Bird house / feeder, cedar or plywood with a great coating ??

Forget plywood. Stay with cedar, white oak, Red wood something like that.

Thanks Bob. What finish do I use?

And add shotgun for the squirrels.

Lots of rustic "charm" still left in that original!

I'm with Bob, basically avoid the plywood, it never ends well.

No outdoor finish, especially coatings, ever survives long before looking ratty. Cedar is great as it "turns" rather quickly then remains stable for a long time.

Some oils line Penofin can help maintain the color for a while if maintained, but the feathered flocks may not be as happy until the odor and any film disappear.

You could use TBIII glue for a good hold, but IMO small non-ferrous screws (brass, stainless, etc.) would last a lot longer and allow for easy repair down the road if angry birds start knocking on the windows.

I km ale feeder and bird houses from cedar. I use so km e screws and Gorilla glue.

I'll offer a different path. It's how I treat birdhouses. Especially of the design your Mom has now. Something like that takes an hour, to an afternoon to make. So I use whatever I like, or have on hand, and just build another after the last one goes lights out.

I like the way that bird feeder looks. Keep fixing it
Very whimsical and charming

I see you live in Cypress country. I would use that or western red cedar. Third might be white oak. Exterior ply wood will work if you seal and paint it. If Mom is artistic she can decorate a painted feeder with painted designs or decals. Make a couple of bird houses while you are at it…LOL

I have found that putting a metal roof covering on the wood roof extends the life of this type of thing considerably. Check with a roofing company or gutter installer for scraps of metal that is painted. The gutter installers often form their cutters from a roll of pre finished metal on the work site and probably have scraps for free.

The only finish that would stand up for more than a couple of years is exterior house paint with a good primer base. Cauk all the joints against water first. Should last 10 years or more.

Marine grade plywood. I used to live in Miami and had a flat platform feeder for the wild parrots that lasted years. They are hilarious to watch.

Thanks everyone for the help.

Late to see. But I would just use cedar, it will hold up to the weather. No finish really needed, and a quick build so not worth finishing.