# Birdhouse Wood



## Minolwen (Feb 21, 2015)

Greetings! 

I have been a novice woodworking hobbyist for several years now, slowly learning new tricks of the trade through the trials and tribulations of every new project that I take on. Still a hobbyist but now able to take real pride in my creations, my soon-to-be seven year old son has taken an interest in the trade. 

I love the idea of getting him into woodworking as another way for us to do things together, and I suggested a bird house as our first project together. It's simple enough for a beginner and allows me to focus more on safety instructions and tool introductions than complex planning.

Where I "may" have gone wrong was allowing him to choose the bird house, I mean, how difficult could they get? Well, his mom and Pinterest helped him and they chose this:










So an agreement was made, we'll construct a very basic bird house with a focus on learning about safety and tools and if that goes well, we'll tackle the above bird house next. 

My initial take on this more complex birdhouse is it really isn't that bad. Depending on the size, it might actually be able to be done with a single sheet of (1/4"?) plywood. My question is: Is plywood really the best option for this project? Is there a type of board that is more commonly associated with building bird houses or that is more suitable for full-time outdoor projects that won't push this birdhouse beyond say ~$50 (in wood)?

Is it also customary for bird houses of this nature to come apart for cleaning? I could do this on the main roof and maybe the base, perhaps using a removable attachment option for both.

I certainly appreciate any advice and look forward to becoming a part of this online community.

-Robert


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I would not use plywood...Id visit your local big box hardware store and see if they have 6 inch wide fence boards in cedar..

Cedars a great outdoor wood, and fence planks are pretty cheap. 


I would make it able to be opened, possibly by hinging the front to swing open like a door.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

And just remember, at least he didn't pick one of these.


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## Minolwen (Feb 21, 2015)

Thank you ryan50hrl, I actually have 30-40 cedar fence boards outside right now that I was going to use to build above ground garden boxes for the wife, that is, until she put the bird house first. Perfect!

My only concern is that the cedar fence panels look like they'd split easy. Is this just an illusion since I know that fences are generally screwed in with outdoor screws. I guess the bird house would only need wood glue and brads.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

If you predrill any holes...splitting won't be an issue. And if your using small nails, it probably won't be an issue either way. 


Cedar works great for birdhouses and has a bonus benefit that it smells great to work with too!!


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## Minolwen (Feb 21, 2015)

Thanks again, looks like we can get to work sooner than we thought!


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

I have used Western Cedar with good results. Also I have used rough cut Popular or store bought. The rough cut is cheaper. You don't have to finish either wood as they will last a long time out in the weather.

Don


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## Masterjer (Nov 6, 2012)

I second the use of cedar fence pickets. My kids and I built a bat house with them. The boards are usually pretty rough, so we sanded them a bit with 80 grit on the random orbital sander just to smooth them out a little bit before doing any joinery.


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## schnitz (Sep 5, 2009)

ryan50hrl said:


> If you predrill any holes...splitting won't be an issue. And if your using small nails, it probably won't be an issue either way.



You can blunt the points on the nails as well, if you are concerned about splitting or cracking.


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## d_slat (Apr 10, 2012)

Also make sure you use a waterproof glue


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## bauerbach (Mar 25, 2012)

that first birdhouse looks like a pain... the shape is simple enough. but the "patina" and distress is what they are probably impressed with. Paint it shiny white and green and its not quite the same.

"faking" that look (which it probably was faked) is more art than woodworking.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I would go with cedar fence boards and perhaps some cedar shingle seconds for the roofs and trim. Stain works much better on cedar than paint.


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## MICKEY44 (Mar 14, 2015)

i USE CEDAR but want to stain it want type of stain is safe for birds or will linseed oil darken the wood
the birds do not use my house for a few years till the darken 

what is a saf for birds water proof glue , I am making a keg bird house have all the staves cut but need glue to hold it together


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

MICKEY44 said:


> i USE CEDAR but want to stain it want type of stain is safe for birds or will linseed oil darken the wood
> the birds do not use my house for a few years till the darken
> 
> what is a saf for birds water proof glue , I am making a keg bird house have all the staves cut but need glue to hold it together


I was just reading that cedar is not a good choice because birds don't like the cedar scent, maybe that is why they don't use it at first.


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## MICKEY44 (Mar 14, 2015)

the cedar I am using was milled more than 20 years ago so most of the scent is gone


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## BaldEagle2012 (Jan 25, 2012)

I use used heart pine, weathered cedar, or poplar. No finish or paint. My houses usually last about 5 years, but I always have one or two in reserve. Actually u can use any wood desired, but forget the finishes. If you sell them, u get repeat customers. (MAYBE) LOL


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## MICKEY44 (Mar 14, 2015)

I don't sell them just rent them out cheap to the birds


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## deadfrog666 (Feb 28, 2015)

I just start making birdhouses hear two I made. Where should I go next.










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Road rider (Jan 29, 2012)

MICKEY44 said:


> I don't sell them just rent them out cheap to the birds


That make you a dirty rotten nest lord


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## MICKEY44 (Mar 14, 2015)

yea I force them to work for there rent , they need to start working at daylight and work till dark eating bugs and weed seeds , no slacking off , no lunch or coffee brakes


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

I've been making simple bird houses for a couple 10 yrs and have had good luck with fir and rough sawn 1X8 pine. I have 3 fir houses in the yard, 1 over 20yrs 2 6 or 7 yrs, I have 3 pine houses 2 rough sawn 12 to 15 yrs and one 3/4 fin pine house that's been sitting on the front of the deck at least 15 yrs, it is the only one that is rotting and it does not stop the chickadees from nest making every yr. 

I can see all the activity from the window at my comp. The rotting one is the only painted house, all are in direct sun for most of the day.


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## BaldEagle2012 (Jan 25, 2012)

MICKEY44. I have included a link to bird house building. I have this book and it is full of many styles, with measurements. Great book. 


http://www.amazon.com/Birdhouses-Fe...8-1&keywords=Birdhouse's+Feeders+you+can+make


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

There you go, Moms and Pinterest. There ought to be a law. I'm just saying. It really does look doable. I've used cedar for many years for birdhouses. Lots of birds, lots of nests. Have fun with your son!


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## Anguspapa (May 4, 2013)

I made a couple bird houses but my favorite is been a squirrel feeder.  lol









Thanks, Eric A.KA. Anguspapa


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## BigBadBuford (Jan 13, 2012)

You could try cypress too - around here I can pick it up as cheap or cheaper than pine and it holds up good outside with no finish.


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## cranbrook2 (Oct 14, 2006)

I did this 4 ft square cedar birdhouse last month .It has 16 rooms and it lights up at night with solar lighting .


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## SeniorSitizen (May 2, 2012)

Keep an eye out for an old *western red cedar* fence being taken out. Those built about 50 years ago were often 1x12 and the material between where the purlins were is usually still good for small outdoor projects.


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## Stevedore (Dec 28, 2011)

I've made a load of simple birdhouses over the years; nothing decorative like some seen in this thread, primarily to attract birds to our yard.

I've made them from cedar, oak, and general construction lumber (spruce/pine/fir), usually leftovers from some project or another, and typically put together with a pneumatic nailer. I've even used old shelving, etc., after running it through the planer to remove any finish. (sometimes hard on the planer knives!) I've never noticed our local birds showing any preference for one over another.

I attached 2 pics below. One shows the style I've typically made. It's about 10" tall. This one is all chewed up, probably from a squirrel? It's also reached the end of its life due to shrinkage, warpage, etc., after about 5-6 years. I think it was made from the s/p/f mentioned above. You can sort of see in the photo that the left side is hinged so it can open for cleaning out each season, and it has a small plastic cable holddown as a sort of latch. I drill holes in the bottom to allow drainage of any water that gets in, and make the roof so it covers all side top edges, so water runs off or runs down the back without dripping inside.

We usually get sparrows, chickadees, or nuthatches (I think) in these houses. We also get robins & mourning doves who seem to prefer building nests in the spaces between the joists of our deck, as seen in the second pic.


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

Same here on the squirrels, this is the last of 4 rough sawn pine BHs I attached to the white pines in the yrd 20 to 25 yrs ago, the other 3 were taken down or damaged during particularly rough winters or hurricanes. I think this house has been more of a storage site than a BH, the hole was a 1/4 the size it is now.

The 2 in the background of the 2nd pic are 2 of the fir BHs, during the winter we've seen birds perched on them but never entering or exiting ever. They're the only BHs that can be opened and cleared so we know they're being used. It can be swiveled to face whatever but they seem to spin right to left over the yr. Wifey swears she doesn't touch it

The 3rd pic is my fav because I can see it from my comp it has been occupied every yr since my oldest and I made it about 21yrs ago.


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## deadfrog666 (Feb 28, 2015)

How much do u think I should sell these two birdhouse for


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## Bob in St. Louis (Feb 11, 2015)

deadfrog666 said:


> How much do u think I should sell these two birdhouse for


Are there some local craft stores or flea markets you can go to?
You might find other birdhouses for sale, which would give you an idea of what a certain build quality should fetch for a particular price.
Hope that helps!
Bob


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## MICKEY44 (Mar 14, 2015)

I tried to use used fence but the wood shop at the senor center would not let me use it there afraid of mold being in it , but I have a pellet of ruff cut cedar that the preveous owners of the property left here 16 years ago AND IT IS ALL LIKE NEW


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## Bluegrasser (Mar 25, 2015)

Minolwen said:


> Greetings!
> 
> I have been a novice woodworking hobbyist for several years now, slowly learning new tricks of the trade through the trials and tribulations of every new project that I take on. Still a hobbyist but now able to take real pride in my creations, my soon-to-be seven year old son has taken an interest in the trade.
> 
> ...


I have been very pleased using scrap composit deck boards (read Trex) for bird houses. I cut the thickness in half with my bandsaw and use the wood grain embossed side on the out side of the house. It doesn't need to be painted or sealed, lasts forever. Lots of other uses.


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## Terry McGovern (Feb 5, 2009)

I make my bird houses and feeders exclusively from 3/4 in. Western Red Cedar. Like Redwood, it weathers but does not rot, needs no sealer or finish, and will turn dark gray eventually as it weathers. Of course it can be painted if you wish. I put the rough sawn side out. I order 1x8x10 S1S boards thru Lowes or Home Depot.


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## Jerndon (Mar 25, 2015)

*Bird House*

If I am building a weekend project birdhouse, I'll use pine or cedar 1x. The wood is affordable but has its drawbacks. If I'm building a more elaborate birdhouse to have for years and investing more time into it, I'll use black locust. The wood is extremely hard and naturally rot resistant. I find that nails and screws come out of pine and cedar to easily, it just doesn't hold up well to the extreme Midwest temperature fluctuations; hot & humid to arid and cold with ice.


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## Ephraim (Apr 24, 2017)

Would like to know if anyone has tried using cherry wood for bird houses. Thanks in advance. Fred


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## John Smith_inFL (Jul 4, 2018)

*Plywood Bird House*

a four year bump isn't all that bad. the subject is still relevant for the 
Spring nesting season is upon us.

you can use any wood that you want. you are not building a hutch for 
your living room.
you are building a BIRDHOUSE. . . . . don't overthink it.

and speaking of plywood for birdhouses - - - - 
here is a photo taken in 1975. the birdhouse in the background was built by my
father and I around 1970 out of just plain old plywood with some latex house paint.
it originally had a TV antenna on the roof made out of copper wire.
the roof had asphalt shingles to match our house.
it was over 30 years old when I finally took it down and put it out by the road
and someone picked it up and carried it home to hopefully give it another life.
this was in Central Florida - so you know the summer sun took a toll on the paint.
it was repainted a few times over the years.
this was an upscale house. the back side looked just like the front.
it was about 24" wide.


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## 35015 (Nov 24, 2012)

Ephraim said:


> Would like to know if anyone has tried using cherry wood for bird houses. Thanks in advance. Fred


Yes...good luck!!!


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## Ephraim (Apr 24, 2017)

Thanks John, 
That's an impressive birdhouse. What were the birds that used the house?


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## Ephraim (Apr 24, 2017)

Just came across this post. Couldn't repress a chuckle. Did you ever make it?


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## John Smith_inFL (Jul 4, 2018)

Fred: who are you asking "Did you ever make it" ??
are you asking the original poster from 4 years ago ?
he has only posted two times in four years, so I doubt 
he will be back to tell us.

as for the "Bird Mansion" that my father and I built, many species
called it home for over 30 years. not to mention some bats and
frisky squirrels that hopped from a branch that used to go almost
all the way to the box. . . . . I finally removed the limb as they were
chewing up the back side which I had to rebuild at a later date.
there are probably posts somewhere on the WWW that talk about how the 
entry hole will target certain species of birds.
small holes will target bluebirds.
white plastic gourds on a tall pole out in the open will target martins.
a BH nailed to a tree will target squirrels and rats as well as woodpeckers.
if you are around a wooded swampy area, large oval holes (with no perch stick)
will target wood ducks.
so - it depends on where you live in the world and your neighborhood.
I see so many birdhouses at craft shows that are so pretty they end up being
part of the decor in some old lady's living room.

as said in the movie: *If you Build It ~ They will Come.*






.

.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I think one should do a bit of research before building houses for birds to actually use, sometimes we may unintentionally put the family in danger from predators or the elements.

For example bright colors, perches and tin roofs are very popular features of many houses offered for sale, unfortunately the bright colors attract the attention of predators, perches give them easy access to reach in and capture the young and the tin roofs make the house an oven on hot days.


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## Ephraim (Apr 24, 2017)

John, I neglected to check the post date.


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## Ephraim (Apr 24, 2017)

FrankC, 

Thanks for the heads up on surface color. I just made my first simple birdhouse out of 7/8 inch poplar. Didn't finish it and was planning to mount it raw. Now having second thoughts. Would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks. Fred


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Ephraim said:


> FrankC,
> 
> Thanks for the heads up on surface color. I just made my first simple birdhouse out of 7/8 inch poplar. Didn't finish it and was planning to mount it raw. Now having second thoughts. Would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks. Fred


It seems to be generally suggested to leave inside unfinished, outside is your choice, neutral colors or natural.


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

ryan50hrl said:


> And just remember, at least he didn't pick one of these.
> View attachment 132257


 I believe this might be a guy on Lumberjocks. I missed a book at McKay's Books on birdhouses. Went into detail as to size, opening size and even the hole location, etc. We have a birdhouse under the front eave that has a side hinged on a couple of finish nails. A bent nail keeps it closed. Can't clean it because as soon as one batch flies out another moves in!


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Pineknot_86 said:


> I believe this might be a guy on Lumberjocks. I missed a book at McKay's Books on birdhouses. Went into detail as to size, opening size and even the hole location, etc. We have a birdhouse under the front eave that has a side hinged on a couple of finish nails. A bent nail keeps it closed. Can't clean it because as soon as one batch flies out another moves in!


As they say, location, location, location.


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## Ephraim (Apr 24, 2017)

Thanks FrankC,
Will leave the exterior color choice to the ladies (following your caveat).


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## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

An important detail is to properly size the hole to discourage less desirable birds from taking up residence. Basically, the idea is to make it too small to attract house sparrows.


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