DIY A Stunning Birdhouse For Feathered Friends In Your Yard Using An Old Boot
Whether you'd love to attract more bird activity to your yard or you need a way to bring new life to an old boot, this DIY birdhouse using a repurposed boot is worth the time and effort it takes to assemble. Even if it's not necessarily the best birdhouse for your yard in every circumstance, it may well be your best birdhouse option if you've got a spare leather boot and a few pieces of wood.
With affordable materials and plenty of opportunities to incorporate your own personal flair, this project is ideal for anyone creating a wildlife-friendly outdoor space with a Western or rustic style. From robins and wrens to bluebirds and chickadees, many bird species make use of birdhouses. With habitat fragmentation plaguing wildlife everywhere, every bit of support helps sustain these beautiful animals. Pair the birdhouse with a birdbath and a well-maintained feeder, and you've created a complete avian oasis.
To create your own boot birdhouse, you'll need scissors, wood screws, a drill, and some 1-inch-thick wood. Pine or cedar works well. You'll also need a saw for cutting the wood into the appropriate sizes. Grab a pair of leather boots from the back of your closet or at your local thrift store, and let's get started.
Options for creating a boot birdhouse
There are several directions you can take in your creation of a boot birdhouse. Start by selecting the boot you'd like to use and consider the best type of birdhouse for your yard. You can use any leather boot. Genuine leather is excellent for standing up to the elements, making it ideal for the exterior of your feathered friends' new home.
Once you've selected your boot, decide what material you'd like to use for the roof. If you have access to scrap sheet metal, you can easily repurpose it for this project. Wood is another great option for creating a protective and stylish roof. Before you begin assembly, add your own personal flair to the appearance of your boot and roof. You can use paint, stains, glitter, or any other craft materials to make the birdhouse your own. Keep your exterior decor in mind and design the perfect addition to your home.
There are a couple of different ways you can assemble a boot birdhouse — the key difference lies in whether you add interior framing and hang the house or whether you mount the boot on an exterior frame and nail the mounted house on a tree or post. The route you choose will depend on the type of boot you are working with, your available materials, and your preferred style. Both ways require a bit of woodworking and simple fastening, and both are beginner friendly.
How to make a boot birdhouse
One route for assembling this project is to repurpose a tall leather boot into a hanging birdhouse with an interior frame. Begin by cutting a quarter-sized hole into the side of the boot, about midway to the top. This is the hole that your birds will use to access the birdhouse, so adjust the size if you have specific local species in mind.
Next, build the frame by placing two wooden boards inside of the boot. Measure two additional inches above the end of the boot and cut the boards. Make sure to cut one end of each board at a 45-degree angle so they can support the eventual roof. Then, cut two spacers that will allow the boards to fit snugly within the boot. Drill the frame together with the spacers between your first two boards and the 45-degree angles pointing away from one another. Then, attach the roof to those 45-degree angles, slip the frame into the boot, and fasten it together with brass wood screws.
If you're working with a laced leather boot like a work boot, try the other method, which is broken down into a step-by-step process in the video above. Create an external frame with a wooden board and a protective roof. The roof needs to extend a few inches taller than the height of your boot. Use a drill and screws to attach the sole of your boot directly to the wooden board and insert a small rounded wooden piece as the doorway to your DIY birdhouse. Mount and enjoy.