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DIY birdhouse: diagrams and step-by-step photo instructions. Making a simple birdhouse out of wood with your own hands Materials and tools for making

Our interest in birdhouses awakens in the spring along with raindrops, bright rays of the sun and the ringing voices of birds. I really want nimble and cheerful birds to settle in our yard. It's nice to watch the family activities of birds and listen to their trills. It’s equally nice to know that birds will help protect your garden from pests.

Birdhouses for birds: what are they?

We have all observed a considerable number of different birdhouses. You may get the impression that these are just small houses with a hole of different shapes and colors. In fact, bird houses can be made from various materials and must have certain parameters for different types of birds. There are certain requirements for their design and placement.

Especially for you, we have grouped the existing options into an easy-to-read form. Of course, before you start assembling a bird house, you need to see what they are like.

Birdhouses made of wood - classics of the genre

There is no doubt that wood is best suited for making a classic birdhouse. The reason is in the whole complex of its characteristics:

good thermal insulation;
acceptable sound insulation;
sufficient strength;
environmentally friendly;
well processed;
affordable.

We have prepared for you photos of 40 types of wooden birdhouses, arranging them in order of increasing complexity and quality of design.

Here are images of the simplest designs. As you can see, they suit the starlings themselves. Unless they suspect that the lifespan of an untreated house is limited. If appearance doesn't matter, choose one of these options.

If you spend a little more time, you can make a much nicer house for the birds. Perhaps you use another type of lumber for this purpose. Definitely, it will take a little more skill and effort.

In these designs, fantasy played the main role. Moisture-proof impregnation and a tin roof will definitely increase the service life of the crafts. The products are somewhat more complex than ordinary bird houses.

As you can see in the photo, the birdhouse can be decorated by cutting a hole in the shape of a bird’s silhouette. At least the roof can be painted. To assemble a bird house, you can use clapboard treated with a blowtorch.

The photographs above show the application of paints. In principle, one color is enough to decorate a craft. Several bird houses painted in different colors look great.

If you try, paints will help turn a bird's home into a fairy-tale house. The design itself is not complicated. Imagination and diligence are the main tools of the presented success.

A few more options for successful and simple solutions. Small cross-section sticks allow you to complement the craft with a fence, trellis, and so on. Using a jigsaw helped a lot in the bottom two photos. The use of wood of different colors and unusual shapes of the bird house ensured the exclusivity of the work.

The photos presented above say: don’t limit your imagination! Of course, to assemble an airplane and helicopter you will need parts made on a lathe. However, the locomotive and the tiger are made from ordinary planks using a simple tool. Can be repeated!

The two elegant bird houses pictured above were crafted with great taste and care. It's not easy to repeat this. To create something similar and your own is even more difficult.

We present four more examples that will decorate a site of any level. Of course, wood carving is not for everyone. Note that the two lower options are quite realistic for copying. It will take a lot of time and effort.

A birdhouse made of logs is a separate topic

A great idea is to use an ordinary log for a birdhouse at the dacha. This is also wood, but untreated. Please note that an old tree trunk with a rotten core is the best option. Such housing for birds resembles a hollow and is called a nest box. As you can see, the design of the product can be very different.

For many, an old log is more affordable than an edged board. Birds don't care what their home looks like. A simple deck or palace made of birch will do. You make the choice.

The nest can be decorated with branches, boards, and mushrooms. Again we are talking about the manifestation of imagination.

In any case, those who decide to make the house more complex and interesting must definitely link its design to the place and environment where the birdhouse will be located.

They also make plywood bird houses.

It is believed that plywood is not the best choice for a bird house, as it has an unpleasant and harmful smell of glue. However, the starling in the picture likes the plywood housing. You probably shouldn't use products with a noticeable glue smell. It can be assumed that the slight odor will subside over time. Plywood is more expensive than edged boards, but it is stronger and will last longer.

Here is a factory kit for assembling a bird house. Its main advantages are its interesting design and high assembly speed. Thin plywood has reduced heat and sound insulation. This type of bird house is best used in warm regions and will not last long.

Several more design options for birdhouses made of plywood demonstrate the wide decorative capabilities of the material. The use of paints will ensure a flawless appearance. It is probably better to use such crafts for decorative purposes.

Here are the simplest plywood bird houses. They are best used in relatively warm regions. They won't last long in this condition.

The use of 20mm thick plywood and paints greatly improves the position of plywood houses. Experiments with the shape of the craft are encouraged.

Birdhouses made of cardboard - it's possible

Cardboard birdhouses are difficult to take seriously. As follows from the pictures, such products exist. At the same time, they are made at enterprises producing corrugated packaging.

Of course, such a bird house is inexpensive, can be assembled quickly and even looks decent. Obviously, they will last one season, and in those areas where it will not be soaked by rain. However, we decided to overcome the identified shortcomings of the material and further in the text we offer a diagram for assembling a fairly reliable bird house made of corrugated cardboard.

Birdhouses made from plastic bottles - a backup option

At first glance, plastic containers are very suitable for a bird’s nest: they cost nothing, are durable, and are not afraid of rain. Note that birds do not like to sit in a transparent room with poor heat and sound insulation. In addition, the slippery surfaces of the bottle make it difficult for the bird to move around in the house.

However, these shortcomings can be combated. Note that the assembly of such a product does not require a hacksaw or drill and can be done by a woman or child. A plastic bottle can be painted, covered with an opaque material and lined with fabric on the inside. It is better to use five-liter eggplants.

To prevent the lightweight structure from being swayed by the wind, it must be securely attached to the tree, for example with tape. Obviously, in this situation there is a wide scope for decor and decorations. Below we offer a practical way to use plastic bottles for a bird house.

Bird houses made from scrap materials

A very interesting house for birds is made from a pumpkin. The internal contents of the plant are cleaned with a spoon through the future entrance. The craft is dried, decorated and hung on a tree.

Options for “decorating the room” outside can be very different. Note that even in its simplest form, the product has a certain decorative value. Often it is for this purpose that such crafts are made.

A wooden barrel or pebbles and cedar cones, as well as beer cans, are suitable for building a bird house. Almost any material will do, from beer cans to shoes.

At the same time, it is important to comply with the conditions for comfortable living of birds, which we discuss further in the text.

An old boot is an excellent home for birds. By the way, the leather version will last quite a long time. The convenience of living in an old snag with a hollow for birds definitely doesn’t need to be explained. Nothing prevents us from adding our human decorations.

An old bucket is perfect for birds. It is especially convenient to use a piece of plastic pipe to set up a bird house. Very simple and durable. The possibilities for decoration are, as always, unlimited.

Multi-family houses or townhouses for birds

Probably, apartment buildings were first developed by birds, and then by people. There are a great many options for execution. Just like people, an apartment building can be beautiful.

These examples look more like townhouses. Probably, next to a “high-rise building” for a large number of birds it will always be possible to observe at least one of them.

At the same time, we must not forget that a cheerful company of birds can harvest your entire garden in one sitting.

Decorative birdhouses

Decorative birdhouses also have a place. They are designed to decorate rooms. Often decorative crafts are placed in the garden.

Bird houses can be made by children from paper, cardboard boxes, plastic bottles and beer cans. Of course, in this case no dimensions need to be observed. We have selected for you images of the most typical products that are suitable for a child.

Dimensions of birdhouses and other requirements

There are general requirements for bird housing, regardless of what specific birds they are intended for:

The bird house must have sufficient thermal insulation and be protected from noise, moisture and drafts. To do this, a wooden birdhouse is made from boards at least 20mm thick. The seams and cracks of the house are sealed with clay, plasticine or tow.
The structure should not have sharp protrusions that could injure feathered inhabitants. The protruding parts are treated with emery cloth.
The configuration of the birdhouse should allow birds to easily get in and out. In a birdhouse made of planed boards, the front wall from the inside is roughened using a hacksaw and a drill. A birdhouse made from a plastic bottle is trimmed from the inside with a coarse cloth.
The material of the bird housing should not emit unpleasant odors. Laminated chipboard and OSB board contain formaldehyde and are not suitable for birds. For the same reasons, the use of plywood is also discouraged. Inorganic adhesives should not be used to assemble the birdhouse. It is better to paint the product with acrylic paints.
You should not use too bright colors to decorate the house. Birds distinguish colors much better than people, and in nature they are not used to showing off their nest to everyone. It is better not to create a tip for birds of prey and cats. Good paint will significantly extend the life of your product.
The design and placement of the birdhouse should provide sufficient protection from cats and woodpeckers.
The birdhouse should not be too large so as not to provoke the female to lay too many eggs. It is difficult to provide food for a large number of chicks, and they will not survive.

Let us add in more detail a few more significant comments on the “architecture” of bird houses. To protect against feline organized crime groups (organized criminal groups), the birdhouse should be positioned so that it is impossible to climb into it from nearby branches.

It is better not to make a support under the entrance, as the entrance to the bird’s house is called: branches are enough for the bird if the birdhouse is on a tree, and the cats will definitely take advantage of the additional opportunity for criminal purposes. To protect the chicks from attack from above, the overhang of the birdhouse canopy is increased to 70-80mm. The greater the angle of inclination of the roof, the more difficult it is for cats to commit a dirty deed.

To prevent cat gangs from reaching the birdhouse along the support from below or above, it is wrapped in tin in accordance with the image. The cat slides on the metal and will not reach the chicks. To protect against the claims of a woodpecker, the bird entrance is reinforced with a metal or thick wooden overlay, as in the photo. Then he will not be able to expand the entrance and get to the eggs.

Quite often, birdhouses are made from coniferous wood. Resin released from wood can ruin the plumage of birds. It is better to use birch or alder for a bird's nest. As a last resort, you should choose pine boards without knots.

Different birds have their own characteristics and choose their “apartments” according to their needs. When planning to make a house for certain birds, use its standard GOST dimensions from the table below.

The bird house mentioned in the table, called a “half nest,” is intended for birds that are accustomed to nesting not in the hollows of trees, but in the recess between the branches. These birds prefer a certain amount of light, and a slit-shaped entrance is suitable for them.

Please note that it is difficult for a wagtail to move on vertical surfaces, and it is better for it to arrange a comfortable area in front of the entrance 8-12 cm wide. For small birds, like pikas, two entrances located opposite each other are organized. It is believed that starlings do not live in green houses.

Choosing a location and methods of attaching bird houses

Ornithologists recommend placing one birdhouse on an area of 20 m2. In practice, one birdhouse in the garden is enough, since a larger number endangers your cherries and even tomato seedlings. If you install several bird houses, ensure a distance of more than 15 meters between them.

Usually the birdhouse is installed at a height of 2.5-3.5 m from the ground. If there are objects nearby where people often appear and will disturb the birds, increase the height to 4.5-5.5 m.

It is necessary to think about the optimal orientation of the bird's house relative to the cardinal directions. If the entrance to the open space faces south, the house may overheat. It is better to place it in the shade. It is also incorrect to point the entrance towards the most frequently blowing winds, since rain will enter through the entrance to the birdhouse. Also, to protect from rain, you should use the wall or roof of a building, tree foliage, etc.

Often the birdhouse has a special bar for attaching to the support. It can be fixed to inanimate objects with nails and screws. Flexible clamps are used for fastening to trees. Reliable and durable cords and ropes are suitable. In this case, the fasteners should not pinch the tree as the trunk thickens. If the birdhouse you installed is not occupied by residents, try moving it to another location. This circumstance will probably influence the birds' decision.

Workshops on making bird houses

Drawings, dimensions and photos of assembling a wooden birdhouse with decorations

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the drawings of three options for the most common birdhouses made of wood. Let us repeat that it is better to make them from deciduous wood or use pine boards without knots with resin. If you check the size table, you will find that for starlings and other birds the house may have different dimensions than in the drawings. Next, we describe a diagram for assembling a bird house with a pitched roof, following which you can carry out any of the three projects yourself.

Here is a drawing of a birdhouse made of boards, which is the simplest. A special feature of this design is the removable lid. In order for it to be securely fixed, a 120x120mm insert is provided, attached to the lid from the inside. If you do not plan to remove the cover, the liner is not needed.

The gable lid looks more interesting, but the design is a little more complicated. Pay attention to the accuracy of the connection of the roof parts with the side walls. Additional compaction with plasticine, clay or hemp may be required in these places. The design does not provide for a removable cover.

This drawing shows a design with an inclined removable cover. You should pay attention to the careful execution of inclined cuts of the side walls. We present a master class on assembling a birdhouse in two stages: first we make a birdhouse according to the description, and then we decorate it at our own discretion.

This is what the finished birdhouse will look like

Let's consider the sequence of actions step by step:

To make the birdhouse, I used a pine board with a section of 160x20mm. The knots are very small, so the resin will not interfere with the birds.
For parts 120mm wide, I cut the board lengthwise to this width. I used a 40mm wide scrap as a pole to attach the birdhouse.
I used a square to mark the parts. Otherwise, cracks in the craft cannot be avoided.
I marked the length of the insert under the lid “in place”, it’s more convenient.
I carefully marked and made a bevel cut on the front and back walls of the product.
First, I drilled the tap hole with a feather drill.
However, I didn’t have a feather drill of the required diameter, so I finished the job with a jigsaw.
I scratched the inside of the front wall with a hacksaw to make it easier for the birds to get out of the house.
The result was a set of parts shown in the picture.
The entrance was cleaned with sandpaper for the convenience of the birds.
To assemble the house, I drilled holes with a diameter of 2 mm for screws. On long walls, three screws are enough, on short walls, two.
I fastened the side walls with 3.5x40mm screws; 3.5x35mm screws were used to assemble the lid.
The result is a birdhouse without cracks or gaps. For those who want to extend the life of the craft with the help of paints and at the same time make a funny birdhouse, follow below.
First, let's turn the canopy over the entrance into the visor of an improvised cap. We carry out the markings using a compass.
The cut along an arc was made with a jigsaw and the sharp edges were treated with emery cloth.
I also used sandpaper to smooth out all the sharp edges of the craft. When doing this type of work, it is convenient to wrap the sandpaper around a wooden block.
Next, I cut out templates for the eyebrows, eyes, lips and ear of the “Cyclops” from paper. I tried them on for a craft project and remade those that didn’t fit the proportions.
For false ears I used 16mm plywood, for the mouth – 10mm. I pressed the corresponding templates onto the plywood and outlined the outlines with a marker.
I cut out all the complex shaped parts with a jigsaw.
The nose has a geometric shape, so I marked it out using a ruler. I cleaned the cut parts with sandpaper.
I painted the ears, nose and lid of the birdhouse with brown paint in two layers. For the lips I used red color.
The body of the “Cyclops head” was painted with yellow acrylic paint. To mark the whites of the eyes and eyebrows, I attached the corresponding templates to the front wall and outlined them with a marker. I did the eyebrows and eyelashes with a black marker. The white of the eye was painted over with white paint.
The ears, nose and mouth were secured with screws. I invited a cheerful bird – a fashion model – especially for photography.

New technologies for assembling a birdhouse from cardboard and bottles for women's and children's hands

Not everyone who wants to build a birdhouse with their own hands has the ability to saw boards, drill and drive screws. On the other hand, plastic bottles and cardboard boxes are available to everyone. Both materials are not suitable for creating a bird house.

We came up with the idea that a wonderful result would be obtained if these available materials were used together: plastic protects from moisture, and corrugated cardboard provides thermal insulation. We bring to your attention an original project of a bird house made from improvised materials, which can be implemented by anyone at home. Look how we did it in the picture.

Here is a presentation of a master class on making an apartment for birds from plastic bottles and corrugated cardboard. In this case, a drawing is not required, since the dimensions are marked on the parts:

To start, you will need two identical five-liter bottles. We cut one of them from the bottom along the line marked with a marker. The cut is below the protruding part so that the second container can be inserted into the first.
Corrugated cardboard is best suited two-layer 6mm thick. The marking should be done in a rectangle. We cut the cardboard with a stationery knife using a metal ruler.
First, we cut out one piece 118x118mm and check how it fits inside the cut container. It is ideal if it clings a little to the walls of the jar. If it passes with a large gap or passes into the container with difficulty, you will have to choose other square sizes. In the case when the size of the bottom and roof is changed or cardboard with a thickness other than 6mm is used, the drawings of the parts will be different. The height of 300mm will not change, the width of the front and rear walls is equal to the size of the bottom and roof, the width of the side wall is equal to the width of the front, minus double the thickness of the cardboard.
We mark the entrance with a marker in accordance with the image. To obtain a circle, it is convenient to trace the lid of the container with a marker. Cut the hole with a narrow knife.
We cut out all the details from corrugated cardboard in accordance with the image.
Using a glue gun, apply glue to the bottom of the back wall.
We install the bottom liner on the glue. To ensure proper assembly, temporarily install and hold the side wall with your hand. You need to hold the parts until they are fixed with glue.
The result will be an assembly in the shape of the letter “G”.
Apply glue to the end of the bottom.
Apply glue to the edge of the side wall.
After installing the side wall and the glue has cured, you will have an assembly of three parts.
Apply glue to the upper parts of the side and back walls.
Once the roof liner is installed and the glue has cured, you will have a four-piece assembly.
Apply glue for the second side wall.
We install the second side wall and get a box without a lid.
Apply glue to the ends of the four parts and install the front wall.
The base of the craft is ready.
At the ends of the craft, remove the exposed glue to glue the bottom and roof.
Apply glue to the four ends of the walls and the bottom liner.
Install the bottom of the birdhouse.
Now we have a bird house with an insulated and reinforced bottom.
This is what the finished cardboard capsule looks like after gluing the roof.
Carefully insert the cardboard insert into the bottle and mark the tap hole on the bottle with a marker.
We cut out the tap hole in accordance with the markings.
We prepare corrugated cardboard parts for insulating the bird house in accordance with the image.
Everything worked out for us, and the “insulation” is in place.
We push the parts into place. If they do not fit well, the parts can be trimmed or the cardboard can be crushed at the edges of the long sides.
After adjusting the size of the second bottle and assembling it, mark the holes for the wire staples on the sides of the birdhouse with a marker. We punch holes at a distance of 20mm so as not to perforate the walls of the product.
We make two brackets from copper wire with a diameter of 0.5-1 mm in accordance with the holes.
We move the bottom eggplant down and insert staples into it on both sides. We bend the ends of the staples so that they easily fit into the upper bottle.
We move the lower bottle into place and insert the staples into the holes on the upper bottle.
We push the bottom part of the plastic container into place.
We twist the wire and bend the twist.
This is what an almost finished bird house looks like. We received impeccable thermal insulation and protection from moisture of the bird house.
We painted the top of the house with brown paint, and the bottom with yellow paint. The sharp edge of the plastic can injure the bird. We took a piece of corrugation, cut it lengthwise and put it on the edge of the tap hole. You can color the product at your own discretion. The craft resembles a castle tower, so you can create a pattern of battlements from below.

How to make a birdhouse from a log easier

We have already given examples of arranging an original birdhouse made of logs. Birds will definitely like this project, as it resembles a hollow bird familiar to them: it has no cracks and blends in with the surrounding environment. Now let’s look at a master class on assembling such a bird house yourself.

When the house for the owners of the site is built, it’s time to think about the other inhabitants of the surrounding area. Our helpers, birds, also need housing. What it will be depends on the type of birds that need to be attracted to the garden.

"Building standards" for a birdhouse

When choosing housing, birds are guided not by the beauty and elegance of the structure, but by its safety and functionality. Birds are guaranteed to settle in the garden if a number of conditions are met:

the birdhouse is made of hardwood;
the thickness of the walls of the house is at least 2 cm;
During assembly, no glue or materials based on it were used: plywood, fiberboard, OSB.

Fresh wood from coniferous trees is unsuitable because it releases resin that glues the feathers together. In addition, birds do not accept strong odors, so nails or screws are used instead of glue to hold parts together.

You can make a birdhouse from an old pine board without resin pockets

The parameters of the house determine which species of birds will choose it. Most birds recognize their future home by the size of the entrance hole. Taphole diameter:

for starlings - 4.5–5 cm;
for redstarts - 3.5 cm;
for tits - 2.8–3.5 cm.

If you cut the entrance too wide, the nest will be easily accessible to predators. There is also a high chance that squirrels or large birds will settle there.

Squirrels are funny neighbors if the owners of the property don’t mind treating them to their berries and nuts

Try not to exceed the standard birdhouse dimensions:

height - 30–35 cm;
bottom inside - 12–17 cm.

Otherwise, the birds will hatch too many chicks, some of which will die due to underfeeding. Let the parents better raise 2-3 healthy cubs.

Birdhouses are home to not only starlings, but also sparrows, flycatchers, swifts, all types of tits and redstarts.

Every bird has a favorite house design

It is not necessary to make a perch on the birdhouse. Magpies can sit on it and destroy the nest. The thresholds on the house also do not attract birds. Due to the structure of their paws, it is uncomfortable for them to stand on a plane.

Birds do not need thresholds on birdhouses

Gallery: drawings and diagrams of birdhouses

Restless sparrows are the most common inhabitants of gardens A birdhouse with a flat roof can be made in a few hours A birdhouse with a raised roof is not the safest option for birds A house with a bottom of 12x12 cm is suitable for tits
A birdhouse with a hole diameter of 3 to 4 cm is suitable for the smallest birds. After cutting out the birdhouse parts, sand the cut areas. The simplest birdhouse for redstarts is with a square hole. Wagtails and flycatchers often nest in houses with a hole the full width of the wall.

Birdhouse decoration

The less attention the home attracts, the better for the birds. It is advisable not to paint it or add bright details. A house made of untreated wood is the best option. As a last resort, use odorless paint to match the color of tree bark - gray, brown or dark burgundy.

Birdhouses made of thin plywood that are too brightly colored are used only for decorative purposes - to decorate the garden, birds are unlikely to settle in them

Another thing is decor with natural materials. Pieces of bark, twigs, and moss will decorate and camouflage the nesting area.

Bark and branches hide the home from the watchful eye of predators

Gallery: birdhouse decor

A birdhouse decorated with pebbles may scare away birds due to glare
Small tree cuts decorate the house and do not irritate the birds
A birdhouse in the shape of Baba Yaga's house will decorate any tree. Wine corks will additionally insulate the walls of the house. The gift birdhouse is covered with carvings. Birds are unlikely to live in a birdhouse made of branches due to the numerous cracks. By gluing the planks onto a birdhouse painted white, we get a half-timbered house
By gluing the birdhouse with saw cuts, the cracks are sealed with moss. You can stylize the birdhouse as a country house. When making a birdhouse with children, draw cartoon characters on the walls. Birdhouses are often stylized as a fairy-tale house. An interesting solution is to use a water tap instead of a perch. Sometimes bird houses are made in the form of animal heads
The decor in the form of a tree trunk on the facade really decorates the birdhouse. Garden designers have figured out how to combine a flowerpot and a birdhouse. If you don’t know how to draw, draw a birdhouse with lines using a ruler and paint it

Birdhouse made of wooden planks with a flat roof

Spring is coming soon again and my husband and I decided to make the right birdhouse for our winged friends. Our last house was chosen by squirrels and turned into a nut warehouse; it turned out to be too big for the birds.

Now the choice fell on the simplest design of a birdhouse with a pitched roof.

Tools:

hammer;
screwdriver;
drill and drill bits;
jigsaw or saw.

Materials:

meter board 10 cm wide - 1 pc.;
meter board 15 cm wide - 1 pc.;
nails and screws.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Mark the boards according to the drawing.

The drawing is needed so that all the details of the birdhouse fit together

2. We cut out all the parts except the bottom and the roof tenon. Using a chisel, we make notches on the inside of the facade so that the chicks can climb to the exit.

When cutting the board, press it firmly against the surface so that it vibrates less.

3. We get 2 sides of the birdhouse measuring 10x30 cm, the front and back are 15x30 cm, the roof is 15x25 cm. We deliberately increase the roof overhang to protect against predators.

There is no need to sand the surfaces of the boards

4. On the front wall, with a pencil and a ruler, we mark an entrance with a diameter of 3 to 5 cm, depending on the type of birds expected in the garden.

Measure the middle of the bottom and sides of the facade, draw lines and mark the entrance at their intersection

5. Drill a hole inside the tap hole circle.

First, a hole for the jigsaw knife is drilled in the facade

6. We insert a jigsaw knife into it and cut out the tap hole.

Move the jigsaw slowly to prevent the knife from flying off

7. We hammer nails into the outer walls at the fastening points so that the points stick out a little.

If you hammer the nails in early, they are less likely to bend.

8. We assemble the body from the 4 walls of the birdhouse in the following order: facade, side walls, back.

The nails are hammered into the walls slowly so as not to bend

9. Take a board 10 cm wide, apply it to the place where the bottom of the birdhouse will be and mark the cut line. We do the same with the roof spike.

Do not cut out the bottom in advance, first assemble the body and measure the actual dimensions

10. Saw off the listed parts. We insert the bottom into the body and fix it with nails.

11. We nail the tenon to the roof from the back side.

The roof spike protects the birdhouse from precipitation getting inside

12. Place the roof so that a canopy is formed over the entrance. We drill holes for the screws and screw the roof on.

After a year, the roof can be unscrewed to clean the birdhouse

13. The birdhouse is ready.

A birdhouse made from untreated boards will merge with the tree bark and will not attract the attention of predators

Master class on making a birdhouse - video

Duplyanka

Birds include birdhouses made of logs into the category of luxury housing. To make a nest box, the middle of a log 30–50 cm long and 30–35 cm in diameter is hollowed out with a chisel. After drilling the tap hole, boards or saw cuts are nailed to the bottom and top of the body.

Starlings and tits happily settle in nest boxes

Making a nest - video

Birdhouse made of plywood with a gable roof

If you have scraps of moisture-resistant wood-laminated board, you can make a birdhouse from it. However, due to toxic fumes from plywood, most likely, the house will only be a decoration in the garden.

Tools:

screwdriver;
drill;
the drill is slightly smaller than the diameter of the screws;
core drill with a diameter of 50 mm;
saw or jigsaw.

Materials:

plywood;
self-tapping screws

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Draw a drawing.

A birdhouse with a gable roof is still better made from boards

2. Mark the plywood and cut it.

3. Drill a taphole hole on the façade using a crown. Drill a hole for the perch 4 cm below it. Make holes for self-tapping screws on all parts.

The house is assembled in the following sequence: facade, side walls, bottom, back wall, roof, perch, plank

4. Assemble the case without the back wall.

5. Place the structure with the tap hole down, install the bottom and back wall, and fasten it together.

6. Assemble the roof.

Holes for self-tapping screws are drilled in advance so as not to split the plywood when screwing them in

7. Insert a perch on the facade.

8. If desired, glue the decor and paint.

Birdhouses are painted with odorless products

How to make a birdhouse with a gable roof - video

Gallery: interesting birdhouse ideas

Any birdhouse will be transformed if you cover the roof with tiles. A birdhouse in the form of a barn with a sloping roof will decorate the lawn if you install it on a pole. Making multi-apartment housing for birds is a great temptation, but they will not be able to live together. Old license plates often cover roofs abroad. A birdhouse looks stylish with an irregularly shaped roof Eco-friendly tiles for a birdhouse can be made from wood The shape of the birdhouse does not have to be strictly rectangular Birds love round houses, as they follow the shape of the nest To make an unusual birdhouse, change the shape of the roof Modern birdhouses have strict geometric shapes It cannot be guaranteed that in two families will live in a double birdhouse Birdhouses with a gable roof leak, so it’s better to cover the ridge with tin A plot with a modern house will be decorated with a birdhouse with a sharp roof You can try to scare away cats by placing a plywood specimen on the birdhouse An unusual solution - a roof made of two cuts A rectangular entrance is also suitable for birds Sometimes decorative birdhouses are shaped like “dancing” houses
A modern birdhouse can be very convenient for birds. A wicker birdhouse is very beautiful, but cold due to the cracks

Where and how to hang a birdhouse

The bird house is placed on a tree with a slight forward tilt to make it convenient for the chicks to get out of the nest. The entrance is oriented to the south side so that cold winds do not blow inside. The hanging height is not lower than 4 m above the ground. To prevent cats from getting to the chicks, increase the roof overhang by 5 cm from that indicated in the drawings.

Birds need to be protected from their natural enemies - cats

To protect against feathered predators:

cover the entrance with tin;
do not mount a perch on the birdhouse;
make an entrance under the roof itself.

A long overhang and the absence of a perch are necessary protection measures against predators

To properly secure the birdhouse to the support, strips are screwed to the back wall. For them, the house is tied to the trunk with wire or synthetic cord.

To prevent the harness from growing into the bark, place a wooden or rubber pad under it.

You should not nail a birdhouse to a living tree. This causes great harm to it, especially during sap flow.

Pieces of pipe are driven into the ground, into which a pole with a birdhouse is placed

If you decide to place a birdhouse on the roof of your house, do it with an eye on the cats. Attach the bird's "cottage" to a two-meter pin covered with tin. But the best place is under the eaves of the roof, perhaps under the ridge. Screw in a screw there and screw a metal eyelet to the house. There should be no objects around that the cat can get caught on.

For fastening strength, the metal eye for the birdhouse should have a pear-shaped cutout

There should be an open space in front of the birdhouse for birds to fly. Only tits love houses hidden deep in the tree crown. Usually they hang 1 birdhouse per 10 m2 of garden. If you place them more often, they will be empty.

Do not hang more than one birdhouse on a tree, the birds will conflict

Decorative birdhouse made from a plastic bottle

Birds very rarely nest in houses made of artificial materials. So-called birdhouses made from plastic bottles are used only for decorating the garden and feeding birds.

Materials:

five-liter plastic bottle - 3 pcs.;
strip of burlap;
perch;
glue;
paints;
leg-split;
branches.

Tools:

knife and scissors;
marker;
brush.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Cut a tap hole at the top of the bottle.

The entrance can be easily cut with sharp scissors

2. Cover the area under the tap hole on the inside of the bottle with burlap.

The burlap is needed to make it easier for the birds to get out of the bottle.

3. Under the taphole, 4 cm, make a cross-shaped cut for the perch.

4. Cut out the template for the tiles in the form of a trapezoid. Attach it to a two-liter bottle, circle it with a marker and cut it.

To cut out tiles, it is better to use bottles with a smooth surface; they are easier to glue.

5. Glue the tiles at the top of the house in rows from bottom to top. You will need 3 rows.

In order not to wait a long time for each row of tiles to dry, you can use a heat gun

6. Paint the house: the roof is brown, the walls are white.

7. Cover the bottom of the birdhouse and the space around the entrance with twigs. Insert the perch.

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Everyone has thought about how to make a birdhouse at least once in their life. However, only a few got around to it: some were hampered by lack of skills, others by free time, and others by imagination. Meanwhile, making a birdhouse with your own hands is not difficult. Where to start, and what is required to make the structure, read the article.

Birdhouse diagram: detailed drawing and dimensions

Any woodworker will confirm to you that a high-quality structure can only be made if you have a correctly drawn up diagram in hand. And bird houses in this case are no exception. This is the main mistake of many self-taught people. Thoughtlessly copying schemes proposed on the Internet, they make no adjustments for the size of the birds, or for the specifics of their behavior, or for other nuances. In the end, which is not surprising, they get a completely different result than they expected.

To avoid such a development of events, when drawing up a diagram, carefully consider the following points:

Birdhouse dimensions

If we talk about the size of the birdhouse, the drawing for starlings and for the same tits will be different. Therefore, when starting work, the first thing we do is determine which representatives of birds we want to see on our site. So, the following types of birdhouses are popular today:

A variety of birds choose a birdhouse to live in, so its dimensions can range from 20x10x10 cm to 40x15x15 cm.
Titmouse is a favorite design of sparrows and tits and other small birds. Therefore, when making it, do not overdo it on a grand scale. A design with dimensions not exceeding 30x12x10 cm will be quite sufficient.
Wagtail, as you might guess from the name, is intended specifically for wagtails. Unlike other birds, these birds are more mobile. They do not jump on the ground, like sparrows, but move along it by running. Therefore, when building a wagtail, place the structure horizontally, and also do not forget to provide it with a sufficiently long (about 10 cm) protrusion in front of the tap hole. Average dimensions of the product: 15x15x30 cm.
The nesting area of pikas is most often made in a pyramidal shape and with two through entrances. The specifics of the house allow the bird to accommodate itself with maximum comfort and quickly hide from its pursuer (in case of an attack). The width of the structure varies between 14 and 20 cm, height – between 22 and 26. It depends on what kind of pika: short-legged or ordinary you want to lure.

Diameter of the hole in the birdhouse

The diameter of the hole in the birdhouse also plays an important role. To protect birds from predators and feathered competitors, we focus on the following dimensions of the entrance:

For a birdhouse - about 5 cm.
The titmouse has no more than 3.5 cm in diameter.
For wagtails – 3 cm.
At the nesting sites of pikas it is about 3.5 cm.

Birdhouse drawing

To make a birdhouse that will not fall from the slightest wind and will not fall apart under its own weight, you need a good drawing. We offer several options that are easy to make at home for your reference.

How to build a birdhouse with your own hands: step-by-step instructions

Speaking about how to properly make a birdhouse for starlings with your own hands, the dimensions should be taken not approximate, but specific. Therefore, let’s look at the step-by-step manufacturing of the structure using this drawing as an example:

To create this birdhouse you will need the following materials:

Strong, high-quality boards 2 cm thick.
Tools for assembly.
Buttons and drawing accessories.
Wood impregnation compositions.
Materials for the exterior decoration of the birdhouse.

When the preparations are completed, we proceed directly to construction:

Step #1. Based on the drawing presented above, we draw individual structural elements in real size on paper and cut them out.

Step #2. Using a pencil and ruler, transfer the drawing to the boards. For convenience, we attach the paper elements to them with buttons.

Step 3. Take a saw or electric jigsaw and cut out wooden blanks for the future birdhouse. We make sure that the cut goes exactly along the drawn lines, otherwise cracks may form in the house. This means that it will be of little use for cold weather.

Step #4. We decide on the position of the parts. We make the inner sides rough, put notches and scratches on them, so that it is more convenient for the chicks and their parents to get to the entrance.

Step #5. Take a drill and drill a hole for the tap hole. Its upper half can be treated so that the birds do not injure themselves trying to get into the nest. And leave the bottom one as is (for ease of movement).

Step #6. We assemble the birdhouse box, connecting the mating walls with screws. In the example shown, 3 fixing elements for one side are sufficient. If you decide to make the birdhouse larger, the number of fasteners should also be increased.

Step No. 6.1. (optional). If you want your birdhouse to be comfortable not only for starlings, but also for other birds, round the interior space of the product using appropriately shaped inserts. Such an architectural solution will make the birdhouse more like a hollow and will arouse less suspicion among potential “tenants”.

Step #7. Making a lid. We take the workpiece under the upper part and attach to it a wooden block in the shape of a parallelepiped, which is slightly smaller in size than the inner contour of the walls. This addition will prevent the roof from sliding and will weigh it down enough so that neither cats nor other predators can move it.

Step #8. We check how tightly the roof fits to the main structure and how easily it can be removed. If necessary, we trim the inner bar.

Step #9. When the birdhouse is ready, we cover the outside with specialized protective compounds and decorate it at our discretion. We leave the inner part untouched. The feathered residents will independently decide the issue of its arrangement.

A real threat to birds settling in a birdhouse is posed not only by cats, but also by woodpeckers. They destroy the entrance to feast on eggs and newly hatched chicks or for a comfortable wintering. Previously, this behavior was characteristic only of individuals living in the territories of European cities. However, Russian woodpeckers quickly adopted this habit from their brothers, and therefore people making birdhouses have to think additionally about safety.

You can protect your structure from the voracious “forest doctors” in different ways:

Surround the entrance with a tin ring or strew the space around it with a large number of small, sharp nails.
Equip the front wall of the structure with a plank, the thickness of which is 2 cm and the width - 4 - 5 cm. To prevent the woodpecker from gouging the wood and getting to the chicks, the fibers in the plank should be positioned horizontally, and it itself coincides with the hole in the entrance.

Making a birdhouse from scrap materials

A wooden house for feathered singers is familiar to everyone from childhood. However, you can make birdhouses with your own hands from other materials. The examples presented are clear proof of this. The main thing is not to rush, and also remember about safety precautions during production. And then you will achieve your goal without unnecessary difficulties.

Construction cardboard

The positive features of the design are the beauty of the assembly and relative cheapness. However, such a bird house will last until the first cold weather. It is perfect for those birds that migrate south with the onset of winter and are ready to return to a new home in the spring. Therefore, we will make a birdhouse just for them.

We collect materials. We will need:

Drawing tools.
Glue and tape for fastening.
Decorative materials for finishing and decoration.
Construction or corrugated cardboard.

Let's start making:

Step #1. We decide on the dimensions of the future house and print out the proposed drawing in the required scale. To avoid mistakes, first test your scheme for viability using plain paper.

Step #2. We cut out a whole blank or its individual elements from cardboard.

Step #3. We assemble the structure and carefully glue the joints.

Step #4. Let our craft dry, after which we decorate it at our discretion and cover it with varnish or any other protective coating.

The birdhouse is ready. All that remains is to hang it up and wait for the feathered singers to move in.

Water bottles

In many regions, wood is an expensive pleasure, and not everyone can afford to make a birdhouse from wood with their own hands. Therefore, plastic containers (as the base material for a birdhouse) serve as an excellent substitute. Water bottles have all the characteristics necessary for the design:

They don't rot.
Resistant to moisture.
Able to withstand mechanical stress.

The disadvantages of the material are negated by simple modifications: transparency is eliminated with paint, the smoothness of the walls is eliminated with ordinary burlap or a nail.

To make a birdhouse with your own hands from a five-liter bottle, we will need:

Plastic water containers (volume over 3 liters) – 2-3 pcs.
Burlap or other thick fabric for decorating the interior walls.
Decoration materials.
Tools.

Step-by-step instruction:

Step #1. We wash the bottles, listen, and remove labels and dirt.

Step #2. We cut a tap hole of a suitable size in the container, not forgetting to process its upper half.

Step #3. We cover the inside of the container with dense, rough fabric, which is designed to enhance sound insulation and simplify the movement of birds inside the nest.

Step #4. From the second bottle we cut out decorative elements, for example, tiles. We paint the house and decorate it to our liking. But do not forget that birds are wary of colorful, overloaded structures.

Step #5. We wrap a rope around the neck of the bottle and hang the resulting structure on a tree.

Birdhouse: photos and videos of original ideas

Ornithologists advise not to forget that a birdhouse, like feeders, is made for birds, and not for showing off to neighbors. A colorful house made of fresh boards, decorated with numerous trims, will not inspire much confidence in the birds. They will feel much better in a well-made structure made of planed boards, painted in the color of the location or not touched by paint at all. However, this does not mean that when making birdhouses for birds with your own hands, you should forget about photos, original ideas and drawings. Look at how creatively people approached this issue and were able to “sit on two chairs” at once:

Birds are nurses not only of the forest, but also of the garden. Every summer resident who has fruit trees and shrubs growing on his property knows this. All year round, birds not only delight the ear with their singing, but also help gardeners in their difficult work of protecting trees from pests, destroying small insects and feasting on their larvae. To attract birds, feeders are hung on trees and volunteer helpers are fed during the cold winter season, when it is not so easy to find “prey,” and they also arrange a home for them. Any bird will like a good-quality wooden house; it can not only live in it and hide from bad weather, but also breed offspring.

Nuances that are important to know before starting work

As is already clear, the best birdhouse is made from natural materials, in the sense of wood. Some craftsmen make houses from cardboard boxes or plastic bottles, however, this is not at all the same. In the first case, the dwelling will be temporary and will last one season, if it does not get wet first in the rain. Plastic containers are more suitable for manufacturing, and besides, there is no question of their naturalness. The smell of chipboard or plywood will also scare away birds; the latter is also too thin and the house will be cold.

For a bird house, you should use hardwood boards, but in no case coniferous ones - they contain resin that will stick to the plumage, which is fraught with health problems for the birds. The thickness of the boards must be at least 20 mm so that they retain the heat necessary for the chicks.

There is no need to plan the boards to achieve their ideal smoothness. A rough surface, especially inside the birdhouse and under the entrance, will help birds get inside and move around easily.

Making a birdhouse step by step

First of all, you should draw up drawings of your future home. This will make the process of making blanks easier and will make them even, so that in the future there will be no gaps between the walls.

Birdhouses can be of different sizes and shapes - it all depends on what kind of birds will live in it. There is no need to make “apartments” that are too spacious, because the bird family is small and the young can freeze or grow weak. The standard dimensions of the house are approximately as follows:

bottom width – 15 cm;
birdhouse height – up to 30 cm;
roof – approximately 20x24 cm;
The diameter of the protrusion (taphole) is no more than 5 cm.

It is better that the back wall is a couple of centimeters lower than the front panel - such a slope is necessary for water to drain. Accordingly, then on the side walls the upper cut will be oblique. The roof should protrude slightly, so its dimensions are slightly larger than the bottom.

Now you can get started:

Transfer the drawing with a pencil to the boards.
Cut out all the details.
Plan the outer surface of the workpieces.
In the front panel, cut out the “entrance” in the form of a circle.
Assemble the birdhouse in the following order: front, side walls, bottom, back wall, roof, entrance. All parts must fit snugly together. It is better to fasten them with screws or nails.

All that remains is to attach a mount to the birdhouse in the form of a strip on the back wall and install it on a tree, wrapping it well with wire. There is no need to paint - the smell of the paint will scare away the birds.

Birds are indispensable helpers in the fight against pests of green spaces. The best way to call on them for help and attract them to your site is to make a birdhouse with your own hands. By giving the birds comfortable houses, the owner of a country plot provides himself with peace of mind about the harvest and an excellent mood from a pleasant neighborhood. The birdhouse will be in demand in any case: swifts, nigellas, flycatchers, tits and sparrows are also happy to settle in comfortable apartments.

When thinking about how to make a birdhouse with your own hands, you should first of all worry about procuring the material for building the house.

The material for making a birdhouse can be hardwood boards, for example: aspen, maple, oak, birch, alder

Coniferous wood is absolutely not suitable for building a birdhouse, since it can secrete resin, which makes the inside surface of the birdhouse sticky.

To build a birdhouse, it is also not advisable to use chipboard and fiberboard, which emit toxins harmful to birds. Plywood is far from the best choice: the material does not transmit sounds well, the sufficient audibility of which is necessary for birds in case of danger, and does not retain heat well, making it difficult for birds to nurse their helpless chicks. The inner surface of the wooden boards should be slightly rough. You can add unevenness to a smooth surface by applying horizontal notches with a chisel, which will make it easier for the birds and their chicks to get out of the house.

Before making a birdhouse, you should decide on the dimensions of the future structure. Standard dimensions of a birdhouse: 13-15 cm bottom width and 30 cm height of the birdhouse, and the diameter of the entrance is 3.8-5 cm. Spacious apartments are not always good: in a large house you can shelter more chicks, but will their birds be able to do this? parents?!

Numerous offspring are much more difficult to go out and feed. The chicks, weakened by insufficient food, grow up sick and unable to withstand long-distance flights in the fall to warmer climes. In a compact house, capable of accommodating only two or three chicks, the offspring grow up healthy, capable of further maintaining the strength of the species population.

Ornithologists say that the interior space of bird houses should not be too spacious, but at the same time too cramped

The simplest version of a wooden bird house

The configuration of the birdhouse depends on where it will be attached. If the house will be suspended under the roof of the house, to a balcony or pole, then the design should include additional perches in the form of a thin stick or a triangular shelf, necessary for the “walk” of the feathered owners.

When deciding how to make a birdhouse from wood, which will be placed in natural conditions and suspended on a tree, you can do without arranging a “walking” perch. On the branches adjacent to the nesting site, the starling will rest, delighting others with the pleasant tints of its singing.

When making the simplest birdhouse, you can use the given drawing of a birdhouse with dimensions, which even a schoolchild can figure out

To build a compact and convenient house for the bird family you will need:

edged unplaned boards;
two blocks (for hanging the birdhouse on a tree);
screws or nails;
steel wire d=1mm (for hanging the house);
wood glue.

Tools you will need:

a simple pencil with a ruler;
(with middle tooth);
drill, wood drill;
hammer;
chisel.

The work is carried out in several stages:

Stage #1 – preparation of wooden elements

Using a simple pencil on the boards according to the drawing, the dimensions of all wooden elements are noted: bottom, walls, roof and perches.

As a result, you should get 7 blanks

The bottom is made in the shape of a square with a side of 13 cm. The difference in the heights of the front and rear walls is 4 cm, this allows you to create an angle of inclination of the roof. For the same purpose, bevels are provided on the upper cut of the side walls. To arrange the roof, you should prepare two parts of different sizes: the first part is shaped like the bottom of the house, the second is a large rectangle to create a canopy.

Some craftsmen believe that a more successful option in arranging a house is a roof tilted forward, which is formed by a shorter front wall.

Stage #2 – cutting out structural parts

Sawing off elements should be done sequentially so that paired parts have the same dimensions. To add beauty to the product, the outer surface of the boards can be additionally planed.

Using a drill or chisel, a hole is made for the flight of birds d = 3.8 cm (can be increased to 5 cm)

A round hole for the entrance to a house is more preferable than a rectangular one, since in nature birds prefer a round hollow, and they are more likely to settle in a house with a round entrance. The location of the hole 5 cm from the top edge allows you to protect the chicks from the grasping paws of cats.

Stage #3 – assembling the birdhouse

The side walls and front façade of the structure are first fastened with wood glue. As the glue dries, the parts are fixed with nails or screws. Using the same principle, the side ends of the bottom are connected to the front and side walls. Lastly, the back wall of the birdhouse is glued and hammered. There should be no gaps.

The roof parts are fastened together. There is no need to attach a roof to the house itself.

Stage #4 – installation of a bird “apartment”

The finished birdhouse can be nailed or tied with wire. For additional protection and to make it easier for the chicks to exit along the surface at a slight angle to the outside, the structure should be tilted slightly forward.

When placing a birdhouse on a tree, it is preferable to use wire to hang the structure, which, unlike nails, will not damage the tree. Additional protection for the tree bark can be provided by wooden blocks, which will act as a kind of lining that absorbs the tension force of the wire.

The house should “look” towards the east or southeast. The optimal placement height is from 3 to 5 meters

Decorative birdhouses

When planning how to build a birdhouse with your own hands, you want to get not only a functional design that is convenient for birds, but an attractive house that will become a bright touch in the design of the site.

There is a misconception that starlings do not occupy houses painted with bright oil paint. But as practice shows, the bird family feels very comfortable in such colorful apartments.

Material on how to build a decorative windmill for the garden may also be useful:

Houses decorated with decorative details look interesting. Some craftsmen create real palaces for birds with balconies and fences

Fantasizing about how to build a birdhouse that will become a real decoration of landscape design, you can take the simplest version of the house as the basic basis of the design, which is only complemented by original decorative elements and played up with color schemes.

Birds may not immediately inhabit the “apartment” they have prepared. It can take a year or even more to settle into new housing. Don’t worry and be patient: your good deeds will definitely be rewarded over time.