How to make a birdhouse hole smaller

Genuine reasons to reduce a birdhouse entrance hole can be to deter predators or turn away invasive birds, but can help towards attracting a whole different bird species.

How to make a birdhouse hole smaller can be done with use of a wooden block that must be made at home, as you cannot buy it in-store. What you can buy is a no fuss set of birdhouse predator guard metal plates, in up to 5 sizes with the placement over the original hole accomplish with a set of screws included.

Reasons to reduce the size of a birdhouse entry hole can certainly have its benefits, but that must be achieved in a way that doesn't outprice a brand new birdhouse.

If you feel my ideas laid out for you will come at to much cost, or indeed to much time wasted, then you may have no choice but to buy a new birdhouse.

To put it simply, to make a birdhouse entry hole smaller consists of covering up the original hole with a wooden block or metal plate.

Both can be sold as a predator guard, but it certainly doesn't have to be used as such, as its the perfect solution for just making the birdhouse entrance hole smaller.

It can be made temporary if using a wooden block or stainless steel plate you can fix over the original hole with screws. However, to glue the wooden block is an option, but there's no changing your mind later.

Predators guards as a wooden block must be made by you or a friend, but the metal plate can be sold in different sizes with little hassle on your part.

I do go on to suggest changing out the entire birdhouse front panel where the original hole is, but in reality this would be glued, but if its nailed or screwed on it is an option.

Screw or glue on predator guard

How unfortunate that your birdhouse wasn't supplied with a predator guard, but not to worry as its easy to mount a guard in place, either temporary or permanently.

Not that you can buy a wooden predator guard from anywhere, but to use one it can make a bird house hole smaller quite effectively with a tough build.

If to match the wooden predator guard to say your cedar birdhouse is preferred, then buy a plank of cedar. However it won't be too obvious if you were to instead use an inferior wooden predator guard, made in pine.

To make a birdhouse hole smaller can be instantly achieved by gluing on what would be a 3 by 3 inch square wooden block - but there's an option to not make it permanent at all, while making use of screws.

That way you have the option to remove the wooden block hole if its not needed any more, or if worse comes to worse, you can re-position the block if its not centered.

Gluing on a wooden predator to make it a permanent fix is done so with wood glue, with no additional nails or screws needed in the process.

Fix entry hole protector plate

Similar to a wooden predator guard block would be making a birdhouse hole smaller with use of what would be a made in stainless steel plate.

Often made available in different sizes in a pack of five or less, this would give you the option to re-size the birdhouse entry hole while experimenting with different sizes, to see which suites your needs.

Unlike use of a wooden block that can stand out of the birdhouse up to a 5/8 inch, a metal plate would fit around the hole flush against the front panel on the birdhouse.

Downside to this is the reflected surface can invite unwanted attention to it, with predatory birds or squirrels - but on the plus side a predator cannot make the hole bigger to reach the eggs on the vulnerable young birds.

To fix the stainless steel metal plate to the birdhouse, its uses mostly a two-point mount, with holes on opposite sides to accommodate the screws that would be included.

Stainless steel plates come in the most common entry hole sizes, so at least one should be included to the reduced size you require.

Replace whole panel

Not a solution to most with no DIY skills, nor is it possible for those that cannot afford the time or expense to do so.

But my final thought for how to make a birdhouse hole smaller is to replace the entire front panel of the birdhouse.

To do that the birdhouse must not be constructed with wood glue as it would never be possible to pull it apart. For this to work the birdhouse can only of been assembled with nails, screws, or staples you can pull out.

While most birdhouses you can buy are made in cedar, you would need a nice plank of cedar - preferably in the thickness that matches the birdhouse you intend to adjust the hole size on.

Simply measure up the original front of the birdhouse panel you removed, then match it up to the new piece.

Before you cut it up to size, life would be made easier if you can at this point pre-drill the new birdhouse entry hole size you wish to use going forward.

It must be drilled out using a hole bit on a power drill or even a bench drill, but if not available a family member or friend can do it for you.

Then its the matter of cutting the new cedar front panel into shape, to finally insert back on the birdhouse.

To summarize

Whether you bought the birdhouse with a wrong size entry hole, or changed your mind with what type of bird species you wish to attract, it all starts with the correct size hole.

How you'd make a birdhouse entry hole smaller is with use of a predator guard; its made in wood and easy to apply with use of a wood glue or a pair of screws.

Glue can be used but use of screws will allow you to make adjustments in the future if need be.

I don't believe you can buy wooden predator guard blocks but they're not hard to make yourself, nor would it be too difficult to get it made for you.

Similarly, you can buy a cheap set of stainless steel predator guard metal plates that come in up to 5 different sizes.

Perfect then as there's bound to be one that you want, while the others can be used at a later date, if to at least try to attract different bird species.

Last but not least, that brings me to the less orthodox method of actually replacing the front birdhouse panel, where obviously the entrance hole is present.

This can be achieved if the birdhouse isn't constructed with glue, but if its only screwed or nailed - this would provide you the opportunity to pull it out and replace it with a new front panel, barring a smaller entrance hole.

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