Mosaic Birdhouse

You aren’t the only one trying to avoid the sweltering summer heat—birds could also use a shaded spot to nest and stay cool! So why not create your own colorful custom birdhouse to both provide them a habitat and decorate your yard with? As intricate as this project appears, it’s surprisingly simple to assemble, and you’ll love showing off the results just as much as feathered friends will love cozying up inside it.

Materials:

• Drop cloth or newspaper
• Three 8½ x 6 in. rectangular wood pieces
• Two 7¼ x 6 in. wood pieces (cut into a five-sided house shape)
• Two 4¼ x 6 in. rectangular wood pieces
• Hammer
• Nails
• Power drill and 1½ in. drill bit
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• Protective eyewear
• 5–10 colorful square tiles
• Tile adhesive
• Tile grout
• Cloth
• Craft paint (optional)
• Paintbrush (optional)

Directions:

• 1. Lay an 8½-inch piece of wood sideways on the drop cloth or newspaper. Using the hammer, nail one of the 7¼-inch pieces to the flat side of it. Flip the pieces so the 7¼-inch one is pointing upward, then nail the two 4¼-inch wood pieces to each side of it to form an open box. Set aside.
  2. With the drill and 1½-inch bit, drill a hole toward the top of the other 7¼-inch piece for birds to fly in and out of. Sand the rough edges of the hole with the sandpaper.
  3. Nail the freshly drilled piece onto the front side of the box shape to close it.
  4. Lean one of the remaining 8½-inch wood pieces lengthwise against one side of the house, and nail to secure it. Repeat with the last 8½-inch wood piece to form the roof.
  5. Put on your protective eyewear. With the hammer, break up the tiles into small pieces. Using the tile adhesive, glue the pieces to the roof about half an inch apart. Once dry, fill in the spaces between the pieces with the tile grout, and let dry again.
  6. When the grout has hardened, dampen the cloth and wipe off any excess. Then paint the rest of the wood, if desired, and let the paint dry.
  7. Nail the birdhouse onto a tall wooden post to place in your yard, or hang it from a tree.