Bat House Kit Assembly
We hand out free bird house and bat house kits at fairs and events. These instructions are intended to help parents with no woodworking experience assemble these kits with their children.
The Bat House kit has its parts cut from wood recovered from pallets.
- One roof piece
- Two matching sides
- One long back
- One front that is shorter than the back.
- One center divider. This is narrower than the front or back.
You will need two tools and some glue.
- A drill with a 3/32 inch drill bit.
- A hammer or a rock to hammer in the nails. I recommend the hammer option.
- A drop or two of glue.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
The bat house is made from heat treated wood taken from pallets. There are no dangerous chemicals found in pressure treated wood. The wood is of varying type and quality and perfectly fine for a rustic bat house.
Pilot Holes
We are drilling pilot holes for the nails. This helps to stop the wood from splitting on these small pieces.
Assembly Steps
Step 1: Find the back and two sides. Start with one side and align it to one of the back edges. Drill pilot holes near the top and bottom through the back into the side and nail. Do the same with the other side.
Step 2: Slide the divider about midway into the center and near the angle at the top of the sides. Do not have it go higher than the sides or the roof will not sit correctly. Drill pilot holes near the top and bottom through sides into the center divider nail. Do the same with the other side.
Step 3: Place the front on to the sides and align the top edge so the roof can angle over it. Drill pilot holes near the top and bottom on each side and nail. Do the same with the other side.
Step 4: Turn the hose right side up and place the roof on it. Drill two holes on each of the opposite diagonal sides of the roof and nail.
Step 5: Hang the Bat House at least six feet off the ground. Higher is better. We recommend that you do NOT paint or otherwise decorate the bat house. The bats we have talked to do not seem to like the odor or other aspects of paint.
Please send your pictures of your bird houses to dan@themakershive.org to share in our bird house gallery.
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