How to Build a Nice Birdhouse

Birds deserve nice houses too.

Birdhouses are lovely features in any home or garden, but what makes a birdhouse really "nice"? The answer depends on personal style, but something a little out of the ordinary might be an expression of a nice birdhouse. Most birdhouses are box-shaped—square or rectangular—so shake things up a little and get geometric. Add a couple of extra sides to a birdhouse, and you get a very nice hexagonal structure, fit for a bird-king.

Things You'll Need

• 6 planks, 8 by 5 by 1/2 inch
• Miter saw
• Drill
• Dowel peg, 4 by 1/2 inch
• Wood glue
• Corner clamps
• 12 brass corners
• Pliers
• 1/4-inch screws
• Wood slab
• Pencil
• Ruler
• 1 inch screws
• Hinge
• Sandpaper

Instructions

1. Miter the 8-inch edge of each of the six planks to a 60-degree angle. Drill a 1 1/2-inch hole through the middle of one of the six planks for the door to the birdhouse. Drill a 1/2-inch hole 1/4 inch deep around 1/2 inch below the door. Insert the dowel peg, end covered in glue, and let it dry.

2. Assemble the planks standing vertically so that the mitered sides meet, smaller sides on the inside, to form a hexagon. Glue the mitered corners, then clamp the hexagon together and let it dry.

3. Open the angle of the brass corner with the pliers. The angles must fit over the corner formed by the joints of the hexagon, so a 120-degree angle is required. Make sure you purchase thin brass corners.

4. Glue the brass corners over each corner, one flush with the bottom, one flush with the top—two brass corners for each hexagon corner. Secure them with 1/4-inch brass screws.

5. Place the hexagon bottom over the wood slab, and trace around the outside edge of the hexagon with a pencil. Mark that hexagon as the bottom piece. Turn the hexagon over and trace a second hexagon onto the wood slab, at least three inches away from the other one. Mark it as the top.

6. Draw a hexagon on the outside of the bottom piece so that each side is 1/2 inch removed from the corresponding side of the inner hexagon. This will form a decorative lip for the bottom of the birdhouse. Do the same for the top piece, but draw each of the sides of the outer hexagon 1 inch away from the corresponding side of the inner hexagon. This will form a larger decorative lip on the roof of the birdhouse. Cut the hexagons out with the miter saw. Be sure to cut around the enlarged hexagons rather than the original one.

7. Turn the birdhouse upside down. Place the bottom hexagon over the body of the birdhouse, with the original tracing line upwards. Center it, so there is 1/2 inch of overlap on all sides, then use the original tracing line as a guide for securing the bottom: Two 1-inch screws on each side should suffice. Turn the structure so the base is now on the bottom.

8. Position one side of the hinge in the middle of the back wall—opposite the wall with the door and dowel peg. Secure it to the wall using 1/4-inch screws. Center the roof piece over the top of the birdhouse, making sure there is a 1-inch lip over all sides, then screw the remaining hinge portion onto the roof piece so the roof can open and close.

9. Drill a small hole at the top of each side of the hexagon, on center, for ventilation. Drill a small hole through the base next to each side of the hexagon side for drainage.

10. Hand-sand the birdhouse, paying particular attention to the edges of the bottom and roof pieces. The corners should be quite rounded and the tracing lines on the base should be sanded off.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to paint your birdhouse, put the brass corners on after the paint is applied and dry.

References

• Birdhouses 101: Bird House Designs And Its Variations
• Building a Birdhouse