Build a birdhouse
Cut one board into six pieces, screw them together and hang it in the yard. Next spring, a family of birds may move in. Here's the video that hooks everyone, and everything you need for your first birdhouse.
Space neededA table or workbench
First projectA nest box in an afternoon
Skill levelBeginner, hand tools only
Good forKids with an adult, retirees, backyards
The video that hooks everyone
The easiest birdhouse to build, with minimal tools
A simple wooden birdhouse built with only a few tools, with every step explained along the way. Press play and see why it hooks people.
Is this your video? Claim your page and share in the sales
Tool list
What you need to start
Everything you need for your first project, and nothing you don't. It's one board, a hand saw and a drill.
Starter kit
01One 6 ft. 1x6 boardUntreated cedar or pine. One board makes a whole nest box.
02Hand sawA sharp crosscut saw makes every cut in this manual.
03Speed square + pencilMarks square lines so the pieces fit tight.
04Tape measureMeasure every piece twice, cut once.
05Drill/driverDrills the holes and drives the screws.
061 1/8 in. spade bitThe entrance hole for chickadees and wrens.
07Drill bits, 1/8 and 1/4 in.Pilot holes for screws, plus vent and drain holes.
08Exterior screws, 1 5/8 in.Coated deck screws that won't rust. Plus two 6d galvanized nails.
09Safety glassesWear them for every cut and every hole.
The manual tells you what to look for when you buy each one.
- 1Adding a perchA peg under the hole helps squirrels and other birds reach in. Birds that use nest boxes don't need one. Leave it off.
- 2Painting or treating the insideUse untreated wood and leave the inside bare. Paint and wood treatments don't belong where baby birds live.
- 3No way to open itOld nests need clearing out after the season. Build a side that swings open, or you can't clean it.
