Build a Birdhouse

• TASK: Build a birdhouse in order to learn how to use woodworking tools and work with your hands.
• CONDITIONS: Given a non-pressure treated 1x6 board that is at least 60 inches long, a hammer, a small box of nails, a saw, a tape-measure, a pencil, a drill and a 1.5 inch auger bit.
• STANDARD: You must be able to build and hang a birdhouse.

Building a birdhouse is a great way to learn how to use basic woodworking tools and you end up with a nice home for birds. The sort of birdhouse that we’re going to build is designed to house smaller birds that all tend to eat small insects like mosquitoes so there’s more benefit to this activity than just learning how to use tools.

Measure Twice
Rather than measuring out all the cuts to be made first and then making them all at once, you should only measure out one cut at a time. As you cut the board, you’ll be removing wood that is the width of the blade with each cut and this will change your measurements as you move down the board.

Use the saw to cut the 1x6 board into the 6 smaller sections with the following lengths:

• 4” (bottom section)
• 7.5” (top section)
• 9” (front section)
• 9.25” on one edge, 10.25” on the other (side section)
• 9.25” on one edge, 10.25” on the other (side section)
• 15” (back section)

Knock Knock
With all the sections cut, you should drill the hole that will be the bird’s door. Take the 9” front section and drill a hole with the 1.5” auger bit in the center of the board that is about 3” from one end.

Assemble the Sections
Now that all the sections have been cut and the door has been drilled, it’s time to assemble the birdhouse. You can glue everything together first and wait for it to dry before nailing it if you choose to.

Start by placing the side sections vertically so that the 10.25” side faces up and then place the 15” back section on top of the side sections so that the bottom flat ends are aligned. Hammer 3 nails through the back section into the edge of the side sections at about 2” intervals.

Place the 4” bottom section in the “U” shape formed by the back and side sections and hammer 2 nails through each side section to secure it in place.

Place the 9” front section so that the the bottom lines up with the 4” bottom section and there is a small gap between the top of the front section and the start of the diagonal cut on the side sections. Hammer nails through the front section into the side and bottom sections. Make sure that the end of the front section with the hole drilled in it is facing upwards towards the diagonal cut.

Finally, place the 7.5” top section on the diagonal cut so that it hangs over the front side and hammer 2 nails through the top section into the diagonal cut of the sides.

Hang the Completed Birdhouse
Now that you’ve built the birdhouse, it’s time to find a nice place to hang it. If you don’t have a tree that you can get to, you can attach it to the side of your home or build a simple stand for it and put it on the deck if you have one. Be creative, birds are everywhere and it shouldn’t be long before one decides to move into the home that you’ve built.

Sources

• Instructables