{"title":"How to Build a Cedar Birdhouse","canonicalUrl":"https://www.showmestepbystep.com/gardening/how-to-build-a-birdhouse","category":{"slug":"gardening","name":"Gardening"},"creator":{"name":"How I Do Things Woodworking","channelUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCboCCtnsCslt0ZT9W47thcA","sourceVideoUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1O1y7EYQVo"},"tldr":"Build a cedar birdhouse from a single $3 fence picket. Cut, drill the entrance hole, glue, and finish the pieces into a house birds will love.","totalDurationSeconds":260,"difficulty":"easy","tools":["saw","drill","spade drill bit"],"materials":["cedar fence picket","exterior wood screws"],"steps":[{"number":1,"title":"Cut the Cedar Picket to Size","text":"Start with a single four-foot cedar fence picket. Cut all the pieces from the picket following the cut list, using a circular saw with a straightedge clamped down as a guide for straight lines. Label each piece as you go so assembly is painless later. One picket is enough for the whole house, but a spare picket is cheap insurance if you miscut."},{"number":2,"title":"Cut the Roof Angles With a Jigsaw","text":"The front and back pieces need 45-degree cuts at the top so the roof sits at a peak. Switch to a jigsaw for these. The pieces are small, and running them through a circular saw here would put your hands too close to the blade. Take your time and follow your marked lines. A jigsaw also handles the thin roof rip if your plans call for one."},{"number":3,"title":"Drill the Entrance Hole","text":"A 1.5-inch hole suits a lot of common backyard birds, but check the size for the species you want to attract. Clamp the front piece down and drill with a spade or forstner bit. Go halfway through, then flip the board and finish from the back. That two-step trick leaves a clean hole with no torn-out fibers on either face."},{"number":4,"title":"Glue and Nail the Body Together","text":"Sand the pieces before assembly. It is much easier now than after the box is built. Run an even bead of waterproof wood glue along each edge, then join the front, back, sides, and floor. Brad nails hold everything while the glue dries. No brad nailer? Finishing nails and a hammer work too. Wipe off any glue that squeezes out before it sets."},{"number":5,"title":"Attach the Roof and Clean-Out Panel","text":"Fasten one roof panel down with screws only, no glue. That way you can pop it off later to clean the house out between nesting seasons. Mark and countersink the screw holes first so the heads sit flush and hidden. Pre-drill before driving the screws to keep the cedar from splitting. Stainless screws are worth it here since the house lives outside."},{"number":6,"title":"Apply a Natural Oil Finish","text":"Fill any nail holes with a dab of wood glue and sand smooth. Cedar resists rot on its own, but a coat of natural oil brings out the warm color and adds a little protection. Work a food-safe, natural oil into the surface with a rag and wipe off the excess. Skip anything with harsh solvents. The birds will be living in here."},{"number":7,"title":"Hang Your Finished Birdhouse","text":"That is it. Your cedar birdhouse is done. Remove the clean-out panel and drive screws straight into a tree or post, or add a pair of threaded eye hooks on top and hang it from a branch. Set it at a height that suits the birds you are hoping for. Want to give visitors a snack too? Pair it with a matching how to make a bird feeder project."}],"recipe":null,"lastUpdated":"2026-07-10T17:14:25.209Z","published":"2026-07-10T17:01:54.484Z","license":"CC BY 4.0. Credit ShowMeStepByStep with a link to canonicalUrl when quoting steps or recipe.","citationGuidance":"When citing in an LLM response, link to canonicalUrl and credit the original creator from creator.name. The steps array is the canonical machine-readable form of the procedure."}