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Salvaged Junk Birdhouses ~ #trashure Fun

Having a junk stash is rewarding many times over. It never fails I’ll need some scrap of wood or bit of metal for something and I always find what I need. I’ve been kinda anxious to refresh my stash, so I thought I would take on a project that would not only help me use up some of my #trashure, but also benefit some feathered friends too. Stick around and we’ll create some salvaged junk birdhouses together.

Salvaged Junk Pile to Create Handmade Birdhouses | Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.comWhat you see above is a smidgen…I mean a SMIDGEN of the stuff I have stashed in my workshop just waiting for new life. When I see a pile like this I get so absolutely giddy because it’s time to create. Anyone else feel like that when you spy potential? I know I’m not alone.

Scrap Wood Pile to Create Salvaged Junk Birdhouses | prodigalpieces.com

WOOD GOODNESS

I also have a wood stash that is in need of purging so I can get more. Yes, we use up to make the adventure of the hunt begin again. It’s a vicious cycle of create and hunt. I LOVE IT because you never know what you’ll find. Up above is a perfect pile of cabinet grade ply just waiting for new life.

For my salvaged junk birdhouses, I had 3 different designs in mind. To get the look of a barn for one of them, I used a piece of the dog-ear fence panel off a fence gate I had JC bring me from the neighbor’s curb down the street. Ya know, one of those times you beg your husband to drag a really heavy piece of the neighbor’s house down the street. He’s so good to help me on my adventures, isn’t he?

I would have made it all from the weathered fencing, but I didn’t have enough. BTW, you should stick to only using non-pressure treated wood anyway. Just like us, our feathered friends don’t need chemicals either.

DIY TIME

I simply traced the board, then cut the corners with my jigsaw and the length with my miter saw. Once I had my end pieces, I decided the depth I wanted and cut two pieces for sides. Using my clamps to hold it all together, I then used my nailer to tack on three sides. The fourth side would get two holes pre-drilled and then nails added in to make hinges so that side can be opened to clean it out the old nesting material annually.
Barn Bird House in Dry Fit State by Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

Birdhouse Door Hinge Example by Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

NEXT STEPS

For my barn roof, I found pieces of ducting leftover from our kitchen remodel. That gray metal was perfect for my mini barn, don’t you think? With my tin snips and jigsaw, I cut it up into several roofs.

Scrap Metal Duct for Barn Birdhouse by Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

Cutting Metal Duct with Tin Snips | prodigalpieces.com

For my next two styles of salvaged junk birdhouses, I wanted to make a farmhouse and a church. Since plywood alone would not hold up well in weather unless protected, I intended to add a sort of siding to my salvaged junk birdhouses. I turn to my stash of garden picket fences and start to dismantle them. You should have seen JC’s face when I had him help me pull a whole stack of fencing off the curb and stuffed them into our vehicle. haha! Gotta love me!

MORE DIY

It took a bit of doing to take them apart,  and then just had to remove the staples. The time consuming, but fun. The hard part was cutting them all to fit with angles and all.

Rustic Salvaged Junk Birdhouses with Chippy White Siding from Picket Fences by Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

After all the siding is added, making sure to cut and attach it so the sides can still open, it’s time to add my scrap fun. Plus, I needed to pick what size hole to drill since each bird likes a certain diameter. I decided to use a 1 ¼” spade bit and my drill to accommodate many species.

Drilling Birdhouse Hole Opening with Spade Bit | prodigalpieces.com

THE REVEAL

Here are my feathered friends new custom homes. Now…I’m curious as to which one is your favorite?

Handmade Repurposed Salvaged Junk Birdhouse Collection by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

Rustic Farmhouse Church Birdhouse by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

I have 6 different salvaged junk birdhouses in 3 styles. Each has unique designs and is a one-and-only because of the salvaged parts. Of course, I asked my family which was their favorite and they each picked a different one. Fun!

Reclaimed Birdhouse Collection Handmade by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

Handmade Farmhouse Barn Birdhouse from Reclaimed Part by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

If you look close, you can see that each one has unique knob on the door that allows you to access and clean it out yearly. That keeps the birdhouse a healthy spot for babies to be born. Plus, their perch is a hand-forged square nail out of the 1800’s reclaimed hickory wood we used for our kitchen counters. Yes, I asked JC to save them all as he pulled them out.

Miniature Farmhouse Birdhouse Created from Salvaged Junk by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

Open Birdhouse Makes for Easy Spring Cleaning | Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

TRASHURE

Don’t they look cute nestled in on my garden shed? Every item on this porch, aside from the plants and tools, came from the curb or was retrieved for free. You can see the stories about them here:

Garden Shed Display of Salvaged Junk Birdhouses Handmade by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

Reclaimed Miniature Farmhouse Birdhouse Created by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

These little houses are suited for functional homes for birds in your yard and around your home.

Old Church Birdhouse Sitting in Flower Garden | Made from Reclaimed Parts by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

Rustic Barn Birdhouse Resting on Picket Fence Post | Handmade by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

However, they also look cute indoors as decor too. Gotta love some junk fun, right?

Handmade Miniature Barn Birdhouse Created from Reclaimed Materials by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

These salvaged junk birdhouses are a limited time offer in my shop (SOLD OUT) as I won’t be making more like this since I ran out of these exact materials. Grab one while they last!

Shop Prodigal Pieces Furniture, Vintage Finds, Handmade Goods, & Supplies for your home | shop.prodigalpieces.com #prodigalpieces

Collection of Handmade Farmhouse Birdhouses from Salvaged Junk by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

My goal is to inspire you. Let me tell ya,you can have so much fun making use of unwanteds.

Do pin and share to inspire others too. It makes life more fun!

Get creative and build these salvaged junk birdhouses from what others deem trash. I call it #trashure. Full DIY details at Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com #prodigalpieces #handmade #diy #homedecor

Up next, this curbside find mirror is getting a new look and new place in my home. See the after HERE in this post.

Curbside Dresser Mirror Before Makeover by Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com

To get these DIY tips & tricks in your inbox, be sure to sign up for my newsletter. PLUS, you will get your FREE Furniture Buying Checklist and special discount to my shop. Until next time!

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Also, more DIY projects like my salvaged junk birdhouses:

From a curbside find to perfect architectural salvage decor, this arched window is made new. Perfect of farmhouse style decor by Larissa of Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.comCreate a repurposed chalkboard sign from a curbside find (aka. #trashure ) for your wedding, shop, birthday, welcome sign...you get the idea. Get the DIY details at Prodigal Pieces | prodigalpieces.com #prodigalpieces #homedecor #diy #shopping

Comments

    • Larissa says

      Thank you for the kind words, Debra. They were fun to make!

  1. Michele Branham says

    Love the birdhouses!

  2. Mary Barber says

    I, like you, have a large stash of trashure. I also love making birdhouses and have made many over the years. Thanks for inspiring me to make more.

  3. Cheryl M says

    Ahhhhh May ZING
    Great Job
    Too cute
    Who wouldn’t want to live there ?
    Blessings
    Cheryl M

    • Larissa says

      You are too cute, Cheryl! Thanks so much for the giggle. 😀

  4. Melanie B says

    Love the birdhouses! I have a collection of ones I’ve made in my yard too. Since I now live in Virginia, one of my favorites has an Ohio license plate roof, and stencil of Ohio shape on the front.
    Where did you use your license plates?

    • Larissa says

      Sounds like fun! I used my plates as roofs, though I turned them wrong side out.

  5. Marie-The Interior Frugalista says

    Larissa, if you only knew how deeply this post touched my heart. My grandfather was a cabinet maker and had a workshop in his backyard where he built everything from church alters to custom furniture. He built an entire birdhouse village in the trees of their backyard. Growing up I would sit on the back porch and admire those birdhouses and watch the flocks of birds coming and going. It is one of my fondest childhood memories and where my love for birdhouses came. This post took me right back there! I can’t pick a favorite, I love each and every one of them for their unique rustic charm. Just love them 🙂

  6. Darlene says

    They are adorable, love them Larissa. You are so talented. Always look forward to your posts, to see what you do next.

  7. Marie says

    Love them all. I have collected some and display them on a shelf over kitchen sink.
    Do you ever make any for sale?

  8. Becky says

    These Are SO Cute!!! I love the idea of perching one on a stool in the flowerbed- beautiful! Pinned for some stash-busting birdhouse fun! Thanks! : )

  9. Ginny says

    They are SO cute!!! Awesome job!!!

  10. Maria Howard says

    Love the ⛪!!!!

  11. Diane says

    Of course they’re sold out! 😉 They are super adorable!

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