Open Air Birdhouse

This will be an instructable of how to create an open-air birdhouse to attract cardinals in your surrounding area. Majority of birdhouses are closed since birds prefer protection from the outside but cardinals prefer a home that is comfy, open, but covered by brush.

Supplies

Safety goggles

Gloves

16 screws

2x4 wood plank

Wood side floor siding (1 plank should be enough)

(2) 1/4"x10x10 plywood

Tools:

Drill

Tape Measure

Preferred electric saw

Pen for markings

Wood Glue/Liquid Nails

Step 1: Marking the Base

Using your tape measure, you will first want to mark an 8x8" square onto your plywood for your base.

If you wish to go bigger and/or smaller you have the ability to do so. Just make sure adjustments are made to the measurements.

Step 2: Cutting the Base

After marking out your 8x8" square onto your plywood, you then want to proceed to cut the square out.

For safety please use safety goggles and gloves for maximum safety and keep hands away from the electric saw at all times. Proceed to cut out the square which will leave your base.

Step 3: Creating the Siding

Once you have your base made you will then need to make your siding.

In order to do this, take your tape measure once again along with your wood floor siding and make four 6" pieces in order to go around your base.

This are cut a little bigger and will not fit right away as processes down the road will make sense to why they are all the same size.

Step 4: Support Beams

Using your 2x4 plank, you will first want to mark out four pieces that will equal 2 inches in length with a width of 1 3/8 inches.

Use your saw to cut these pieces out which will be used as beams for the roofing in the end.

Along with that you will also need to use your small piece of plywood to cut out four 4x2" pieces which will be planted on top of the beams to slant the roof.

Step 5: Roofing

The last type of cutting you will need to do is creating the roof.

You will more than likely be using your second piece of plywood here to create the roof. Mark a 10x8" by using your tape measure and marking material and proceed to cut this item out again.

Remember to use safety first!

Step 6: Assembling Support Beams

Using your drill and nails, attach your four support beams onto your base.

As seen in the picture above, be sure to leave some space on the sides for your siding that you cut out from the wood floor sidings.

Step 7: Attaching Sides

Once your four beams are in place, continue to use your sidings you cut out to attach to the beams.

Use your drill and screws to use a total of 8 screws in order to secure good sidings for your birdhouse.

Step 8: Roof Support

You will then need to get your four pieces of 4x2" plywood that you cut out and attach them onto two of the support beams symmetrical to each other as so.

This will create the slant needed when you attach your roofing.

Step 9: Additional Support

Although this step may not be entirely needed, it is more than recommended for maximum strength.

Using your liquid nails and/or wood glue you want to apply the tops of your beams as seen above.

This will make the roof more secure when attaching it.

Step 10: Attaching the Roof

Congratulations, you made it to the final step!

Using your 10x8" piece of plywood you cut out earlier, use two nails to screw into the two beams without the additional supports on top. This will use up the rest of your screws and once placed on top of the wood glue/liquid nails it will secure the front side.

You do not want to put additional screws in the front two beams as it will have the chance of splitting the wood entirely.

Make sure if you are to hang it, place it in an area surrounded by bushes, shrubs, and a lot of other camouflage areas as Cardinals like open homes that will be in the brush.