How to Build a Birdhouse: 9 Easy Steps

How to Build a Birdhouse

1. Cut the Wood

   Use only untreated lumber of any grade. Pine is less durable but easier to work with than cedar, which is stronger and more expensive. Exterior grade plywood that is 3/4 inch thick is also acceptable to use to build a birdhouse.

   Cut the 1-foot by 6-foot pine or cedar board into the following dimensions:

   • Back: 13 1/2 inches by 6 inches
   • Front: 9 inches by 6 inches
   • Roof: 7 1/2 inches by 6 inches
   • Sides: (2) 9 inches by 6 inches
   • Floor: 4 inches by 6 inches

   Tip

   Many home improvement stores will cut the wood for you if you do not have a miter or handsaw. 

2. Drill the Entrance Hole

   • Attach the 1 1/2-inch hole saw bit or 1 1/2-inch spade bit to your drill.
   • Drill the entrance 1 1/2-inch hole centered 6 inches above the bottom of the front board. This hole needs to be precise to allow enough room for the bird to enter through.
   • Set the front of the box aside.

   Tip

   A hole saw is easier to use and will give you a cleaner cut. 

3. Attach the Side Wall

   • Pre-drill two holes through the bottom end of the side, about 1/2 inch in from the sides and 3/8 inch from the bottom.
   • Attach the side board to the floorboard with two 1 1/4-inch exterior wood screws.

4. Attach the Front Wall

   • Flip the pieces over with the side you just attached to the left.
   • Place the front of the house on the assembled floor and the left side.
   • Pre-drill two holes on the bottom, about 1/2 inch in from the sides, and two holes on the left side 1 inch from the top and bottom.
   • Attach the front piece with two 1 1/4-inch exterior wood screws on the bottom and two on the side.
   • Leave the right side free. It will become the clean-out door.

5. Attach the Back

   • Flip the birdhouse so the front of the house is facing down.
   • Place the backboard on top, aligning the bottom and sides with the frame underneath.
   • Pre-drill and attach two screws on the bottom and side.

6. Slide in the Side Wall

   • Set the frame upright.
   • Slide in the remaining side piece. This piece will not be attached to the frame with screws but needs to be set in place to maintain spacing as you attach the roof.

7. Attach the Roof

   • Place the roof board on top.
   • Pre-drill and attach with the wood screws on the front and left side of the frame. No screws are needed on the right side where you slid in the side piece. 

8. Secure the Back

   Lay the birdhouse on its front to secure the roof through the back wall with two screws.

9. Attach the Hinge and Latch

   • Flip the house onto the side, with the unattached side facing up.
   • Center the hinge on the side board, making sure it catches the roof board. Attach with the small wood screws that come with the hinge. This hinge allows you to open and close the side wall so you can clean out the box after the birds have nested. 
   • Attach the hook and eye latch toward the bottom on the front or the back of the house.

Where to Put a Birdhouse to Attract Birds

There's no perfect time to put out a birdhouse, but it's important to hang or mount your birdhouse in the right spot and at the right height based on the birds you want to attract. Every type of bird prefers a slightly different habitat that affects the mounting of a birdhouse.

For example, bluebirds prefer their house 5 to 10 feet from the ground on a post facing an open field. A chickadee prefers a house 4 to 8 feet high in a small, dense thicket of trees. Many times the best way to mount a birdhouse is on a wood or metal pole to deter predators that have a hard time climbing a pole.