Do-It-Yourself Bird Bath Made From Large Chunks of Wood
Birdwatching is a popular hobby among people of all ages. For those who can't always make it out to the woods, there are ways to attract birds to your own backyard. Birdhouses and bird feeders are common choices, as are bird baths. Bird baths are shallow basins--often with a pedestal base--that can be filled with water. Besides providing a place for birds to drink and bathe, a bird bath also can be a decorative lawn ornament.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Pick one of the pieces of wood that you will use as the bowl. The piece should have a relatively round shape. As long as the piece isn't much wider than it is long, it should function well as a bowl.
-
2
Saw off both ends of the unformed bowl so that they are perfectly flat and about 6 inches high. This will allow it to rest upon the pedestal that you will build for the bird bath later. If the base is perfectly flat, it should rest well on the pedestal, and no additional fastening materials will be required to keep it from falling. The shallow depth of 6 inches will allow birds easy entrance into the bowl.
-
-
3
Use the carving knife and scraper to carve one end of the partially formed bowl into a round indentation. You should use the carving knife to cut out large chunks of wood into the rough shape you want and use the scraper to smooth out the interior of the bowl. Make the indentation 2 to 3 inches deep.
-
4
Take a roughly cylindrical piece of wood and saw off both ends to make them clean-cut. The two cuts should be parallel to each other.
-
5
Designate the thinner end of the cylindrical piece as the base of the pedestal.
-
6
Dig a 6-inch-deep hole in the ground roughly the diameter of the base of your pedestal. Set the pedestal upright in the hole. Fill any gaps around the end of the pedestal in the ground with dirt. Pack the dirt hard with your foot or a flat, heavy object. The pedestal should hold steady when you tap it lightly.
-
7
Place the wooden bowl on the pedestal and fill it 1-inch-deep with water. Your bird bath is now complete!
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you live in extremely windy conditions or have other reasons why the bowl may not stay on the pedestal, you can fasten it simply by driving a single 4-inch nail downward through the center of the bowl and into the pedestal.
Carving knives are often the cause of many accidents. While carving, cover your lap with a hard piece of leather and wear leather gloves. This will deflect the blade of the knife in case it slips.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
