What Kind of Paint for a Birdhouse?

Homemade birdhouses can provide wild birds with a safe place to build nests and raise their young, and building birdhouses can be an enjoyable craft. When painting a completed birdhouse you must be careful what type of paint you use. Lead paint can be toxic to birds, and no paint should be used on the inside of the bird house where birds and nestlings may be tempted to eat it.

When painting a birdhouse, use natural colors rather than bright ones. Bright colors, though they may be visually pleasing to you, will also be pleasing to predators that may threaten the birds and nestlings inside. Stick to natural colors like white, brown and green so that your birdhouse will blend in with its natural surroundings and be more appealing to the birds who may inhabit it.

Latex paint is water-soluble, which makes it one of the safest options for use in birdhouses. For the best results, select a latex paint designed for exterior use and apply one or two coats to the outside of your birdhouse. You may choose to apply a layer of polyurethane or some type of natural sealant to repel moisture and preserve the color of the paint.

An alternative to traditional paints is wood stain. Wood stain is thinner than most paints, and it penetrates the surface of the wood rather than sitting on top. This characteristic makes wood staining a safer option for birdhouses than some paints that may crackle or blister, making paint chips available for birds to eat. You can dye wood stain to provide color and apply it in multiple layers for a depth of color.

Acrylic craft paint is an inexpensive alternative to latex paints and wood stains. If you want to paint a design onto the outside of your bird house, craft paints are the easiest medium to work with. Keep in mind, however, that you should stick to natural colors when painting the outside of your birdhouse. Before using any kind of craft paint, check that it is lead-free and non-toxic, and apply at least two layers of polyurethane to seal the paint.