Best DIY Birdhouse Kits: 5 Build-and-Paint Picks That Actually Attract Birds

You hung a birdhouse last spring. By July it was empty, or worse, full of sparrows and wasps. The problem usually isn’t the birds. It’s the box.

A good DIY birdhouse kit solves three things at once: safe materials, an entrance hole sized for the species you want, and assembly simple enough that you’ll actually finish it. Most cheap kits fail on at least one. Some fail on all three.

Below are five kits worth your money, ranked by build quality, bird-friendliness, and value. I’ve also included the hole-size chart and placement rules most roundups skip, because a cedar box with a 1.5-inch hole will sit empty forever while a plain pine one with the right dimensions fills up in a week.

Here’s how the five kits compare on the specs that matter most.

Features	Pontuss Cedar Kit	LotFancy 2-Pack	AluAbi 2-Pack	Liliful 2 Sets	hapray 2 Pack
Material	Cedar wood	Solid pine	Unfinished wood	Wood, rustic finish	Thick plywood
Pieces per kit	1 birdhouse	2 birdhouses	2 birdhouses	2 birdhouses	2 birdhouses
Paint colors	2 paint strips	6 colors	12 colors x2	1 paint set	12 colors x2
Screwdriver included	Yes	No	Yes, 2	Yes	No
Best for	Gift-ready single build	Family project	Siblings, big paint set	Budget two-pack	Value hunters

DIY Birdhouse Kit with Pa…

The Pontuss kit is a single-house build aimed at parents who want one solid project, not a two-pack they’ll never finish. It arrives with everything in the box: seven pre-drilled wood boards, two paint strips, a brush, screws, a screwdriver, sandpaper, rope rings, and a sticker sheet. Nothing else is needed.

What separates this from the pack is the cedar. Most kits at this price use pine or plywood that warps after one wet season. Cedar holds up outdoors, resists rot, and has a natural scent that doesn’t bother birds. The pre-drilled holes are the other standout. Kids can assemble the whole thing with the included screwdriver, no drill, no sharp bits, no trip to the emergency room.

Here’s the honest part: two paint strips is thin. If your kid wants a real design, you’ll be buying extra acrylics. The 9x9cm sticker is also small and mostly decorative. And the single-house format means siblings will fight over who paints what. It’s a great one-child kit, less great for a playdate.

• Pre-drilled holes on every board eliminate the need for power tools
• Cedar construction holds up through rain and humidity better than pine
• Includes screwdriver, sandpaper, and rope for hanging
• Paint supply is minimal; plan on buying extra colors
• Rated for ages 5+ with adult supervision

Best for: A parent buying one quality gift for a single child who wants a real woodworking project, not a toy.

LotFancy Bird House Kit,…

LotFancy’s two-pack is the kit most families end up buying, and for good reason. You get two full birdhouses, each with ten pre-drilled pine pieces, a perch post, hanging rope, 28 screws, six paint colors, two brushes, and an instruction guide. The only thing missing is a Phillips screwdriver.

The feeding trough at the front is the feature that sets this apart. Most DIY kits are pure nesting boxes with no way to offer seed. This one doubles as a feeder, which means birds visit year-round instead of just during nesting season. The 2.55-inch entrance is wide, though. That’s fine for larger backyard birds but too big for chickadees and wrens, which prefer 1.25 to 1.5 inches.

The trade-off is real: pine is softer than cedar and will show weather damage faster. You’ll want to seal it or bring it in during winter if you live somewhere with hard freezes. The perch peg, while convenient, also gives predators a foothold. If you’re serious about protecting nestlings, snip it off or hang the house where squirrels and cats can’t reach.

• Doubles as a feeder thanks to the front trough design
• Two complete houses in one box, good for siblings or a classroom
• Water-based paint cleans up with soap and water
• 2.55-inch entrance suits larger birds, not small cavity nesters
• Screwdriver not included, so grab one before you start

Best for: A family with two kids or a teacher who needs a group craft that produces something useful.

AluAbi 2-Pack DIY Wooden…

AluAbi leans hard into the painting side of the hobby. Each two-pack comes with two unfinished houses, two full sets of 12-color paints, four brushes, two palettes, two strings, and two screwdrivers. The paint kit alone is worth more than what most competitors include.

Assembly is straightforward. Kids screw the pre-cut pieces together, then decorate. The two-screwdriver setup means two builders can work simultaneously without waiting on shared tools, which matters more than it sounds when you have two kids under ten. The palette inclusion also keeps paint from ending up on the kitchen table.

Where this kit stumbles is wood quality. The listing doesn’t specify cedar or pine, just “unfinished wood.” If you plan to hang these outdoors year-round, expect to seal them yourself. The Halloween angle in the marketing is cute but a bit forced; these are generic birdhouses, and the spooky designs only work if your kids are already into that.

• Two complete paint sets with palettes and four brushes
• Two screwdrivers included, so no tool sharing
• Unfinished wood needs sealing for long-term outdoor use
• Good sibling or friend project with parallel builds
• Works for year-round crafts, not just Halloween

Best for: Two kids who want to paint completely different designs side by side without fighting over supplies.

Liliful 2 Sets Wooden DIY…

Liliful’s kit sits in the budget tier and delivers the basics without much extra. Each two-pack has 11 wood pieces, 18 screws, a paint set, two brushes, a rope, and a screwdriver. Instructions come as picture guides, which work fine for adults and older kids but can confuse younger builders.

The finished house measures about 6 x 6 x 6.2 inches, giving it more interior room than most competitors. That extra space matters if you’re hoping to attract larger cavity nesters like bluebirds, though the entrance hole size isn’t specified in the listing, so check before you buy if you have a target species in mind.

Here’s the caveat: the wood is described simply as “wood,” which usually means a lower grade than cedar or pine. It’ll hold up for a season or two outdoors, but don’t expect it to survive five winters without help. The screws are also small, and younger kids may need help tightening them without stripping the heads.

• Larger 6-inch interior than most budget kits
• Picture-based instructions, minimal reading required
• Wood grade unspecified, likely needs sealing for outdoor use
• Two complete builds in one box
• Good entry-level pick for first-time builders

Best for: A budget-conscious buyer who wants two usable birdhouses without paying for premium materials.

hapray 2 Pack Bird House…

The hapray kit rounds out the list as the value option. Two unassembled houses, 24 paint pots (12 per house), four brushes, a shared palette, and two hanging strings. The plywood boards are pre-cut and slotted, so assembly is quick and mostly foolproof.

Plywood is the weak point. It’s thick and safe, and the slot-and-tab design means fewer screws and less frustration for young builders. But plywood delaminates when it gets wet repeatedly. If you plan to hang these outside, seal every edge and seam, or accept that you’ll replace them in a couple of years.

The paint is water-based and kid-safe, which is a genuine plus. Cleanup takes a wet paper towel. The single shared palette is a small annoyance if two kids are painting at once, but it’s not a dealbreaker. Customer service is responsive, which counts for something when a piece arrives cracked.

• Slot-and-tab plywood construction speeds up assembly
• 24 paint pots total, plenty for detailed designs
• Water-based, kid-safe paint wipes clean easily
• Plywood needs sealing to survive multiple outdoor seasons
• One palette shared between two builders

Best for: Parents who want the cheapest two-kit option and don’t mind re-sealing or replacing the houses down the road.

Why the Right Birdhouse Kit Matters (and What Birds Actually Need)

Birds are picky. A box with the wrong hole size, no drainage, or a perch below the entrance will stay empty or attract the wrong tenants. House sparrows and starlings take over boxes with wide openings. Wasps move into boxes with no ventilation. Squirrels chew through thin wood.

The kit itself is only half the equation. The other half is matching the box to the bird you want. Get that right and you’ll see activity within a few weeks of hanging.

Species	Hole Diameter	Mounting Height	Notes
Chickadee	1 1/8 inch	4-15 feet	Small hole blocks larger competitors
House Wren	1 1/4 inch	5-10 feet	Hangs easily, tolerates shade
Bluebird	1 1/2 inch	5-8 feet	Needs open area, faces east
Tree Swallow	1 1/2 inch	5-15 feet	Prefers near water
Purple Martin	2 1/8 inch	10-20 feet	Requires multi-unit housing

None of the kits in this roundup include a predator guard or a hole reducer. If you want to attract a specific species, buy a metal hole reducer plate separately. They cost a few dollars and dramatically improve your odds.

Predator Guards, Ventilation, and Drainage Explained

A perch below the entrance looks charming. It also gives raccoons, cats, and squirrels a handle to reach inside. Most cavity-nesting birds don’t need a perch at all. If your kit includes one, consider leaving it off.

Ventilation holes near the top and drainage holes in the floor keep nestlings from overheating or drowning in a storm. If your kit doesn’t have them, drill a few small holes yourself. It takes five minutes and can save a whole brood.

Predator guards come in two forms: metal plates that fit around the entrance hole to stop chewing, and baffles that mount below the box to block climbing predators. For a pole-mounted house, a baffle is the single best upgrade you can make.

How We Evaluated These DIY Birdhouse Kits

Every kit on this list was judged on materials, assembly difficulty, included accessories, safety for kids, and long-term outdoor durability. Cedar and pine scored higher than unspecified wood or plywood. Kits with pre-drilled holes and included tools scored higher than those requiring a drill.

We also weighed the educational value. A kit that gets a kid from flat boards to a painted, hanging birdhouse in one afternoon beats a kit that sits half-finished in the garage. Bird-friendliness mattered too: entrance size, ventilation, drainage, and whether the design encourages or discourages predators.

Materials, Assembly, Safety, and Value Criteria

Cedar wins on longevity. Pine is a close second if you seal it. Plywood is fine for a season or two but won’t survive repeated soaking. Pre-drilled holes are non-negotiable for kids under ten. Included screwdrivers are a small detail that saves a big headache.

Value isn’t just price per house. It’s price per finished, hangable, bird-ready house. A $20 kit that needs a drill and extra paint is worse value than a $25 kit that’s complete out of the box.

Placement, Mounting, and Maintenance Tips

Where you hang the house matters as much as what’s inside it. Face the entrance away from prevailing winds, usually east or southeast. Keep it 5 to 15 feet off the ground depending on species. Mount on a pole with a baffle if you have squirrels or cats. Avoid hanging near bird feeders, which attract crowds and predators.

Height, Direction, and Seasonal Cleaning

Clean the box out after each nesting season, usually late summer or early fall. Scrape out old nesting material and rinse with a diluted bleach solution, then let it dry fully before closing it up. Skip this step and you’ll host mites and parasites next spring.

Store wooden houses indoors over winter if you live somewhere with hard freezes and heavy snow. Cedar handles cold well but repeated freeze-thaw cycles shorten any wood’s lifespan. If you leave it out, seal it every fall.

For more on attracting specific backyard species, this bird watching birdhouse guide covers species-specific setups in more depth. If your yard project extends beyond birdhouses, our raised garden beds guide pairs well with a bird-friendly landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to paint the birdhouse? No. Paint is for kids and aesthetics, not birds. In fact, light natural wood or a pale exterior is often better than dark paint, which absorbs heat. If you do paint, use water-based exterior paint and avoid painting inside the box.

What’s the difference between a birdhouse and a bird feeder? A birdhouse is a nesting cavity, used in spring and summer for raising young. A feeder offers food year-round. The LotFancy kit does both thanks to its front trough, but most kits are nesting boxes only.

How long until birds move in? Give it a full nesting season. Some boxes sit empty for a year before the right species finds them. Location and hole size matter more than luck. If nothing moves in after two springs, try moving the box.

Can I hang these on a tree? Yes, but trees give predators easy access. A pole mount with a baffle is safer. If you must use a tree, hang it from a limb at least 8 feet up and away from the trunk.

Are these kits safe for young kids? The Pontuss and AluAbi kits include screwdrivers and pre-drilled holes, which makes them the safest for kids 5 and up. The LotFancy and hapray kits require a Phillips screwdriver you supply. Adult supervision is a good idea regardless.

Our Top Recommendation

The Pontuss cedar kit wins for one reason: materials. Cedar outlasts pine and plywood, the pre-drilled holes mean kids can build it without a drill, and the screwdriver is in the box. It’s a single-house kit, so it’s best for one child or one focused project. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit; cedar kits fluctuate more than pine.

If you need two houses, the LotFancy two-pack is the runner-up. Pine instead of cedar, but the feeder trough and complete paint set make it the better family value. The AluAbi kit is a close third, and the best pick if painting is the main event rather than the build.

Skip the hapray and Liliful kits unless budget is the deciding factor. They work, they’re safe, and kids will enjoy them. But plywood and unspecified wood won’t last as long outdoors, and you’ll be replacing them within a few seasons.

Whatever you pick, match the entrance hole to a local species before you hang it. That single step matters more than the brand on the box.