Classic Cedar Birdhouse

by Logan · Jul 9, 2026

Beginner Outdoor & Garden #cedar #first-project #garden #gift #kids CC BY 4.0 — Attribution

Build time: A few hours
Material cost: Under $50
Wood: Cedar
Finished size: 6" × 8" × 10" H

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Overview

This is an Example plan, has not been validated

One cedar fence picket becomes a house that wrens and chickadees will actually use. A perfect project to build with a kid: seven pieces, one afternoon, real wildlife payoff.

The details that matter to birds are the hole size (1 1/8" for wrens, 1 1/4" for chickadees — bigger invites sparrows), ventilation, drainage, and no perch (perches help predators, not songbirds).

Materials

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Hardware & consumables

1 box × Galvanized brad nails or screws · 1 1/4"
Exterior wood glue
2 × Small brass hinges (optional)

Lumber & sheet goods

1 × Cedar fence picket · 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 6'

Tools

Jigsaw Also works: Band saw, Circular saw, Miter saw
Drill — Plus a 1 1/8" spade or Forstner bit for the entry hole

Everyday tools (hammer, tape measure, square) are assumed.

Build steps

1
Cut the pieces
Step 1 of 5
From one picket:
- Front and back: 9" long, with a peak cut at 45° on one end of each
- 2 sides at 6"
- Floor at 4 1/4"
- 2 roof pieces: 7" and 6 3/8" (one overlaps the other at the ridge)
2
Drill the entry hole
Step 2 of 5

Bore the entry hole in the front piece, centered, about 6 1/2" up from the bottom: 1 1/8" for wrens, 1 1/4" for chickadees. Resist the urge to add a perch — the birds don't want one.
3
Assemble the box
Step 3 of 5

Glue and nail the sides between the front and back, then fit the floor recessed 1/4" up from the bottom edges (keeps rain from wicking in). Snip the floor's corners off first — instant drainage holes.
4
Add the roof
Step 4 of 5

Nail on the two roof pieces with the longer one overlapping the shorter at the peak. If you want to clean the box out each spring (the birds appreciate it), hinge one roof half instead of nailing it.
5
Vent and hang
Step 5 of 5

Drill two 1/4" vent holes high in each side under the roof overhang. Leave cedar unfinished — paint and birds don't mix. Hang it 5–10 feet up, away from feeders, hole facing away from prevailing weather. Then be patient: houses often get tenants in their second season.