by Texas Homesteader ~
Did you know you can make TWO birdhouses using a single 8-foot long fence plank? It’s easy, there are only a few cuts and they’re so precise there’s very little waste of the wood. Bring the joy of birdwatching to your own backyard!
Can You Make A Birdhouse Out Of A Fence Plank?
Yes, you can actually make not only one, but TWO birdhouses from a single 6″ wide, 8-ft long fence plank.
Really, you don’t get any better than that!
What Kind Of Wood Do You Use For A Birdhouse?
You may wonder what kind of wood you should use for your homemade birdhouse. Fence planks come in different types of wood but the most common are pine and rough cedar.
For longevity, we prefer to use cedar. It’s said that cedar’s chemical properties not only repel most bugs, but is also naturally weather resistant as well.
Plus I prefer the look of a rough cedar birdhouse.
What Cuts Do I Make For My Fence Plank Birdhouse?
There are only a few cuts you need to make in an 8-ft fence plank to make two birdhouses. The graphic below is half a plank to show the easy cuts for each birdhouse.
(But remember you’ll be able to make TWO birdhouses from one full plank!)
Cuts To Make For Each Birdhouse
Below is a list of cuts to make for each birdhouse:
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(2) 7¼” – Front & Back of Birdhouse (then cut 45 degree angles on the top of these two pieces to form roof peak)
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(3) 8¼” – 1 bottom board, 2 roof boards
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(2) 4¼” – Sides
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Stack your cut pieces together and prepare to assemble your birdhouse.
Can I Use Old Worn Fence Planks To Make A Birdhouse?
You can absolutely use fence planks from an old fence to make your birdhouses. It lends a rustic look to your birdhouse and is one of the best examples of #UseWhatchaGot!
Plus oftentimes you can pick up old weathered fence planks for free from a neighbor who’s replacing their fence.
Try to find fence planks that have no added chemicals such as paint or stain. And make sure there are no splits down the length of the board.
Keep in mind as well that boards without soft or rotted edges will be easier to work with.
You may have to tweak the cuts to work around possible decay at the ends of the boards but the results will still be beautiful and rustic!
How Long Will Untreated Cedar Wood Last Outside?
Cedar wood seems to last longer than pine or other wood options. It’s general-accepted knowledge that untreated cedar can last between 15 and 30 years!
That’s a lot of mileage from your homemade birdhouse.
What Kinds Of Birds Will Nest In A Birdhouse?
Not every breed of bird will use a birdhouse to build their nest. But there are many different kinds of birds that will enjoy the shelter of your homemade birdhouse:
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Bluebirds
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Wrens
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House Finches
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Swallows
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Nuthatches
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Chickadees
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House Wrens
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…and more!
Enjoy the cheerful chatter of all the birds that will visit your yard to enjoy the birdhouse you made for them!
What Sized Hole Should I Drill In My Birdhouse?
The size of the hole in a birdhouse is said to draw different species of birds.
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1½” – Bluebird, Tree Swallow
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1¼” – Chickadee, Nut Hatch, Warbler, Wren
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2″ – House Finch
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2½” – Purple Martins
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I’d say this doesn’t have to be exact though. We drilled a 1¾” hole in our birdhouse and we immediately had a family of bluebirds build their nest in our birdhouse, lay eggs and hatch their babies!
A couple of weeks after the babies left the nest we cleaned out the old nesting material and now bluebirds are building in that same birdhouse again. 🙂
~TxH~
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As always, I enjoy reading your posts. Co-incidentally, when we moved from Washington state back to Oregon we were working on spiffing up the house and the yard getting it ready to sell. The birdman pulled down an aging cedar fence and brought the boards with us to the “ranch” where he then turned them into bird houses – specific to the needs of the migratory swallows that come here to nest every year. Bird watching is such a rewarding experience, and the swallows eat their weight in insects. As you would say it’s a “win win” endeavor. Thanks for your posts!
I love your story Candace. We don’t have many wood fences around here but if I do find some I’d love to make a rustic birdhouse with weathered fence planks too. I’m suddenly completely enamored with the wild birds and wanting to draw them to our yard as much as possible. I love their singing, their entertainment and the different variety coming to our yard. I find myself wanting to put birdhouses up all around me! I’ll have to look up migratory swallow specifics for birdhouses, that would be right up my alley! Thanks for stopping by, dear friend. ~TxH~