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How to Build a Birdhouse

Home/Resources/Power Tools & Workshop/Build a Birdhouse
PA
Written & researched by Priya Anand DIY & Tools Editor
Updated August 2026
Over-the-shoulder view of a person drilling into a timber board on a workbench, sawdust in the air, in soft overcast light

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A birdhouse is the classic first woodworking project — cheap, fast, and forgiving. You can build one from a single 1x6 cedar board in an afternoon for about 10 to 20 dollars, with just a saw, a drill, and a few screws. There is nothing structural or permitted about it. The details that actually matter for the birds are the entry-hole diameter (which selects the species and excludes pests), drainage and ventilation holes, and an easy-open panel for yearly cleaning. Skip the decorative perch — it isn’t needed and it helps predators.

How to Build a Birdhouse (This Old House)

Tools and materials

Wide environmental view of a person drilling into a timber board on a workbench, sawdust in the air, in warm late-afternoon light

Step 1: Cut the parts from one board

A basic box needs a front, a back (taller, for mounting), two sides, a floor, and a roof. A typical small box is about 5 to 6 inches square inside and 8 to 10 inches tall. Angle the tops of the side pieces so the roof sheds water. Cut the floor slightly smaller than the footprint so it recesses up between the walls, which keeps rain from wicking in.

Step 2: Drill the entry hole to spec

Bore the entry hole in the front piece, centered and set high — about 6 to 7 inches above the floor for most species. Size it to your target bird: 1-1/8 inch for chickadees and wrens, 1-1/2 inch for bluebirds. This single dimension determines who moves in and keeps starlings out. Do not add a perch below it.

Over-the-shoulder view of a person drilling into a timber board on a workbench, sawdust in the air, in warm late-afternoon light

Step 3: Add drainage and ventilation

Drill four 1/4-inch holes in the floor for drainage, and a couple of 1/4-inch holes or a small gap near the top of each side wall for ventilation. A sealed box overheats in summer sun; a wet box rots and chills eggs. These holes take one minute and make the box genuinely usable.

Step 4: Assemble with an opening panel

Glue and screw the sides to the back and front, then add the recessed floor. Make one side or the roof openable — hinge it, or fasten it with a single screw you can back out — so you can clean the box each fall. Rough up or score the inside of the front wall below the hole so fledglings can grip it to climb out.

Low-angle view of a person drilling into a timber board on a workbench, sawdust in the air, in soft overcast light

Step 5: Mount it right

Mount the box on a smooth metal pole (easier to protect from cats and raccoons than a tree), at the height your target species prefers — 4 to 6 feet for bluebirds — facing away from prevailing wind and harsh afternoon sun. Add a predator baffle on the pole if you can. Leave the interior unfinished; a light natural exterior color is fine.

Where to go next

If the birdhouse hooked you, a planter box or a cutting board is a great next small build, and a workbench makes every project easier. It all lives under the power tools and workshop hub.

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Straight Answers

Frequently Asked

What size entry hole should a birdhouse have?

Size the hole to the bird you want. A 1-1/8-inch hole suits chickadees and wrens; 1-1/4 inch fits nuthatches; 1-1/2 inch is right for bluebirds and tree swallows; and 1-1/2 to 1-9/16 inch suits house finches. The hole size is the main way to invite desirable birds and exclude larger, aggressive ones like starlings, which cannot fit through a 1-1/2-inch hole. Do not add a perch below the hole — it isn't needed and it helps predators. Cavity-nesting birds cling to the wood fine.

What wood is safe for a birdhouse?

Use untreated, rot-resistant wood — cedar and cypress are the standard, with pine as a cheaper option that weathers faster. Never use pressure-treated lumber (the chemicals aren't appropriate around nesting birds) and avoid plywood or particleboard, which delaminate outdoors. Leave the interior unpainted and unfinished; you can paint or seal the exterior in a light, natural color if you like, but keep all finish away from the entry hole and the inside. Rough or scored interior walls help fledglings climb out.

Does a birdhouse need ventilation and drainage?

Yes to both. Drill a few 1/4-inch drainage holes in the floor so any rain that gets in can escape, and add ventilation gaps or holes near the top of the side walls to release heat — a sealed box can cook nestlings in summer sun. Recess the floor about 1/4 inch up from the bottom edges of the walls so water can't wick in and pool. These small details are the difference between a birdhouse birds use and one they avoid.

How high should you mount a birdhouse?

It depends on the species: bluebird and swallow boxes go about 4 to 6 feet up on a post in open ground; wren and chickadee boxes work at 5 to 10 feet; and most do best facing away from prevailing wind and out of the hottest afternoon sun. Mount on a smooth metal pole with a baffle if you can, since poles are much harder for cats, raccoons, and snakes to climb than a tree trunk. Keep boxes away from busy feeders to reduce competition.

How do you clean a birdhouse?

Build in a way to open it — a hinged side or roof, or one screw-fastened panel — so you can clean it out once a year, ideally in late fall after nesting season ends. Remove the old nest, brush out debris, and let it air; a used box that isn't cleaned harbors parasites and mites that harm the next brood. Never use pesticides inside. Some people do a light rinse with a weak bleach solution and let it dry fully. An easy-open design is what makes annual cleaning actually happen.