| Bluebird Houses |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-105 |
|
|
|
advertisement
|
Q: I love to do woodworking projects but would also like to get my kids involved. Any ideas?
A: (Bruce Johnson, Ask DIY Woodworking expert) Do pick projects for kids carefully -- if you're using a lot of power equipment, you don't want to involve the kids. But building a bluebird house is a great project to involve your kids with (figure A), and I've built several with my sons, Blake and Eric. Bluebirds will move into residential neighborhoods if they can find suitable housing. Here's how to build a house that bluebirds will like. Materials:
Circular saw or standard saw
Three vertical boards, 12" long and 6" wide for the front and sides
One vertical board 24" long and 6" wide for the back
8"x6" top board
6"x6" bottom board
Finish nails or screws
Tape measure
Drill
- Buy and assemble your wood (figure B). Measure each board, cutting it to size with a circular saw (while you and the kids wear safety glasses, of course). You can use a regular saw if you like, but the circular saw makes the job easier.
Safety alert: Don't use pressure-treated wood for a birdhouse; the birds can't tolerate the chemicals.
Web extra -- buyer's guide: The wood you choose for your bluebird house can include construction scraps or inexpensive softwoods, such as pine or spruce, but you'll need to paint it or finish it with an exterior sealer to prevent it from rotting in a year or two. Ideally, you should use woods that are naturally resistant to the sun and water, such as cedar or cypress. They don't require paint or a sealer and will turn a natural gray color as they age. - Begin to assemble the birdhouse by attaching the two sides to the back. Your backboard should be around 12 inches longer than the others -- you'll use the extra at the bottom as a mounting post. Use either finish nails or screws to assemble the boards.
- Measure the opening at the top and cut your roof board to be just a little wider, so that the rain won't run inside the birdhouse. Attach the top.
- Cut the bottom board to be a half-inch or so shorter than the opening it will cover. That way, any moisture that gets in has a way of draining out. Attach the bottom.
- Drill a hole in the front of the house that is exactly 1 1/2 inches in diameter. This is an important dimension. If the hole is too large, a starling -- the number-one enemy of bluebirds -- can take over the house and drive the bluebirds away. If the hole is too small, even the bluebirds can't enter. Attach the front to the back and sides, an inch or so below the roof.
Working smarter: Instead of nailing the front securely, hold it in place with two nails that act as pivots at the top, coming in from the sides. Near the bottom, tap a nail through a side edge and only part of the way into the front board. That way, next spring you can easily remove the nail, and then the front will swing open like a trap door so you can easily clean the house. Web extra: You can expect bluebirds to arrive in early spring, so make sure your houses are up in plenty of time. And if they like their new home, they can raise as many as three broods of chicks between early spring and midsummer. Each of the offspring will be looking for a new home nearby, so if you want to create a bluebird sanctuary in your backyard, start building! More questions for Bruce:
Q: Can I use cheap wood like pine when making a birdhouse?
A: You could use number-2 pine, which is cheap and widely available, but it will rot very quickly outdoors if you don't protect it. So after you mount it, put a clear exterior finish over it.
Q: I'm building a birdhouse and planning on painting both the inside and the outside to protect the wood and help it last longer. Is this a good idea?
A: Go ahead and paint the outside, but the birds won't like it if you paint the inside -- so leave it natural. Web site resources for birdhouses: Birdhouses Children Can Make All the Bird House Specs You'll Need How to Build a Birdhouse From Lowes.com Free Traditional Birdhouse Plan Free Pallet Wood and Birdhouses Build a Swallow House Book: Making Backyard Birdhouses
by Sandy Cortright & Will Pikriots
Sterling Publishing Company Inc. (1996)
387 Park Ave. South
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-532-7160
Fax: 212-213-2495
Customer Service: 800-637-9692
Fax: 800-542-7567
E-mail: webmaster@sterlingpub.co.com
| 
)
)
)
