DIY An Adorable Birdhouse By Reusing An Extra Plastic Nursery Pot

If the thought of birds flocking to your yard fills you with joy, make it a reality with the power of upcycling. The next time you buy a plant at a local nursery, save its plastic pot and turn it into a birdhouse. These pots are lightweight, weather resistant, and surprisingly sturdy. Before choosing a pot and other materials, decide which types of birds you want to nest in your yard. You'll need a container that's the right size for your target species, plus an entrance hole that welcomes them while deterring pests. If you make the front of your birdhouse from wood, you can cut an entrance hole that's just the right size.

Invasive sparrows often take over nesting boxes, so make the door to your birdhouse unappealing to them. An entrance hole smaller than 1 ¼ inches across will discourage these birds from entering, especially if the house is relatively small. Designing a home for species that need a tinier entrance hole is wise. One option is the bright yellow prothonotary warbler, which will accept a hole that's 1 ⅛ inches wide.

The other dimensions of your birdhouse depend on the species you'd like to attract. For example, a prothonotary warbler needs a home that's 8 inches deep and has at least 25 square inches of floor space for nesting. These nesting boxes should be positioned 4 to 12 feet from the ground and within 16 feet of a water source. Place the birdhouse at least 100 feet from any buildings to help keep house sparrows away. To learn about birdhouse design and placement for other species, consult a resource such as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Other than a plant pot, you'll need two pieces of wood to make your upcycled birdhouse. The first piece of wood should be round. Make sure its diameter matches that of the pot's opening so it fits snugly inside. The second piece of wood gets affixed to the pot's bottom. It should be roughly the same size as the base of the pot, but it doesn't have to be the same shape. This piece makes the birdhouse easy to nail to a tree or fence, which can help you attract more songbirds to your garden.

You may be able to find pre-cut wood pieces at a bargain retailer. For example, the circular version of the Crafter's Square plywood hanging DIY sign that Dollar Tree carries would fit a pot whose opening is 11 ⅞ inches across. Consider sealing the wood with tung oil to protect it from the elements. Hope's 100% pure tung oil is one option. Also purchase glue that's waterproof, non-toxic, and devoid of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — Weldbond non-toxic multi-surface glue, for example. Since the pot's sides are tapered, they should hold the wooden circle in place when you push it into the opening. For extra stability, line the circle's outer edge with glue before inserting it in the pot. You can also use this glue to stick your other piece of wood to the pot's base. Want to make an even sturdier version of this birdhouse? Use a clay plant pot instead of a plastic one. YouTuber @MassoudMakes has a video that shows how to do it.