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Bird house

Encourage birds to nest in your garden with this easy-to-make bird house made from recycled wood.

How to build a bird house
As seen in kiwigardener

You will need

Materials:

  • Recycled timber (we used reclaimed wood from an old kitchen cabinet) cut to the following dimensions:
    • 200mm x 190mm x 20mm (base)
    • 120mm x 175mm x 12mm (left side wall)
    • 120mm x 238mm x 12mm (right side wall)
    • 190mm x 240mm x 12mm (front and back walls)
    • 180mm x 250mm x 20mm (roof)
  • 19mm exterior nails
  • 30mm exterior nails
  • Exterior PVA glue
  • Resene Quick Dry
  • Resene testpots of Resene Chelsea Cucumber and Resene Parsley
  • Small brass catch
  • Small brass hinges (x 2)

Tools:

  • Clean cloth
  • Cordless drill (with 1.5mm drill bit for drilling pilot holes)
  • Hammer
  • Hole cutter (50mm)
  • Long ruler
  • Paintbrush
  • Pencil
  • Sandpaper
  • Saw
  • Screwdriver

Top tip:  It’s best for the birds to use untreated timber, leaving the inside of the bird house unpainted.

Handy hint:  Use a sturdy bracket to fix your bird house to the eaves of a shed or position securely in the crook of a tree, fixing at the back with galvanised wire or plastic ties. Be aware of any neighbourhood cats (or other predators) and choose the safest spot for your feathered friends.

Instructions

How to build a bird house:

How to build a bird house - Step 1 Step one
Cut the timber pieces as listed. Measure, mark and cut the front and back wall pieces to form a sloped roof pitch, as shown – this should go from 175mm (shortest edge) to 240mm (longest edge). Then, cut a 100mm section off the bottom of the back wall, which will form an access door.


How to build a bird house - Step 2 Step two
Carefully cut a 50mm hole in the centre of the front wall, as shown.


How to build a bird house - Step 3 Step three
Attach the side walls to the front wall, then attach the top section of the back wall, as shown, fixing with exterior PVA glue and 19mm nails, drilling pilot holes first.


How to build a bird house - Step 4 Step four
Attach the base, leaving a 12mm inset at the back to accommodate the access door, as shown. Fix this with exterior PVA glue and 30mm nails, drilling pilot holes first.


How to build a bird house - Step 5 Step five
Attach the roof, ensuring the back edge is flush with the back wall and that there is an even overhang on either side. Fix with exterior PVA glue and 30mm nails, drilling pilot holes first. Allow glue to dry.


How to build a bird house - Step 6 Step six
Smooth any rough edges on the bird house and access door with sandpaper, then wipe off any sanding residue with a clean cloth.


How to build a bird house - Step 7 Step seven
Apply one coat of Resene Quick Dry to the outside of the bird house and access door, and allow to dry.


How to build a bird house - Step 8 Step eight
Apply two coats of Resene Chelsea Cucumber to the outer walls of the bird house and access door, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.


How to build a bird house - Step 9 Step nine
Apply two coats of Resene Parsley to the outer surfaces of the roof and base, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.


How to build a bird house - Step 10 Step ten
Attach the access door, fixing with the brass hinges (and screws provided) and then attach the brass catch, as shown.


Here's another idea - Bird House
Here's another idea
This rustic bird house was made from untreated timber from an old wooden pallet, and the outside was protected with Resene Waterborne Woodsman penetrating oil stain tinted to Resene Bark.

Words and photos by Mark Rayner

 

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