Scavenger Chic

Junky Pallet Wood Birdhouse

• By Joan
• December 21, 2015
• 6 Comments

Can you believe Christmas is this week?  Back in November when the stores first started to play their Christmas carols, it was like, seriously? Aren’t you rushing the season just a bit?  But now I find myself singing along to all the old favorites.

Part of the problem is that in November you’re just reminded over and over how much there is to be done over the next couple of months.  I couldn’t be thinking of Christmas in November, I had a Thanksgiving feast for 18 to prepare.

But now that the decorating is done, the presents are mostly bought (there always seems to be one last person) and the menu is planned, I can finally put my feet up and relax. Oh, wait a minute, I still have to clean the bathrooms.

Speaking of gifts…I hope I’ve given you a bit of diy inspiration over the last couple of weeks for you or your kids. Last week I promised you just one more project that kids can make to give their aunts, uncles and grandparents for Christmas.  When I say kids, you may be thinking the younger age group but I’m thinking teens for this project.

For this project you can use any scrap wood you have laying around that has been sitting out in the weather a bit too long.  Think pallet wood, barn wood or fence boards.

Start by cutting 2 pieces of your wood to the exact same length. Here I used the wider plank pallet wood. These will be your front and back.  Mine were about 16″ in length but feel free to make a taller or shorter birdhouse.

On those two pieces of wood, mark the center at the top and about 6″ down on each side.  What you’re making is a roof line.

Draw a line from the center point down to each to the marks you made on the sides of the planks of wood and cut.

I started to drill out my birdy hole but my drill died.  While my battery was charging, I picked out the rusty bling I wanted to accent my house.

When my boys made their houses, my collection of rust wasn’t nearly as big.  It was kind of fun to pick out some rust the birdies would like.

Cut two more pieces of wood for the sides.  Since I didn’t have any more wide plank pallets, I switched over to some old fence planks.

The wood for the sides will be about 3/4″ longer than the straight side you cut for the front.  The straight side excludes the roof angle.  

My drill was charged just enough to bore a few holes.  The birdy hole uses a 1 inch drill bit.

While the birdhouse is still unassembled, use this opportunity to drill or attach any of the rusty bits you picked out earlier. 

Remember how the side was just a bit longer than the straight side?  That was because we’re going to miter the edge.

Don’t have a miter saw? Just cut the side boards the same length as the straight side…the roof  should hide the cut.

With a nail gun or just a hammer and finishing nails, start attaching your four walls together.

The roof is 4 more pieces of pallet wood cut about an inch wider than the house.

Three of the roofing pieces were straight cuts.  The fourth piece (top right) has a mitered edge so that it fits against the other side of the roof.

The roof was also attached with finishing nails.

A leftover piece of spindle was sliced in half to give a little architectural detail to the sides.  This too, was nailed into place.

Finish off the birdhouse with a base.  If you don’t  have a piece of wood wide enough, a couple of planks pieced together will work great.

This was one of the original birdhouses my boys made years ago. I think I like theirs better.  That’s a railroad spike being used as the perch.

Knowing how much I like birdhouses, my second son surprised me with this one while he was away at college.

This is what you can make if you don’t have a miter saw, nail gun or drill.  He found the boards behind his apartment from a falling down fence and thought of me. Armed with only a handsaw, a hammer and nails this is what he came up with.  All the board cuts are straight cuts and the hole was made by hammering a nail in a circle shape.  The perch is just a simple nail.

If you’re feeling really ambitious, I shared these 2 birdhouses from a trip to an antique mall last December.

Have a very Merry Christmas and stay inspired.

Shared at Funky Junks Party Junk, Metamorphosis Monday, Inspire me Tuesday,

Be Inspired Tuesday, Wow us Wednesdays, The DIY Collective,

Amaze me Monday,

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