Building a Great Birdhouse

One of the most enjoyable ways to spend time with your children or grandchildren is to create something together. Birdhouses are a perfect example. You can use the time to give lessons about birds, as well as the best ways to use tools safely.

There are two different types of birdhouses. The first type is used primarily for decoration, and others are used to attract birds. Birdhouses that are brightly painted can look wonderful as a decoration for your home, but birds will probably not come around to use them. They tend to prefer houses that have not been painted or even finished.

If you plan on building a birdhouse with a child, this can be the ideal time to teach tool safety. It is crucial that anyone working with or around tools put on safety glasses, because it takes just one flying nail to damage an eye permanently.

Also, hand tools are often extremely sharp. They can easily cause injury if they are misused, so always read the instructions and follow them exactly.

It's important to dress properly when working with tools. If your clothing is too loose, it can get caught in a power tool and yank your limb into the path of a rotating blade or bit. It is important to teach children that tools are needed for lots of activities, and they can be fun, but anyone using tools should be careful and attentive around them.

Here's a plan for a birdhouse.

1. Plan out your dimensions. If you use a carpenter's square, your corners will be perfect. You don't want any gaps between the walls and floor.
a. Draw two rectangles. Make the short sides into the top and bottom.
b. Mark the vertical sides at parallel points from the bottom.
c. Mark the middle of the top of each rectangle. You will use these marks to set the peak of the roof.
d. Draw a line connecting the top-side mark with the vertical-side mark. This will be the line of the roof.

2. Cut your pieces to the proper size.

3. Drill a hole about 1-1/2" in diameter for the bird entrance. After that, pre-drill a hole for the perch to be inserted after the house is put together.

4. Hook the rails for the floor attachment to the inside of the walls.

5. Mark your horizontal and center lines for the floor. They should be parallel to the bottom of the rectangular pieces, and should sit flush with the bottom of each wall.

6. Attach the rails with galvanized nails and waterproof glue.

7. Now, put on the sides that go between the walls. Make sure the bottom part of each wall is aligned correctly.

8. Put the roof halves on top of the house. Make sure that the wider half goes on the front, so it can hang over the opening and keep the rain out.

9. Flip the birdhouse over and put the bottom on. Use wood screws here, and not glue. If you just use screws, you will be able to take the bottom off when you want to do seasonal cleanings.

10. Sand the birdhouse to give it a smooth, even finish.

11. Put a dowel rod into the hole you pre-drilled earlier, to give the doorway a perch.

You're done! If you want birds to come, mount the birdhouse in a friendly place. If not, go ahead and paint it and use it to decorate your home!