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

1K views 12 replies 11 participants last post by  EricFai 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Good morning from muggy Florida,

I am a terrible son. Looking around for my next small project, I noticed my mothers bird feeder looked (at best) rotten and dilapidated. It actually has been re-assembled several times. I would like to use some on hand stuff but may have to end up buying cedar.

So my question is, can coated plywood or pine last outdoors as long as cedar. Does fiberglass resin on it's own work well as a coating?

Also, any other bird house tips will be greatly appreciated, glue vs screws vs?, what type of joint.

I am probably over thinking it and should just go build the thing.

Thanks for any help.

Donny
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#5 ·
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.
 
#7 ·
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.
 
#9 ·
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.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
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.

- therealSteveN
I'm with Steven on this. I've made a lot of bird feeders and just using pine, some finishing nails and screws, stain and polyurethane they last for years. They only take a couple hours to make so when they reach the end, they are easy to replace. I even use that same style.

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