- 1). Cut two pieces of 1/2-inch thick plywood to about 3-by-5 to 5-by-7 inches. Make one piece a 1/2 inch shorter than the other.
- 2). Butt the two pieces together and glue them at their top edges to make a "V" formation. This formation acts as the bottom piece of the birdhouse.
- 3). Measure one side of the bottom "V" (each side should be the same length) and cut two square pieces of plywood, each side measuring the same as one side of the "V." These pieces serve as the front and back of the birdhouse.
- 4). Apply wood glue to the top edges of the bottom "V." Secure one of the plywood squares to the "V" to create the back of the birdhouse. Nail it onto the "V" shaped bottom using galvanized finishing nails.
- 5). Cut two rectangular pieces of plywood to serve as the birdhouse's roof. Make the pieces about 2 inches wider than the bottom "V" and about 2 inches longer than the front and back squares.
- 6). Glue and nail two small, rectangular wooden blocks to the two pieces of the roof. These pieces act as inside supports to secure the roof to the back section of the bird house. Secure them about an inch from the top in the center of each piece of the roof.
- 7). Drill a circular hole in the other square piece of plywood -- the front of the birdhouse -- with a saw bit. Create a diameter of about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches for most birds. Larger birds, such as owls or flickers, require 2- to 3-inch holes. Make the hole 2 to 4 inches down from a corner of the square plywood.
- 8). Drill a hole with a 1/4-inch drill bit about 5/8 of an inch below the larger hole.
- 9). Glue and nail the front section of the birdhouse, the piece you've just drilled holes in, to the bottom sides and inside supports of the birdhouse. The large hole should be above the small the hole on the front of the house.
- 10
Position the two roof sections so that their edges meet on top of the bird house in a "V" shape without butting together. Glue and nail the roof into place so the pieces of the roof hang off the sides of the bird house. - 11
Cut a wooden dowel rod to the length of the roof peak and glue it into the gap where the two roof pieces meet. - 12
Sand all of the birdhouse's surfaces with high grit sandpaper. Always sand with the grain. - 13
Glue a 3-inch dowel into the 1/4-inch hole in the front of the bird house. This serves as the bird house's perch. For a rustic touch, find a sturdy twig from the yard and use it instead. - 14
Drill two 1/4-inch drainage holes in each side of the birdhouse's bottom. - 15
Paint the top of the birdhouse's roof with light-colored acrylic or house paint to deflect heat.
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