What is an easy way to build a birdhouse?

An easy method for building a birdhouse can be found on Popular Mechanics. This project is suitable for builders as young as 12 with adult supervision.

This method for building a birdhouse takes a couple of hours. It makes a 10 3/4 by 8 1/2 by 7 1/2-inch birdhouse.

1. Purchase materials

The first step is to buy wood, nails, a dowel and paint. An 8-foot board will produce two birdhouses. Cedar and redwood are good woods to use, as they are weather-resistant. The wood should be untreated.

2. Cut the wood

Cut two 9-by-7 1/4-inch pieces of wood. Make two 45-degree cuts from the center of the top of the pieces to the edge. Cut the sidepieces as 5 1/2-by-5 1/2 inches. They will be slightly shorter than the roof to allow air to circulate. Cut the roof pieces and the bottom. Next, drill a hole for the entrance 4 inches down from the top of the birdhouse.

3. Put the house together

Assemble the pieces for the sides and bottom together with glue. Finish securely with a few nails. Drill a small hole under the entrance and insert the dowel for a perch.

4. Paint and decorate

Paint the house and the roof separately. After they dry, glue and nail them together.

The birdhouse can now be put up. Hooks on the roof will allow it to be hung from a tree.