Book Birdhouse

It’s springtime and Kerry Hammond is here to show us her latest craft for the season. And this one is literally for the birds. 

The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping and we’re seeing a lot more green. This put me in the mood to make a craft to honor the spring season.

Materials:

6-7 Hardcover books (I chose mysteries with a bird theme)

Mod Podge

Wood Glue

Paint Brush

Wooden dowel

Drill

Piece of scrap wood
Sandpaper

Jigsaw or handsaw

Step One: Drill the Bird’s Entry Hole & Perch

Once you figure out which book will be the front of your house, you need to drill an entry hole that the bird can go through. I used a 1” paddle drill bit and positioned the hole so as to not block any of the great graphics on my book cover. Drill straight through the book.

Using a drill bit that matches the size of your wooden dowel, drill a hole, only about 1/2“ deep just below your entry hole. This just needs to hold your dowel, which will serve as a perch.

NOTE: The Agatha Christie book I used for the front was a paperback. While it offered great cover art that a hardcover might not have, it also provided more of a challenge because a paperback is weaker than a hardcover. It didn’t withstand the drilling as well (see the tear near the right side of my hole). A paperback also warps more than a hardcover when you drill or cut into it.

Step Two: Mod Podge Your Pages

Rip out two pages from one of the larger books and set aside for later.

Most of your books will need to stay closed (except the roof) so I prefer to glue the pages. Using a paint brush, spread the Mod Podge over the three sides of each book where the pages are. I also painted the inside of the bird hole so those pages stayed together. Place heavy objects on your books to keep them closed tightly while the Mod Podge dries. Remember that it dries clear, so you don’t have to worry too much about excess.

Step Three: Mod Podge Your Roof

You also want the pages of your roof book, which will be open, to be secure. I opened the book halfway and painted the Mod Podge on half the book at a time, painting the same three edges and letting it dry before I moved the book and did the other side.

Step Four: Glue Your Base
Using wood glue, glue your two base books together. Lay something heavy on them while they sit overnight to dry.

Step Five: Glue your Sides to Your Base

Using wood glue, glue the four books together that will make up your house. Also glue these to your base. Let dry overnight.

Step Six: Starting Your Roof

Place the open book that will serve as your roof on top of your base. Adjust the roof book for the peak you want to have on your birdhouse. Once you decide on the peak, measure the triangle shaped hole that exists between your front book and the peak of the roof.

Using your jigsaw, cut two pieces of wood the same size as the triangle shaped hole. 

Using your two ripped out pages, glue them around your two triangles.

Step Seven: Finishing Your Roof
Put glue on all three sides of your triangle shaped wood pieces and place them into the holes created between your roof and the front and back books. This will glue the roof on as well.

Glue your perch in the small hole you drilled below your center hole on the front of the birdhouse.

Since this birdhouse is made of books, it’s not going to be waterproof. You can either get a really heavy duty shellac to spray on it or, if you still want to use it outside, place it somewhere that is covered and therefore protected from rain.