DIY Birdhouse

To build this DIY birdhouse, you’ll need seven pieces of wood cut from a single 1x12-inch pine board, 6 feet long.

You’ll need to measure mark and cut:

• One 5 x 7-inch piece for the bottom of the birdhouse
• Two 5 x 5 1/2-inch pieces for the birdhouse side walls
• Two 7 1/4 x 11 1/2-inch pieces for the front and back panels

For the roof, you’ll need two pieces, each with a 31-degree beveled cut on one end so that when placed together, you’ll get a 62-degree roof peak. TO get this, from a square end of the board, measure and mark 9 1/2-inches. Adjust the bevel gauge on a circular saw to 31-degrees and make the cut. From the other square end of the board, measure and mark 8 3/4-inches and make the cut with the saw blade set at 31-degrees. Return the bevel setting on the saw to zero. Finally, measure, mark and cut both roof pieces so they are 8 1/2-inches wide.

Cut the 1 1/2-inch perch from a 5/16-inch wood dowel.

The five-sided front and back panels each begin with a 7 1/4 x 11 1/2-inch piece of wood. On both edges of the panel, measure and mark 5 inches from the bottom and make two marks on the bottom edge that are 1-1/8-inch in from each side. This will make a 5-inch space centered on the bottom.

Use a straight edge to draw a line between the two points on the bottom edge and the marks at 5 inches on the sides. These are the cut lines. Once trimmed, this should provide a bottom edge of 5 inches with two 5-inch sides coming up at an angle.

Find the center of the top edge and draw a straight line from that point to the 5-inch marks on the right and left sides. These will be your cut lines for the top. Once cut, these roof lines will complete the five-sided panels for the front and back of the birdhouse.

Next you’ll need to create the birdhouse entrance. Measure and mark the location for the entrance 5-inches from the bottom and centered horizontally on one of the panels. Use a power drill fitted with a 1-1/2-inch hole saw bit to make the birdhouse entrance.

Dry fit the pieces and place them on a flat work surface for assembly. This will make sure everything fits together snug before the final assembly.

Use 1-1/2-inch finishing nails to fasten the front and back panels to the side wall pieces.

Nail the bottom of the birdhouse to the wall assembly. Remember to drill pilot holes for the nails to avoid splitting the wood and apply a bead of wood glue to the joints before hammering pieces together. When attaching the roof, be sure that your peak points line up before gluing. Wipe away any excess glue.

To install the perch, make a mark centered 1-inch beneath the opening on the front panel and drill a hole 1/2-inch deep using a 5/16-inch drill bit. Place a dot of wood glue onto one end of the perch dowel and insert it into the hole.

Once your DIY birdhouse has dried, sand it with high grit sandpaper and then paint it or stain it any colour you like. A dark wood stain can make it blend in or a funky colour paint can bring a splash of colour to your yard. Your kids can even use markers or paint to give it a truly unique look!