[WoodFrog]

I am building another birdhouse, this one is made out of 12mm plywood. I am using a simple painted exterior, but I want to seal the inside walls. However, I am told you don't want anything with VOC, etc., in the interior. I noticed where I had glued the joints, in the corners where I wiped the excess away, it left a nice sealed looking finish. What if I diluted some Titebond III with water and 'painted' a thin coat on the raw interior wood? Wouldn't that seal the wood with a non-toxic and non-smelly finish?

Cheers,

Gavin

 

[Nickp]

I'm thinking linseed oil...?

Best wood for the house would be untreated cedar or redwood...or untreated pine...I remember reading up on it when we were going to build birdhouses for Martins at our marina. I'm sure you know they would peck on the wood so I'm not sure about plywood depending on the glue used for the layers...just a thought...

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

They destroyed some of the plywood on my shop so I'm not sure they mind that much Nick. Gavin I've heard that the T3 is supposed to work reasonably well. If they do peck on it it's supposed to be non toxic.

 

[WoodFrog]

Yeah, I know plywood is not ideal, but it is for my Mom and all she gets is sparrows in her yard. Nobody builds houses for sparrows in the USA as they are considered invasive. So, I found plans for a birdhouse in the UK, where they are trying to preserve declining populations of sparrows. It happens to call for 12mm plywood, so plywood it is! House is almost done, I just want to seal it, inside & out, as it is windy, snowy, and nasty in Wyoming where my Mom lives. I do not want it to get ruined. I painted the outside with exterior paint, going to decorate it a bit.

Metric Sparrow Bird House

The fun part was converting everything to odd 1/16th of an inch measurements as it was spec'd in metric and I don't have a metric tape measure, just rulers. Note: Metric tape measure now on my tool 'wish list'.

I will do the T3 mix and call it good...I don't think the Audubon Society is going to come after me.

How thin would you cut the T3 and would you just use water?

Cheers,

Gavin

 

[JOAT]

I've used Titebond II for years as an exterior coat for my canes, and a few other project. The canes ride in the bed of my truck when I go out, rain, snow, sunshine, and it has held up well. I thin 50/50 with water. Right now I put a test sign with my house number at the end of my drive, it is a printed sign, mounted to several layers of cardboard, coated with a couple of coats of Titebond II again. Checked it a few days ago, and so far that is holding up well. So if you want to use it inside your sparrow house, I would think no problems.

 

[DaninVan]

Gavin; good thinking on the waterproof interior! That birdhouse should be washed out after each season's use to get rid of pathogens and vermin (mites etc.)

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

That birdhouse should be washed out after each season's use to get rid of pathogens and vermin (mites etc.)

I've heard that woodpeckers will not use the same nesting cavity twice, probably for that reason.

 

[Stick486]

I've heard that woodpeckers will not use the same nesting cavity twice, probably for that reason.

tell that to the side of my house...

 

[WoodFrog]

I got it all sealed up, worked great! I finished the painting, I attached a couple pictures, what do you think?!?! Laradise is a tongue-in-cheek nick-name for Laramie, Wy as it is anything but paradise.

Gavin

 

[dman2]

Laradise is a tongue-in-cheek nick-name for Laramie, Wy as it is anything but paradise.
Gavin

If I remember correctly, it was paradise for people who needed to blow-dry their hair -- just stick it out the window!

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

tell that to the side of my house...

Are you sure it's the same ones?

 

[Nickp]

Are you sure it's the same ones?

I don't think Stick @Stick486 gives 'em the chance to come back a second time...>

 

[Stick486]

I don't think Stick @Stick486 gives 'em the chance to come back a second time...>

they get all the chances they want...
after all they are a protected species...