Before you start
- Read all steps and select mounting supplies before cutting.
- Use actual 3/4 x 7 1/4 in cedar. The front and back fit between the sides, with a 7 1/4 x 5 3/4 in floor and 7 1/4 in side depth.
- Fit two fixed 3/4 in end jambs and a moving side trimmed to 5 11/16 in deep. The door swings between the jambs with 1/32 in gaps. Buy an 8 ft board to allow for the jamb strips and saw cuts.
- The door bottom is 1/16 in above the body bottom and its top 1/8 in below the roof. Its pivot line is 8 1/8 in above the body bottom, through the thickness center.
- The baffle is 7 1/4 x 5 1/2 in with a 3 x 3 in triangular notch at the rear-right corner. It leaves 1/8 in front and rear fitting clearance. Its top is 7 1/2 in above the body bottom, level with the entry bottom.
- The ledge top is 4 in above the body bottom. A 2 1/2 in high support under it ends at the ledge underside.
Dimensions and opening sizes
- Body outside widthFinished dimensions of this configuration.
- 8 3/4 in
- Body outside depthFinished dimensions of this configuration.
- 7 1/4 in
- Back heightFinished dimensions of this configuration.
- 14 in
- Roof widthFinished dimensions of this configuration.
- 10 in
- Entrance widthFinished dimensions of this configuration.
- 2 1/4 in
- Entrance heightFinished dimensions of this configuration.
- 1 1/2 in
- Floor clear depthFinished dimensions of this configuration.
- 5 3/4 in
Shopping list
| Buy | Material | Stock size |
|---|---|---|
| 1 board | Untreated cedar | 1x8 x 8 ft; actual 3/4 x 7 1/4 in |
| 1 box of 50 | Exterior wood screws | 1 1/4 in, corrosion resistant |
Quantity notes
Full stock units with cutting allowance; retain offcuts for fitting. Hardware counts include an assembly allowance.
- Untreated cedar, 1x8 x 8 ft; actual 3/4 x 7 1/4 in: Source 6 ft length increases to 8 ft for door jambs, saw kerfs and fitting waste.
- Exterior wood screws, 1 1/4 in, corrosion resistant: 30 fixed assembly screws plus two pivot screws and one removable closure screw. Use smooth shank at the pivot bearing.
Required installation supplies
- Select mounting screws, bolts or anchors for the sound support and actual box weight.
- Select pilot drill diameters for the chosen screws. Keep screw tips within the wood.
Tools & equipment
- Saw suitable for straight cuts and shaped cutouts
- Drill and bits, screwdriver
- Square, tape measure, clamps and abrasive paper
BEFORE YOU BUILD
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Instructions
01 Lay out the cedar
- Crosscut the full-width pieces from the cut list and an extra 9 in blank for the two narrow door jambs. Allow 1/8 in per saw cut.
- Rip the two jambs 3/4 in wide. Trim the door to 5 11/16 in deep and 8 13/16 in high.
- Label the front, back, fixed left side, opening right side, floor, baffle, roof, support and ledge.
Check: All parts are labeled and the moving door measures 5 11/16 in deep by 8 13/16 in high.
02 Cut the entry and baffle notch
- Remove a 2 1/4 in wide x 1 1/2 in high rectangle from the front top-left corner.
- Clip a 3 x 3 in triangle from the baffle rear-right corner. This opening must be diagonally opposite the entry.
- Ease rough cut edges without enlarging the entry. Leave the chamber unfinished.
Check: The front entry and baffle notch are diagonally opposite, with smooth edges and unchanged opening sizes.
03 Join the floor, back and fixed side
- Mark the floor underside 1 in above the body bottom. Fit its 7 1/4 in width between the two side positions and its 5 3/4 in depth between front and back.
- Fix the floor to the back with two screws through the back. Fix the left side to the floor with two screws and to the back with two screws.
- Predrill every edge joint. Check the body depth will be 7 1/4 in and the outside width 8 3/4 in.
Check: The floor and fixed walls are square, giving a 7 1/4 in body depth and 8 3/4 in outside width.
04 Fit the front and baffle
- Attach the front between the side positions, flush with the side bottom. Use two screws into the floor and two into the fixed side.
- Install the baffle with its top 7 1/2 in above the body bottom. Center its 5 1/2 in depth between front and back, leaving 1/8 in at each end.
- Fasten the baffle through the left side with two screws. Add one screw through the front and one through the back into sound baffle edges, avoiding the entry and triangular notch.
Check: The baffle top is 7 1/2 in above the body bottom, with 1/8 in clearance at its front and rear.
05 Add the door jambs
- Fit one 3/4 in wide jamb outside the right edge of the front and one outside the right edge of the back. Keep their bottoms flush.
- Attach each jamb with two screws into the adjacent front or back edge. Keep the screws away from the pivot height.
- Check the clear depth between the jambs is 5 3/4 in. The trimmed door must leave 1/32 in at each end.
Check: The jamb opening is 5 3/4 in deep, leaving 1/32 in at each end of the trimmed door.
Play movementStop movement
06 Hang the cleaning side
- Hold the door with its bottom 1/16 in above the body bottom and its top 1/8 in below the 9 in wall line.
- Drill aligned pivot pilots through the two jambs into the door ends, 8 1/8 in above the body bottom and centered through the 3/4 in door thickness.
- Install two 1 1/4 in pivot screws, leaving enough freedom to turn. Open to 90 degrees and check clearance at the floor and baffle. Add a removable closure screw through the door into the floor edge at 1 3/8 in height.
Check: The door swings through 90 degrees without touching the floor or baffle, and the closure screw secures it shut.
07 Attach the ledge and support
- Fix the 2 1/2 in high support cleat to the outside of the front, with its bottom 3/4 in above the body bottom. Use two screws.
- Lay the 4 1/2 in deep ledge on the cleat, with its back edge against the front. Its top must be 4 in above the body bottom.
- Drive two screws down through the ledge into the cleat and two through the front into the ledge rear edge. Keep all tips within the wood.
Check: The ledge top is 4 in above the body bottom, the cleat supports it, and screw tips stay within the wood.
08 Fit the roof and mount the box
- Center the 10 in roof across the 8 3/4 in body. Put its rear edge against the back face; its front projects 3/4 in beyond the front.
- Use two screws into the fixed side, one into the front right of the entry and one into the rear door jamb. Keep the opening side free.
- Drill mounting holes in the back above the roof and select fasteners for a sound tree, post or other support. Keep the entry clear and preserve access to the closure screw. Check the door again and inspect only when the nest is unoccupied.
Check: The roof is secure, the entry remains clear, and the cleaning door opens after mounting.
Sources
Functional dimensions informed by the cited Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife woodworking sheet. CAD, instructions, schedules and illustrations authored for DIY Plans.