This stylish DIY is truly for the birds!

Carson Arthur demonstrates how to make a colourful and foolproof birdhouse that will bring all the birds to your yard.

Calling all bird lovers! When we think of bird houses, we often think of the basic mini wooden home with a bird-sized hole and maybe a little porch. But it’s 2014, and your birdhouse needs an upgrade. We’re thinking colour, some depth, and maybe even a whole new design! We don’t mean constructing a bird mansion, but why not get creative?! To help get the creative juices flowing, we called in Carson Arthur to make his very own DIY birdhouse. Here’s how to make the most stylish birdhouse on the block.

  1. Go to your local craft store (Michaels is great), and purchase a few little birdhouses. Some can be larger and some can be smaller—it’s all up to you!
  2. Pick up your favourite outdoor wood stains. If you want to keep the backyard consistent design-wise, choose colours that will go with your home.
  3. Lay out the birdhouses in the order you want each to attach to one another—like a blueprint. This will leave you the option to change it around as much as you’d like.
  4. Take a picture. You will have to separate the houses to paint them, so a photo will be helpful when you’re putting everything back together.
  5. Paint the birdhouses to your liking. Be sure to NOT paint the back of the houses to maintain air flow within the birdhouse.
  6. Use an outdoor wood glue (Carson recommends Gorilla Glue) to bind the houses together. Remember to refer to your phone for the placement!
  7. Place straw around the outline of the birdhouse. The birds will recognize this as familiar territory and will likely choose your new residence as a home for the year.

For Carson’s full video demonstration, check out his segment below:

Courtesy of Carson Arthur

www.carsonarthur.com

@carsonarthur