Instructions for Making Bird Houses

Cutting

• 1

  Cut two pieces of the 1-by-8-inch lumber, each measuring 8 inches long. Use a carpenter's pencil to label one of the sides front and the other back.

• 2

  Cut two more pieces of the lumber, each measuring 4 inches long. These are the sides of the diamond birdhouse. Label the pieces for later use.

• 3

  Cut the roof of the birdhouse from the 1-by-8-inch lumber. Cut a piece of the board so it measures 9 inches long. Cut this board in half lengthwise, to make two 9-by-4-inch rectangles. Label these as the roof pieces.

Assembly

• 4

  Place the front piece on a flat working space in front of you. Make a 1 1/2-inch hole with a drill and the hole-saw drill bit in the center of the piece. This is the hole for the birds to enter the birdhouse. Arrange the front board on an angle so it looks like a diamond instead of a square.

• 5

  Place one of the side pieces against one side of the front piece, so the 8-inch side is in line with the side of the front piece. The side piece should be sticking above the front piece by 4 inches. Screw the side piece into place by screwing a wood screw through the meeting location every inch. Repeat the same process to install the second side. The two side pieces should form a triangle on the bottom portion of the diamond.

• 6

  Place the back piece on top of the side pieces. Adjust the back piece so It sits in between the two side pieces, parallel with the front piece. Screw the back in place, using a wood screw every 1 inch.

• 7

  Turn the birdhouse up, so it is sitting on one of its sides. Position a roof piece over one of the open sides of the birdhouse. Adjust the roof piece, so it hangs over the side piece by about 1 inch, then screw into place, using one wood screw at each of the four corners. Repeat this process with the opposite roof piece.

Finishing

• 8

  Drill a shallow, 1/4-inch-diameter hole below the entrance hole in front of the house. Cut off a 1-inch length of dowel. Apply wood glue to one end of the dowel, then stick that end into the shallow hole. This is the perch.

• 9

  Sand any rough areas of wood lightly with sandpaper. Paint the birdhouse in desired colors. Allow the paint to dry completely.

• 10

  Screw an eyelet screw into each corner of the roof of the birdhouse. Form a large loop with a piece of wire, and twist an end around two of the eyelets. Repeat with the remaining eyelets. Use the wire to hang the birdhouse.