BirdHouse Plans (Easy One-Board DIY Project)

Below are simple, free birdhouse plans that can be used to attract bluebirds, swallows, chickadees, nuthatches, warblers, woodpeckers, wrens, and other birds to your backyard or garden. This simple DIY birdhouse (nest box) can be made from a single board and requires only a few tools to assemble.  Find more free bird houses plans or discover more birdhouses and bird feeders.

Easy DIY Birdhouse plans to attract bluebirds, swallows, chickadees, nuthatches, warblers, woodpeckers, wrens, and other birds to your backyard or garden.

Materials and Equipment Needed to Build Birdhouse

  • Wood: 1″ x 6″ x 5′ (2.5cm x 15cm x 150cm)
  • Screws: Approximately 1.5″ (4cm) long
  • Power drill
  • Hand saw
  • Drill bit to match appropriate entrance hole size

Step 1. Cut the board using the birdhouse plans below.

Cut the 1×6 board as shown in the images below. Optionally sand all pieces smooth. Personally, I am using cedar. However, pine would also make a great choice.

DIY Birdhouse plans Dimensions
DIY Birdhouse plans (Click to enlarge)
Front of birdhouse (Click to enlarge)
Front of birdhouse (Click to enlarge)

Birdhouse pieces cut and ready for assembly

Step 2. Drill the entrance hole for the birdhouse.

Drill a hole for the entrance using either a spade bit or forsnter drill bit. The plan above specifies a 1.5″ hole 4″ off the floor.  A 1.5″ entrance hole is the optimum diameter for bluebirds and tree swallows. However, chickadees, nuthatches, warblers, woodpeckers, and wrens will also gladly make this their home. See Bird House Hole Size if you want to attract a specific bird.

Drill the entrance hole for the bird house

Step 3:  Pre-drill the holes.

Drill pilot holes to help prevent the wood from splitting. Ideally this hole should be at least as large as the screw’s minor diameter.

Pre-drill holes for screws

Step 4: Assemble the sides and floor of the birdhouse.

Use a combination of glue and screws to attach the back to the floor of the birdhouse.  A waterproof wood glue will help extend the life of the birdhouse.  Repeat this process with the sides and front of the birdhouse. Personally, I recommend using trim screws as shown below.  The smaller screw head is less obvious and helps prevent the wood from splitting.  If you pre-drill the holes, these screws will countersink themselves nicely because the head is not much larger than the pilot hole. Consider adding a perch to your birdhouse.

Glue joints before inserting screws.

Trim screws have a smaller head than regular screws.

Step 5. Assemble the roof of the birdhouse

Attach the two panels of the roof together.  Note the width of one of the top panels on the roof is 3/4″ less than the other panel.   When fastened together (as shown below) this will make the overhang the same on both sides. Attach the roof to the birdhouse using only screws. So that it can be later opened for cleaning. Find other ways to add a clean out door to this birdhouse.

Drill several 1/4″ holes in the floor for drainage.

Assemble the roof of the birdhouse.

Step 6. Paint or finish your birdhouse.

In my case, I applied a linseed-oil.  This finish helps accentuate the grain and helps make the wood more resistant to damage.

Paint or apply a finish to your birdhouse.

Step 7.  Hang or mount your birdhouse.

Mount your birdhouse and see which bird will call your habitat home. See How to Hang a Birdhouse for the recommended mounting height for various birds. Your new birdhouse should provide you excitement for many seasons to come.

Enjoy your birdhouse for seasons to come.

Building a birdhouse can be fun family project. Furthermore, a birdhouse will help encourage neighborhood birds to move in and raise families in your backyard.  Hence providing you and your garden natural pest control.

Related Articles on Bird Houses, Bird Feeders & More

 
 

Use these free DIY bird house plans and bird feeder plans to attract bluebirds, chickadees, flickers, finches, house sparrows, hummingbirds, kestrel, nuthatches, owls, purple martins, swallows, thrushes, warblers, woodpeckers, wrens, and other birds to your garden.