One Board Birdhouse

I am making a super awesome birdhouse because I noticed there were lots of birds in my yard. I wanted to bring more birds to my front yard. Bird boxes come in all shapes and sizes so you don't have to follow this exactly. You can decorate it different or upscale/descale it to fit any type of bird. Just be sure not to add a dowel under the entrance because the birds don't need it and it only gives squirrels easier access and not many people know this but squirrels are omnivores and occasionally eat small birds and chicks.

There are lots of birds that use bird boxes even some owls. This birdhouse is designed to be for smaller yard birds like sparrows and birds of that size. I think you should make this because it is super easy and cost-effecient to make. If you like woodworking and birds this is for you!

1. Wood (At least 17cm by 148cm but get larger to make room for mistakes)
2. Tools (Mitre Saw, Band Saw, Drill Press, Drill and two drill bits measuring 11/16" and 1" in diameter)
3. Super Glue
4. Popsicle Sticks
5. Stain
6. Black Paint
7. Carpenter Pencil
8. Tape Measurer
9. Paint Brush
10. Painting Tray
11. Water Container
12. Rag
13. Screws
14. Bradnailer
15. Bradnails (Any Size)

Cut wood down to 17cm in width with a table saw than measure out parts of birdhouse and mark it with carpenter pencil.

(All measurements in centimetres)

You will need:

1. 2 Side Walls (17x17)
2. 1 Backing Board (for mounting) (9x35)
3. 1 Back Wall (17x25.5) (We'll cut the angled part later)
4. 1 Roof Piece (16x21)
5. Other Roof piece (14x21)
6. 1 Floor Board (17x17)
7. 1 Front Wall (17x25.5)

Once you have marked off your pieces for your birdhouse you will now use your mitre saw to cut off the designated pieces (You don't have to worry about width just yet.) Next find the halfway point on the top of the front and back boards (8.5cm) and adjust your mitre saw to a 45 degree angle. Cut 45 degrees from the midway point on the top of the board making the angles for the roof to go on. Next set your table saw to 9cm and cut backing board down to 9cm in width. The you can repeat the last sentence for the 2 roof pieces at 14cm width and 16cm width.

A common mistake in building birdhouses is not drilling holes in bottom for drainage and small holes or a slot in the top to cool the birdhouse. Cut four holes in a square with the drill at 11/16" on the bottom a little bit in so as to not block them with the walls. Next cut a hole with a 1 1/2" drill bit at your desired height and right in the middle at 8.5cm on each side. Draw an X where you will put the entrance.

This step is pretty simple. I used a bradnailer but you can drill holes and use screws or just use the classic nail & hammer. You pretty much just attach the floor to the sides, front and back. Next attach the roof pieces to the slanted roof part making it flush at the back and an overhang on the sides. Make sure you leave a crack at the top of the house for ventilation. Make sure to not bradnail into the bird house when attaching backing board.

Paint the roof black on the top and sides of the roof not underneath the overhang or in the birdhouse.

Take popsicle sticks and super glue them in a pattern. You don't have to copy my pattern but you can if you want. My roof was pattern was styled after a barn door.

Now paint the texture black like the roof.

Next stain the birdhouse. I stained the whole thing even the roof and that turned out very good. You don't really have to stain the backing board but I did.

Screw it into a tree or fence make sure it is not too close to the ground or any branches for easy squirrel accsess.

During this process I learnt many things, like a 1 1/2 inch hole is hard to drill cleanly with a drill press. I really enjoyed staining the birdhouse and seeing the finished product; bradnailing is always very satisfying and fun. The hardest part was getting the measurements but luckily for you I already got them. Another challenging part was the painting (partially because I am not good at painting). Possible mistakes could be measuring in inches not centimetres. Also choosing a good spot to mount the birdhouse could potentially be a common mistake by putting it too low or too close to branches. A big takeaway for me is I learnt how to make good instructions and also took a little bit of a hit to my ego because I thought that making a birdhouse would be easy and it was not, (so don't judge a book by it's cover I guess.) Finally I would like to ask one final question, Why did the cheap pelican get kicked out of the resturant? Because his bill was massive. I would just like to thank you for reading my entire instructable up to this point and also for sitting through my bad jokes.