Skip to content

Custom Carved Wren-and-Chickadee Birdhouse Commission

Digital
Employer

Digital

> 10 projects
Project parameters
Type of cooperationOne-time project
Prepaymentwithout prepayment
Payment methodsCash, Bank transfer
Acceptance of requestsfrom until Sep 24, 2026
Project description
I'm looking to commission a hand-carved decorative birdhouse intended for small cavity-nesting songbirds such as wrens and chickadees, and I'd like it built to last outdoors for many seasons rather than assembled from a kit.

Material selection matters most: please use a naturally rot-resistant species — white cedar, redwood, or white oak are all acceptable — left unfinished on the interior so the birds aren't exposed to fumes, with the exterior treated in a breathable, weatherproof oil rather than a film-forming varnish that could trap moisture and encourage mold.

The entrance hole needs to be sized correctly for the target species: roughly 1-1/8 inch diameter for chickadees or 1 inch for wrens, centered high on the front panel and positioned at least six inches above the floor so nestlings can't be reached by predators. Please include a shallow recessed roof overhang of at least two inches on all sides to keep rain from driving through the entrance, plus a few small ventilation gaps under the eaves and drainage gaps in the floor corners.

For maintenance, I need a hinged side or roof panel secured with a small brass hook-and-eye latch so the box can be opened fully for the required annual cleanout after nesting season ends — no screws that have to be removed each time.

Decoratively, I'd love relief-carved motifs of oak leaves and acorns wrapping the roofline and a carved perch-free façade (perches are not recommended, since they help predators more than birds). A small carved plaque with a house number or family initial on the gable end would be a nice touch if it doesn't compromise weatherproofing.

Please share reference photos of prior birdhouse or similar outdoor carving work, your proposed timeline, and how you plan to mount it — pole or tree-mount bracket, since I'd prefer not to nail directly into a living tree.
Project author: Digital

What this page answers