Real Birdhouse from One Fence Picket!

Whether you want to create a bird-friendly setting in your yardscape or want a simple, fun, and inexpensive craft project, this one-board birdhouse is for you! It’s a great craft project for kids and camps too!

#birdhouses #birdhouseplan #bestbirdhouse #campcrafts

This birdhouse is constructed from a single 6’ cedar fence slat. The actual dimensions of the birdhouse are directly proportional to the width and thickness of the fence picket. We use a Forstner bit to drill the entrance hole. The bottom of the house is removable and vented at the corners to reduce condensation in cooler weather and to facilitate cleaning.

You will find that small to medium-sized birds will be attracted to this house. It is welcoming of personalization through a wide range of finishes and paints. You can leave it “rustic” or spruce it up a bit. You can even put a metal roof on it. If you do, overlay metal on the wood roof substrate, or you risk overheating the little ones in the house when the roof is exposed to sunlight for an extended period of time. An old license plate or some roof flashing overlaid on the wood roof is a good choice and will extend the life of the piece while adding a bit of interest.

Over time, we’ve built over 100 of these birdhouses for events, gifts, craft projects, and around our home. We wish we could take credit for the idea or the plan, but honesty and courtesy demand that credit be given where credit is due. We found this plan on Pinterest®. We can’t locate an author’s or publisher’s name, but you can download it yourself by following this link:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/573927546270983968/

You will see that in our version, we didn’t install a perch or a chimney, but that is up to you. Be aware that if you do install a perch or ledge outside the entrance hole, this can lead to the raiding of the nest by bigger or more aggressive birds.

As for the size of the entrance hole to your birdhouse, it depends on what bird species you want to attract and give a home to. Here’s an article that lists several hole sizes and the bird species that will be accommodated:

https://www.thespruce.com/bird-house-hole-sizes-386641

To build the basic version of this birdhouse, you’ll need one fence picket, 4 long and 20 short screws, exterior wood glue, and if you are going to hang your birdhouse, some stiff galvanized wire or a metal coat hanger. You’ll also need whatever paints or finish you are going to decorate your house.
The image from Pinterest may be difficult to read the instructions for laying out the pieces, so here they are:

LAYOUT DIRECTIONS

Using a pencil, start at the bottom of the board and mark 5 squares - the width of the board equals height.
Divide the middle square with an “X” - making the 45­°angles for the roof.
Mark the roof pieces: the length of these should be the width of the board, plus 6 thicknesses of the picket.
Mark the last piece as a square for the bottom. It will be cut to width after the main house is assembled.
If you want to add a perch (not recommended if this is being used as a “real” birdhouse - as larger birds will use the perch to attack other birds or hatchlings in the nest), chimney, or other decorative pieces, lay these out and cut them out from waste pieces.

Then cut out and assemble the pieces as shown in the video, making sure to cut 45° angles on the long edge of the roof pieces as well as affixing a wire hanger securely.

If you need some more inspiration for ideas for birdhouse and birdhouse-themed yardscape decor, visit:

https://www.pinterest.com/dirtfarmerjay/birdhouses/

Sure, you can go to the craft store and buy a birdhouse, but why? With DFJ’s help and this great plan, you can JUST DO IT YOURSELF!

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