This Creative DIY Turns An Old Tree Stump Into A Cozy Getaway For Backyard Birds
When it comes to tree stumps, we tend to focus on figuring out how to get rid of them. And while you could spend an awful lot of time deciding which method is best for a tree stump's removal and how to dispose of it afterward, why not do something fun with it instead? Why not get wonderfully creative and DIY an old stump into a cozy getaway for your local songbird population?
Birds are naturally drawn to trees. Some, like woodpeckers, create their nests within the trunk, while most others collect an assortment of twigs and moss to make their nests high in the branches. Though what's left of the trunk in your backyard might not be as high up as they are normally used to, you can still turn the stump into a naturally chic bird feeder, bird bath, or even a birdhouse.
Depending on the number of stumps you have, you could do all three. Transforming the stump into a bird feeder or bath is by far the easiest option. You can either carve a bowl directly into the wood of the stump or build a pan feeder/bath out of materials you have at home and connect it to the top of the stump. Making a birdhouse is a little more involved, and we're going to highlight a few different ways you can DIY one out of your old tree stumps.
How to turn a tree stump into a backyard birdhouse
The complexity of the type of birdhouse you build depends on how much time and effort you want to put into the construction. TikToker @jennifer.cline takes a simple approach by using two sheets of plywood to create an A-frame roof on a tall stump before using a screw gun to attach a small, prefabricated birdhouse to the stump. Bird houses are an amazing way to attract birds to your yard, and using natural materials to build one makes the process even more enjoyable.
@jennifer.cline 2nd try at a stump birdhouse #woodworking #bird #house #diy #tools #diyproject #fypシ
If you want to use the stump itself to create a birdhouse, there are a number of different ways you could go about it. You could either cut off a section of log to build a free-standing birdhouse, or try to build one in place. The latter could be more difficult depending on the tools you have available.
The key is going to be to hollow out the center of the log. If you are constructing the birdhouse in situ, you could use a chisel, mallet, and a chainsaw for quick removal. However, this method definitely isn't for novices, as it requires some skill with a chainsaw to make several deep cuts into the log before chiseling pieces of wood out. You might find it easier to cut the log in half longwise and use a table saw to make multiple long grooves on the halves before you start chiseling. You can then glue the log back together and drill an entry hole sized to the type of bird you want to attract. Complete the birdhouse by capping the log with an A-frame like the aforementioned TikToker, or simply place another piece of log over the hollowed-out stump.