing the wood to make the hole larger. If mounting on a pole, you may want to install a baffle around it to deter snakes and other animals from climbing the pole.