Fence Picket Bird House

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The Backyard Buzz boys created a fun, rustic fence picket bird house for one of our customers recently. The bird house was designed to match a rustic dog house that is part of the memorial garden at Vintage Paws Sanctuary. Check out the how-to video on The Backyard Buzz Show. Want to make a similar bird house at home?  Watch the how to video or scroll down for a list of tools and materials along with step by step instructions. Don’t forget to like Backyard Buzz us on facebook to learn about the Buzz Boys latest project.

Tools:

• electric or cordless drill with screw bit
• electric or cordless circular saw and blades
• paint brush

Supplies:

• Re-purposed fence pickets (ours are 5/8″ x 4″ x 72″)
• 2×2’s for frame work (can substitute 1×2’s)
• Metal sheeting (approximately 2’x2′) (we used scrap corrugated roof panel)
• 1 1/4″ & 2″ screws
• Wood glue
• Liquid nail
• Varnish or paint

Cuts:

• Cut 2×2’s into 4 pieces each of the following lengths: 5″, 9″ & 12″ an 1 at 11″ long.
• Cut 12 pieces of fence picket 12″ long each and 1 at 6″ long. Cut 2 additional pieces for gable roof ends approximately 8″ long. (these will later be cut into a triangle shape to fill the gable end)
• cut 2 pieces of sheet metal 6″x 13″ and one piece 4″ x 14″ for decorative top piece
• optional for decorative edge: cut 3 additional 12″ lengths of fence picket and rip in half with circular saw
• optional for step: cut 2 pieces of 4″ fence 1 & 1/2″ wide and 1 at 2: wide.

Assembly:

• Using 2″ screws and wood glue assemble front frame wall by creating a “box” using 2 of the 12″ 2×2’s for the top and bottom plates and 2 of the 9″ 2×2’s for the upright side pieces. Do the same with the remaining 12″ & 9″ pieces for the back wall
• connect the front and back walls using the 4 pieces of 5″ 2×2’s, wood glue and 2″ screws.
• Using wood glue and 1 1/4″ screws, starting on the bottom attach 3 pieces of 12″ fence picket horizontally to the base of the frame “box”. Be sure to allow overhang on front and back for perch.
• Add 12″ fence picket pieces vertically to all sides starting on back corner and working around all four sides. Do not attach a 12″ piece to the front center. You will use your 6″ piece here attaching from the top of the front wall leaving a 6″ opening at the bottom.
• Optional: You can give the bird house more of a rustic feel by adding 2″ vertical strips of the 12″ pickets where each picket meets, covering the crack.
• Optional: You can add a step to the front opening using the optional 4″ x 1 1/2″ fence picket pieces
• Roof: Using the remaining 11″ 2×2, two triangle cut fence picket sections, 2″ screws and wood glue to create the roof peak.
• Add one sheet of 6″ metal to each side of the roof peak using 1 1/4 screws.
• Bend the 4″ metal in half the long way to create a “v”.  attach over the existing metal roof to cover screws and any possible gap using liquid nails. Secure with string tied around bird house top to bottom until dries
• Stain or paint