Tree Swallow house
Every board for this birdhouse counted, cut and priced before you drive to the lumberyard. The whole plan is on this page. The full plan set to take to the yard is $19.
- Entrance hole
- 1-1/2"
- Floor
- 5 x 5 in
- Hole above floor
- 5"
- Mount
- 5 to 15 ft
- Materials
- $54
The list you take to the lumberyard
Every board, sheet and box of nails, packed into the stock lengths the store sells, so nothing is a guess at the counter.
- Lumber
- $34
- Hardware and finish
- $20
- 1Cedar 1x8 x 8 ft$12.48
- 1Cedar 1x6 x 6 ft$4.28
- 1Cedar 1x10 x 8 ft$17.48
- 1Galvanized finish nails 1-1/4" (1 lb)$8.98
- 1Exterior screws 1-1/4" (1 lb box)$10.98
Typical Home Depot and Lowe's shelf prices, October 2026. Your store will differ by a few percent.
Cut list
Every piece, how many, and how long. Tape it to the saw.
| Qty | Board | Cut to | Part |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar 1x8 rip to 6-1/2" | 1' 4" | Backextends 3 in above and below for mounting |
| 1 | Cedar 1x8 rip to 5-3/4" | 10" | Side (fixed)top cut to slope from 10" at the back to 8-1/2" at the front |
| 1 | Cedar 1x8 rip to 5-3/4" | 9-3/4" | Side (swing door)pivots on two nails near the top, held shut with a screw; leave a 1/4 in vent gap at the top |
| 1 | Cedar 1x10 rip to 8-1/2" | 9-1/2" | Roofoverhangs the front about 3 in to shade the entrance |
| 1 | Cedar 1x8 rip to 6-1/2" | 8-1/2" | Frontentrance hole 1-1/2", bottom of hole 5" above the floor |
| 1 | Cedar 1x6 rip to 5" | 5" | Floorrecessed 1/4 in; clip the 4 corners for drainage |
Which piece comes from which board
3 boards, laid out so the offcuts stay small.
Build it in this order
- 01
Cut the pieces
Rough cedar, unpainted inside. Cut the front 8-1/2", the back 16" (it doubles as the mounting board), the two sides and the floor 5" square.
- 02
Drill the entrance
Center a 1-1/2" hole with its bottom edge 5" above the floor line. No perch: it only helps predators and sparrows.
- 03
Make it breathe and drain
Clip the four corners off the floor and drill two 5/8 in vent holes high on each side. The swing side stops 1/4 in short of the roof for airflow.
- 04
Assemble
Nail the fixed side to the front and back, then the floor 1/4 in up from the bottom edge so rain cannot run in.
- 05
Hang the door
Pivot the swinging side on two nails driven through the front and back near the top, and hold it closed with a single screw at the bottom. You will open it each fall to clean out the old nest.
- 06
Roof and mount
Nail on the roof so it overhangs the front. Mount it 5 to 15 ft on a pole near water or open fields.
- Every drawing at full page size, dimensions on every member
- The cut list on one page, grouped the way you build
- The cutting diagram for every board
- The materials list ready to hand to the lumberyard or load into a store cart
- The build steps with a check at the end of each
- Your exact size, not the nearest one we had
Before you hang it
Why does the entrance hole size matter?
The hole decides who moves in. 1-1/2" admits the Tree Swallow and keeps out larger birds that compete for the box, like starlings.
Should a birdhouse have a perch?
No. Cavity nesters do not need one, and a perch helps House Sparrows and predators reach the nest.
Paint it or leave it natural?
Leave the inside raw. A light, water-based exterior stain on the outside is fine; dark colors overheat the box in sun.
When should I put it up and clean it?
Mount it by late winter, before birds pick sites. Open the side door and clean out the old nest each fall.
Where should it go?
5 to 15 ft on a pole near water or open fields. A predator baffle on the pole stops snakes and raccoons.