DIY Backyard Birdhouse
I’ve always loved nature especially during the spring season. I live on the edge of a canyon in California so we get our share of lush floral and greenery as well as abundant wildlife. In my garden, we’ve been getting birds of all kinds—even hummingbirds! So, of course we had to make them a little home.
This DIY was actually inspired while on a hike with Brooksie. I don’t know what it is about little boys but they are obsessed with picking up sticks. Normally, I yell at him to put it down because he will literally poke his eye out. But this time, we collected as many as possible for our bird home!
Not only is it fun for the kids to join in on the fun, it’s also an eco-friendly and economical project as it’s made up primarily from sticks you collect. I even used leftover house paint to “spruce” up this little rustic abode.
This project is relatively easy but does require a bit of drilling and sawing. If you aren’t comfortable with those steps, turn this into an activity for the ENTIRE family aka grab your husband! I mean, come on! I had to say it.
For easy construction, click here to download the template. Materials:
- Small sticks
- Balsa wood
- 5-inch wooden embroidery hoop
- 5-inch circle wood plaque
- Hand drill and 3/8 inch drill bit
- Small handsaw
- Pliers
- Wood glue
- Paint
Directions:
- Collect a bunch of small mostly straight sticks. Wash and set aside to dry.
- On the round wood circle plaque, drill 3/8-inch holes closely to the edge circling all the way around. Only drill halfway into the base, not through. You will be inserting your sticks into these holes. They won’t be perfect fits but you will compensate with the wood glue.
- Cut your sticks to a uniform height of 7-inches. This will be the height of the walls for your birdhouse.
- Cut several sticks into 2.5 inches in length for a total of 10 and set aside. You will use these to make the opening and a little rest for the birds. Begin inserting and gluing the 7-inch sticks into the drilled holes allowing a 2-inch gap at the front center.
- Glue the 2.5-inch sticks into the gap. Allow to dry. Once dry, attached with wood glue the inner loop from the embroidery hoop to encircle the top of the sticks. This helps secure the walls and provides a base for the roof. Glue enough 2.5 sticks at the top of the gap to create an opening in the wall for an entrance.
- From the balsa wood and using handsaw cut 4 of each the supplied templates. This will be the roof for the birdhouse. Glue the roof together by overlapping and alternating template #1 and #2 (the larger ones) to create a cone/roof shape. The #1 shape should be underneath the #2 shape. There will be a small round opening at the top. Allow to dry.
- Glue each of the #3 shape on top of #1 shapes at the top with small end at the top opening. Allow to dry.Grab one of your remaining 2.5-inch sticks and drill a small 1/16 inch hole through it about 1⁄4 inch from one end. Insert this into top opening leaving about an inch (with the drilled hole) sticking out. Glue securely. This is how you will hang the birdhouse.
- Drill one last hole right in the center of the base under the opening and glue an approximately 3-inch stick to make a little bird rest.
For more eco-friendly crafts like this one, check out these links:
POPSUGAR MOMS | Eco Friendly Crafts For Kids // Martha Stewart | Earth Friendly Crafts // Organic Authority | 7 Eco Friendly Crafts For Kids
