How to Build a Blue Bird House
- 1). Start with four 12-inch pieces of 1 x 6-inch cedar board. Cut one 8-inch long piece for the front. Leave one piece the full size for the back. Cut the tops of the two side pieces angled down 1 inch from back to front. Use the 4-inch piece, left over from the front piece, for the bottom.
- 2). Use a power drill with a spade bit to create a hole in the front piece, about 1 1/2 inch. Make the hole 2 inches from the top. Use a table saw to cut a slight angle on the top of the front and back boards, so the roof lies flush after it is attached.
- 3). Attach both side boards to the front board. Create a hinge using 2-inch finishing nails on the right side and a 1 5/8 inch wood screw near the top of the left side.
- 4). Lay the back board on top of the front and side boards. Make sure the back board is 1/4 inch higher than both side boards, leaving a gap on each side for ventilation. Create the other side of the hinge on the left side using a 1-5/8 inch wood screw. Attach the right side to the backboard with 2-inch finishing nails.
- 5). Angle cut each corner of the floor board 1/4 inch. This provides the bluebird house with drainage. Nail the floor to the front, back and right side boards using 2-inch finishing nails. Do not nail the left side to the floor. This is the door and must be able to swing up.
- 6). Create a lock for the hinged door by drilling a hole through the front board into the left side board. Slip a nail into the hole to keep the door closed. The nail should pull out easily to provide access to the inside of the bird house.
- 7). Place a 1 x 10-inch cedar board on top of the bird house box and attach it using 1 5/8-inch wood screws. Pre-drill the holes for the screws to make them easier to install.
- 8). Mount the box to a 6-foot conduit pipe, using straps so that the hole is 5 feet from the ground.
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