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Chip Wright
03-07-2003, 6:17 PM
Without thinking, I used a piece of baltic birch plywood on the bottom of a robin's nest box I made for LOML out of mostly pine scraps. When my capacity for thought returned, I realized it wouldn't last long outdoors. It's glued on good and won't come off. I'd paint it, but evidently that would discourage its use by robins, and there's no point in having a robin's nest box that repels robins. LOML wants as little finish on this as possible. Anyone have a recommendation for something that will seal the plywood without threatening the little fledglings we hope to accommodate? And if anyone has tips for where to put the thing, that would be nice, too. Thanks for any assistance.
Jim DeLaney
03-07-2003, 6:33 PM
It may last a lot longer than you think. I've seen bird houses made of luaun plywood that have lasted several years, and more, so your Baltic Birch may well last for quite a while.

BTW, the birds won't care if the plies separate, just so long as the whole bottom doesn't fall out of the box.

On another note, I don't think I've ever seen a bird house/box for robins. Wrens, warblers, swallows, etc., but not robins.

<Center><FONT FACE="Comic Sans MS" COLOR="Blue">Jim D.</FONT></Center>
Chip Wright
03-07-2003, 6:52 PM
It's not actually a bird house, since robins are not cavity nesters, but more of a platform. The nest box consists of a back board about 10"x10." Attached to the top of the back board is a similarly sized roof sloping upwards at about 8 degrees. For the platform, I glued some 1"x2" around the perimeter of a plywood piece about 7"x9" and glued that to the bottom of the back board. Sorta porch-like. We'll see if it works. I'll think about going without seal.
Dave Hammelef
03-07-2003, 7:31 PM
Could you glue a outdoor ply or even just wood to the bottom. Along the lines of even if the ply seperated the bottom wouldnt fall out cause there would be more wood there to support it.

Just a thought.
Chip Wright
03-08-2003, 9:45 AM
Good idea, Dave. I don't think the birds will be concerned about delamination so long as the floor holds, so maybe that will work.