| How to Hang a Bird House Posted: 26 Jun 2021 01:00 AM PDT For bird lovers across the world, birdhouses are a great way to give birds a safe place to lay their eggs and rear their young. A well-located birdhouse also lets you keep an eye on the parent birds as they feed the young, and you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the fledglings! When you hang a birdhouse, aim to keep the birds safe from predators and to situate the birdhouse at an angle you can easily observe. Purchase a birdhouse from a local hardware store, or pick up a few supplies and make your own. [Edit]Choosing a Mounting Structure - Mount the birdhouse on a metal pole for complete protection. No predator on the planet will be able to climb up a metal pole and eat the eggs out of the birdhouse. So, situating the birdhouse at the top of a metal pole (which you can purchase at a hardware or home-improvement store) will keep the birds safe.[1]
- Mounting the birdhouse on a metal pole gives an additional benefit. Since you can drive the pole wherever you like in your front- or backyard, you have complete control over the birdhouse's location.
- Consider putting baffles on the pole—these are small metal or plastic cones that fit around the pole, and they'll keep squirrels and other predators from climbing up into the box.[2]
- Place the birdhouse on a brick surface if one is near your home. If you have brick siding on your home or, for example, an old brick wall nearby, try hanging the birdhouse on this surface. Brick is difficult for predators to climb up since it's quite hard and resistant to their claws. Unless the brick wall is lower than , birds will be safe in a house mounted on brick.[3]
- In most cases, you can drive nails directly into brick without causing structural harm.
- Hang the birdhouse on smooth wooden siding for a convenient option. If you don't have any brick surfaces near your home and prefer to keep things simple, hang the birdhouse on a section of smooth siding on your home or a shed. Predators like skunks or weasels won't be able to scamper up the siding, and the birds and their eggs will be safe.[4]
- A downside to this approach is that it may be difficult to see the birds if the birdhouse is hung on a wall with no windows nearby.
- Locate a birdhouse with a small entrance hole on a fence post. Unless they are very smooth, fence posts are relatively easy for lightweight predators to climb up. However, you can work around this problem by only hanging birdhouses with an entrance hole smaller than in diameter on fence posts. Even the smallest of predators will find it challenging to slip through this small of a hole.
- Be aware that this size of hole will also prevent larger birds from building a nest in the birdhouse. Smaller birds like nuthatches and chickadees will have no problem fitting in the hole, though.
- This may be a good option if you live in a rural area with many fences, or if you don't have any wooden siding or brick walls near your home.
- Situate the birdhouse on a tree if you have no other options. Driving long nails or screws into a living tree can cause serious damage, so avoid hanging a birdhouse on a tree if other options are available. If you have no other choices, use as few screws as possible to hang the birdhouse. Find a tree with a diameter larger than , and remember to dispose of the screws if you decide to take down the birdhouse.
- While hanging a birdhouse on a tree will damage the tree, it will still provide a safer nesting location for birds than if they had to make do with a natural nesting location.
[Edit]Positioning the Birdhouse - Hang the birdhouse between above the ground. If the birdhouse is mounted too low, it may be vulnerable to predators; too high, and many species of bird won't want to live in it. Mounting the house high will attract a number of bird species, and also allow you to watch the birds without having to strain your neck.
- Smaller birds often favor lower nests. For example, if you're hoping to have wrens, chickadees, or nuthatches nest in your birdhouse, hang the house at exactly .
- Situate your birdhouse so it faces east to keep it warm. In nearly all climates, having your birdhouse face east is best for the birds. If you don't know which direction is east where you live, use a compass to find out. If facing the birdhouse east isn't a possibility due to the location of your house or yard, facing the birdhouse to the south is the second-best option since south-facing birdhouses will receive more sunlight than houses that face north.
- An east-facing birdhouse will catch the first rays of morning sun, warming the birds after a chilly night. Hot afternoon rays of sun coming from the west will hit the closed back of the birdhouse and not overheat the birds.
- Point the birdhouse's entrance so it faces a food source for fledglings. When the birds' eggs hatch and the young emerge from the nest, they'll need to find food. So, point the front of the birdhouse towards an open area that borders on bushes, shrubs, and trees where the young birds can find food.[5]
- Ideally, potential food sources should be less than away from the birdhouse.
- Locate the birdhouse away from bird feeders and baths. Bird feeders and bird baths both tend to draw in predators, which quickly learn that the congregated birds make a great food source. To protect the bird eggs and fledglings from predators (e.g., gray squirrels), do not hang a birdhouse near feeders or bird baths.[6] Hang birdhouses at least away from feeders or baths.
- It's possible to have both a bird feeder or bath and a birdhouse, as long as you're smart about where you locate them. For example, try setting the feeder on your front porch and hanging the birdhouse on a tree in your backyard.
- Space multiple birdhouses out by at least . While some bird species don't mind having multiple nests close together, other species will refuse to use a birdhouse if it's too near another nest. To avoid this problem, hang multiple birdhouses about away from one another.
- To achieve this, try to hang the houses on multiple types of surfaces. For example, hang 1 on a pole in your front yard, 2 more on opposite sides of your home, and a final 1 on a brick wall in your backyard.
[Edit]Mounting Against Flat Surfaces - Mark 2 spots at the center of the birdhouse's extended back wall. Most birdhouses—whether purchased or made—have a back wall that measures above and below the birdhouse. To mount the house, you'll drive screws through this and into the surface you're hanging the house on. Use a ruler to measure the width of the back wall and mark the halfway point.
- So, if the back wall of the birdhouse measures across, mark a small "X" at the mark on the top of the extended back. Repeat the process and mark another "X" on the bottom of the extended back.
- Position the birdhouse against the surface where you'd like to hang it. Walk out into your yard and hold the birdhouse against the wooden siding, brick wall, or other surface where you'd like to hang it. Look behind the "X" markings to make sure there aren't any metal bits or stones that could damage your screws.
- It's fine to hang the birdhouse on a dead tree using large screws, as long as the tree is relatively sturdy and not rotten.
- Screw the tips of screws into the 2 "X" marks. Position the tip of 1 screw at each of the pencil markings. Tap the head of each screw 2–3 times with a hammer to set the point in place. Then, give each screw 6–10 turns with a Philips head screwdriver to bury the tip in the wood.
- Since it's difficult to hold the birdhouse with 1 hand and set the screws in place with the other, ask a friend or family member to help you with this step.
- Drive the screws in using a power drill with a Philips head attachment. Set the head of the attachment in the slot of the screws to tighten them. Make sure to hold the drill level and drive the screws straight into the backing. Tighten the screws until the screw heads are flush with the wood of the birdhouse backing to keep the birdhouse firmly in place.
- Although you'll have to remove the 2 screws if you want to take down or clean the birdhouse, the screws will hold the structure firmly in place.
[Edit]Mounting on a Pole - Purchase a screw-on birdhouse and a diameter pole. It's best to purchase this type of birdhouse rather than making it. The house should have a diameter threaded hole in its bottom so it can screw on top of the pole. Purchase a pole that's at least tall and that has an auger at the bottom to make it easier to drive deep into the soil of your yard.[7]
- You can find these items at a large hardware store, a home-improvement store, or a bird-supply shop.
- An auger is a large metal screw (it looks like a huge corkscrew) that comes out of the bottom of the metal pole. Augers are typically long.
- If you can't find a pole with an auger already attached, purchase the auger separately and insert the base of the pole into the top of the auger.
- Twist the pole clockwise to drive the pole and auger into the ground. Select a location in your front or back yard that's easily visible from 1 or more windows. Set the point of the auger in the ground. Then, twist the pole clockwise to drive it into the ground as deep as the auger is long. If the pole has 3 or 4 "legs" that will stabilize it once it's in the ground, you can hold on to these to give yourself more leverage as you twist.[8]
- If you have a metal pole without an auger attached, you can just drive it into the ground. However, it will be a more wobbly setup than if you'd used an auger.
- Turn the birdhouse clockwise to screw the birdhouse onto the pole. Once the pole is firmly in place, it's time to set the birdhouse on top. Line the hole on the bottom of the house up with the top of the pole. Make sure the house is balanced, and slowly turn the birdhouse clockwise until it's tightly in place on top of the pole.[9]
- If you'd like to adjust the direction that the birdhouse is facing after it's screwed onto the top of the pole, you should be able to turn the pole clockwise or counterclockwise in the ground.
- Whenever you want to clean the birdhouse, you simply need to turn it counterclockwise to loosen the threads and unscrew the house.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Mounting Against Flat Surfaces - Birdhouse
- Ruler
- Pencil
- 2 screws
- Hammer
- Philips head screwdriver
- Electric drill
- Philips head attachment
- Compass (optional)
[Edit]Mounting on a Pole - Screw-on birdhouse
- diameter pole
- Metal auger
- If you're hanging a birdhouse on a metal pole, locate it at least away from any low-hanging branches, large rocks, or other objects that a crafty predator could leap from to gain access to the birdhouse.[10]
- If you're worried that some of your birdhouses may go unused because of their proximity to other birdhouses, try mounting them in locations where one birdhouse isn't visible from another.
[Edit]References |
| How to Be Considerate on Public Transport Posted: 25 Jun 2021 05:00 PM PDT If you haven't taken public transportation in a while, remembering how to behave might be a little tough. Whether you're taking a bus, train, tram, or metro, being considerate on public transportation can make your ride (and everyone else's) a whole lot smoother. Brush up on the etiquette surrounding public transport before you head out for a safe, enjoyable trip. [Edit]Have your ticket or money in your hand. - Be prepared to board as soon as the bus or train gets to you. If you have a fare card, keep it in your hand so you can tap it or swipe it as you board. If you're paying with cash, get your exact change ready to purchase a ticket before boarding.[1]
- The same goes if you're using an electronic ticket: have it pulled up with the barcode ready on your phone.
[Edit]Let passengers exit before boarding. - That way, you won't clog up the bus or the train. Before you head on, let anyone getting off step out first. Once they're clear, you can go ahead and board.[2]
- If you're with a lot of other people waiting to board, consider forming an orderly line. That way, no one has to push or shove to get on.
[Edit]Wear a mask if you're required to. - Masks are required during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you're riding public transit, be sure you have a mask on before you board. If you don't have one, you might not be allowed onto the vehicle.[3]
- You might also want to bring along some hand sanitizer to use after you touch door handles or benches on the bus or train.
[Edit]Sit down if there are seats available. - Standing up can block the aisles and open seats. If there are any available seats, feel free to sit down and take a load off. If there aren't, keep standing up but grab a hand rail so you don't fall over.[4]
- If there aren't many people on the bus or train, look for seats that don't have anyone else sitting nearby. If the bus or train is a little crowded, it's fine to sit down next to a stranger.
[Edit]Don't block the aisles or the doors. - This goes for you and any items you have with you. Try not to stand in front of the doors, and move strollers and bikes out of the aisles if you can. Fold up your walkers or carts and place them under the seat until your ride is over.[5]
- Some buses and trains have special bike hooks that you can hang your bike on for the duration of your ride.
- If you're standing near a pole, try not to lean on it. If you block it off, other passengers won't be able to grab it to keep from falling over.
[Edit]Put your bag or backpack in your lap or under your seat. - Your purse or bag doesn't need a seat of its own. Even if the vehicle isn't super crowded, it's polite to keep all the seats open for passengers who want them. If your bag or backpack is too big to hold on your lap, shove it underneath your seat.[6]
- If you couldn't grab a seat and you're standing up, make sure your bag or backpack isn't in the way of the aisle. You can hold it in front of you or keep it down near your feet if you need to.
[Edit]Keep your pet in a carrier. - Pets are allowed on most trains or busses in carriers. If you're bringing a pet on board, make sure they're sitting quietly in a crate or a carrier that you can hold on your lap. If they make a mess on board, be prepared to clean it up before you leave.[7]
- If your pet is a service animal, they don't have to be in a carrier. Make sure you have identification for them just in case you're questioned by the driver.
[Edit]Give up your seat to those who need it more. - Elderly, disabled, and pregnant passengers might need to sit down. If someone boards and they can't find a seat, consider giving up your own for them. It's the nice thing to do![8]
- Some buses and trains have priority seating near the front or the back. You can sit in these seats if you'd like to, but you have to give them up if an elderly, disabled, or pregnant person gets on the bus.
[Edit]Don't push or shove anyone out of the way. - Instead, just say "excuse me." If the bus or train is pretty full, you might get jostled back and forth a bit. However, pushing and shoving won't help anything, and it probably won't make your neighboring passengers very happy, either.[9]
[Edit]Keep your voice down. - You're in a small area, and loud noises travel pretty far. Try not to yell over other people in the vehicle, and don't take phone calls if you can avoid it. If you have to talk on the phone, keep your voice down and make the call as short as possible.[10]
[Edit]Wear headphones if you want to listen to music. - Loud music can disturb other passengers. If you'd like to chill out while you ride, bring headphones or earbuds and keep the volume down low. Don't use speakers on public transportation, since those can be disruptive.[11]
- The same rules apply if you're going to watch a video on your phone or tablet, too. Headphones or earbuds are a must!
[Edit]Don't talk to the driver while the vehicle is in motion. - It's dangerous to distract the driver. If you need to alert them about something, press the emergency button on the inside of the bus or the train. Otherwise, don't bother them while they're doing their job.[12]
- Feel free to say thank you as you get off the bus, though! Bus drivers really appreciate that small act of kindness.
[Edit]Don't eat while riding. - Harsh smells can be a little much for a small bus or train. If you're taking food onto the public transport, keep it sealed in an airtight container until you get off. Most public transit doesn't allow eating or drinking on their vehicles, so it's better safe than sorry.[13]
- It's totally fine to take a sip of water while you're on a long train or bus ride.
- If you have any wrappers, save them in your pocket until you get to a trash can. Don't litter on the bus or the train.
- Don't smoke on the bus or train, either. Most public transportation agencies have banned this as well.
[Edit]Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. - Try not to spread your germs to everyone else around you. If you have to cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with your elbow (not your hand). Bring a tissue with you just in case your nose starts to run, and try not to touch other passengers if you're sick.[14]
- Sneezing or coughing into your hand can still spread germs. When you sneeze or cough into your hand and then touch a door handle or seat, it's the same as if you just sneezed everywhere.
- Keep your feet off the seats to avoid dirtying them for other passengers.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Paint Particle Board Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:00 AM PDT Particle board, or chipboard, is a very lightweight type of wood that's often found in inexpensive furniture or small decorations. Although it is still wood, it's a lot softer and easier to damage than regular lumber, making it more likely to get scratched and more difficult to paint. If you want to paint some particle board, sand it down lightly, apply a thin layer of primer, and cover it with several coats of paint to get the look you're after. [Edit]Priming the Board - Remove any hardware or accessories you don't want to paint over. If you're painting particle board furniture or touching up cabinets, there may be metal fittings or handles that you want to keep unpainted. Use a screwdriver to carefully remove any hardware, fittings, or accessories attached to the particle board that you don't want to be painted.[1]
- If you're painting particle board furniture, it might be easier to disassemble it and paint each piece individually. If you can, follow the assembly instructions in reverse to carefully take apart the item you want to paint.
- Make sure that you store all of the fittings, hardware, screws, and anything else you take out of the particle board somewhere where it won't get lost.
- Sand the board down with 120-grit sandpaper. The lamination or sheen on the particle board will prevent paint from sticking to it. Use a medium to fine grit sandpaper, around 120-grit, to sand down the face of the particle board you want to paint. Sand it down lightly, only enough to remove the shine from it and expose the wood.[2]
- Particle board is a very soft wood, which makes it easier to work with and move around, but also easier to scratch and damage. Use only light pressure when sanding to avoid damaging your particle board.
- Use a vacuum cleaner or shop-vac to remove any dust that comes off the board while sanding it.
- To avoid getting the inside of your home messy, sand, prime, and paint your particle board outside.
- Coat the particle board with a layer of oil-based primer. The most difficult part of painting particle board is getting the paint to adhere to the surface. Once the board has been sanded down, use a wide paintbrush to cover it with a single layer of oil-based primer. Make sure to get into any hard to reach areas so that the entire surface is covered.[3]
- A water-based primer will seep into the particle board and cause it to swell up. Always use an oil-based or solvent-based primer when painting particle boards.
- Oil-based primer should be available at your local hardware store. If you're unsure which type to use, ask an employee for help choosing the right primer and paint for you.
- Give the primer 30 minutes to an hour to fully dry. Your coat of primer needs to be completely dry before you can begin painting the wood. Leave the particle board sitting out in the sun for 30 minutes to an hour to give it plenty of time to completely dry.[4]
- Check the manufacturer's instructions for your chosen primer for more specific advice on how long it will take to dry.
- You can check if the primer is fully dry by scratching at it lightly with a fingernail. If the primer is dry, a fingernail scratch won't leave a mark or remove any primer.[5]
[Edit]Refinishing Your Particle Board - Cover the board with a coat of oil-based paint. Once the particle board has been primed, you can begin coating it with your paint of choice. Dip a wide-bristled paintbrush or a paint roller into an oil-based paint in your desired color. Work slowly and methodically to cover the entire surface with a coat of paint.[6]
- If you have a paint sprayer, you could also use this to evenly paint the particle board. Work in thin layers to make sure the paint is applied evenly and dries quickly.
- Oil or lacquer-based paints will work best for painting particle boards. However, if you have primed the wood with an oil-based primer, you should be able to use water-based paint without the particle board absorbing any water.
- A variety of different colored paints should be available at your local hardware store. Choose one that you like and that will work well with the other colors in the room where you'll put your finished particle board.
- Let the paint dry for 30 minutes to an hour. Once you've finished the first coat of paint on your particle board, leave it to dry. Give your paint around an hour in the sun to begin to dry. If you can touch the paint lightly without getting any paint on your finger, the paint should be dry enough to apply a second coat.[7]
- If you live in a colder or more humid environment, it may take longer for your paint to dry. It's better to give it more time than it needs to dry than it is to move on while the paint is still wet.
- Consult the manufacturer's instructions on your chosen paint for more specific advice on how long it will take to dry.
- Apply another coat of paint and let it dry. When the paint is dry to the touch, apply a second layer of paint using the same brush or roller. Leave the paint to dry for another 30 minutes to an hour. Repeat this process until you are happy with the look of your particle board.[8]
- With most particle board, it will take between 2 and 4 layers of paint to completely cover the primer.
- Reassemble and reattach the hardware. With your particle board painted and dry to the touch, you can begin putting it back together. Reassemble the particle board if you disassembled it to paint it, and reattach any hardware or fittings until everything is put back together.[9]
- The paint may still be soft when you begin reassembling your particle board, so make sure you work carefully. Alternately, you can leave your particle board to dry for 12 to 24 hours before reassembling it.
- Most paint will take at least a week to completely dry and cure. If you are painting particle board furniture, avoid putting anything heavy on it for at least 1 week so as to not risk damaging the paint.
- You could also paint particle boards with several thin layers of spray paint. Make sure you do so in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling any overspray.
- If you notice the paint or primer bubbling or spotting as it dries, it may be a sign that you didn't sand down that area well enough. Wait for the section to dry, sand it down further, and reapply the primer or paint.
[Edit]Warnings - Work outside or in a well-ventilated area when painting and sanding. This will keep the inside of your home clean and free of strong paint fumes.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - 120-grit sandpaper
- Oil-based primer
- Paintbrush or paint roller
- Paint
[Edit]References |
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