Cedar birdhouse

How to make it

1. 

   1

   Cut the pieces

   Cut a 4 in floor, 2 sides at 9 in, a 9 in front, a 12 in back and an 8 in roof.

2. 

   2

   Drill the entry hole

   Drill a 1 1/8 in hole in the front, centered and 6 in up from the bottom. That size welcomes wrens and chickadees and keeps out bigger birds.

3. 

   3

   Prep the floor and vents

   Snip 1/4 in off each floor corner for drainage. Drill two 1/4 in vent holes near the top of each side.

4. 

   4

   Build the box

   Nail one side to the floor's edge. Nail the front and back onto the edges of the floor and the fixed side, bottoms flush.

5. 

   5

   Hang the door

   Set the other side in place without glue. Drive one nail through the front and one through the back near its top so it pivots. Add a third nail low on the front as a pull-out latch.

6. 

   6

   Attach the roof

   Nail the roof onto the fixed side and the front, tight against the taller back. Keep nails out of the door side so it still swings.

7. 

   7

   Hang it up

   Screw the back to a post or tree 5 to 10 ft up. Skip the perch, since predators use it, not wrens.