We bought a new house! Well, actually two new houses—though these are for the birds. We picked up a pair of inexpensive birdhouses and decided to turn them into sturdy, weather-ready homes for feathered visitors. With spring migration and nesting season approaching, now is the perfect time to get birdhouses ready so songbirds can find safe, dry places to roost and raise young. Plus, a few insect-eating guests will help keep mosquitoes in check around the yard.
When we first bought the birdhouses, they were charming in a bargain-store way but obviously not built to last. The frames were thin, porous balsa wood and the woven roofs were more decorative than waterproof. We wanted something that would stand up to rain, wind, and time, so we set out on a simple DIY birdhouse makeover using materials we already had on hand.
To reinforce the structures, we glued and clamped the weak joints, then strengthened the interior with small braces so the boxes would hold together through changing weather. For roofing, we swapped out the fragile woven tops for leftover roofing tiles, cutting them to size and securing them with a strong adhesive. A coat of durable, all-weather exterior paint not only improved the look but added another layer of protection against moisture and UV damage. Finally, we drilled a small hole in the back of each house so they could hang securely on a nail or hook, set directly into a tree or mounted on a post.
The result is a pair of birdhouses that are not only more attractive but functional and weatherproof. Reinforced joints and a sealed roof will keep nest materials dry and protect eggs and chicks from the elements. Hanging the houses a few feet off the ground, sheltered from prevailing winds and with some nearby perches, will make them more inviting to small cavity-nesting birds.
Here are a few practical tips that helped during our birdhouse makeover and that can increase the chances of attracting insect-eating birds to your yard:
- Paint the exterior with non-toxic, water-based exterior paint to protect the wood while avoiding harmful fumes. Lighter colors reflect heat and keep the interior cooler in summer.
- Make sure the entrance hole size suits the species you hope to attract—smaller holes for chickadees and wrens, larger holes for bluebirds. Appropriate hole size helps keep larger predators and competitors away.
- Provide a drainage hole in the floor and small ventilation gaps near the roof to keep nests dry and maintain airflow without letting rain in.
- Mount the birdhouses at the proper height for target species and position them away from busy human activity. A clear flight path to the entrance is important.
- Place birdhouses near natural foraging areas like trees, shrubs, and flowering plants that attract insects. A healthy insect population makes your yard more appealing to insectivorous birds.
- Clean out old nesting material after the breeding season to reduce parasites and make the house ready for new occupants next year.
We’re excited to see which feathered tenants will check in. Having two homes gives us a better chance of attracting different species and offers more room for neighbors. For now, we’ll keep them hung and watch patiently—nature often rewards a little preparation and some well-placed shelter with delightful bird visitors and quieter summer evenings.