You’ve decided to make a new bird feeder or bird house for your garden. What wood do you select for durability and safety for the birds?

You should NOT use any type of pressure-treated wood since the chemicals used are toxic to birds. Be wary of any painted wood that you want to recycle into a feeder or house. You need to make sure that the wood was not treated with creosote nor painted with a paint containing lead, again for the birds’ safety.

There are many types of wood that you can choose. Pine, cedar, redwood, spruce and poplar are good choices. All are easy to work with and can be built into a fine feeder or house, lasting for many years.

Select an exterior grade of wood, about 3/4 inches thick. This type of wood will give a sturdy feeder or birdhouse and will stand up to rain, ice and other elements of nature.