Beyond the Basics
Basic DIY birdhouses are popular projects among young makers. However, if you have a 3D printer, why stop at basic? With some filament and a great design, the possibilities are endless. Before you start printing, however, there are a few factors you should consider in order to ensure your birdhouse can withstand the elements and repeated use.
- Material: Filaments like ABS, ASA, PETG, and polycarbonate are ideal for outdoor applications because they maintain structural integrity in high temperatures and are less likely to deteriorate from exposure to UV rays. PLA will get you a nice-looking print, but if it’s exposed to hot weather, it’ll quickly deform.
- Placement: With whatever material you chose, just keep in mind that it’s best to keep your birdhouse out of direct sunlight to reduce its exposure to UV rays and excessive heat.
- Strength: Your birdhouse will need to be strong enough to sustain constant use by your feathery friends. To improve your print’s rigidity, consider printing with 5 to 10 walls. With such a wall thickness, a 10-20% infill should be sufficient.
If you see a design on the list that you like but want it to be professionally printed, head over to Craftcloud by All3DP. With your choice of 3D printing technologies, materials, and finishes, you can be sure the birdhouse of your dreams will be delivered right to your door.
Without “feather” ado, let’s fly through our list!
Craftsman's Bungalow
Want a birdhouse with features? With two entrances, upper and lower ventilation, a sloped rain drain, wind safe corners, three perches, and two hefting mounting holes, this birdhouse is the birdhouse of all birdhouses.
This model can be printed 100% support free; the body, base, arms, chimney, and perches are all printed individually and assembled later. The parts are designed to simply slide together, so, in no time, your neighborhood’s birds will be enjoying their beautiful new digs.
Who made it? Mr_MegaTronic
Who printed it? An incredible 158 Thingiverse users have posted Makes of this birdhouse! There have also been five Remixes. PLA is a popular material choice and be sure to check out the paint jobs on many of the Makes for some artistic inspiration.
Where to find it? Thingiverse
Castle Tower
This is a three-in-one model, where you get a birdhouse, bird feeder, and birdbath, all in this incredible castle. Featuring ventilation, rain channels, and a super simple three-part snap assembly, you’ll want to give this one a try. This design also includes four optional accessories: two bridges and two side-mounted perches. You can either hang or set it on the ground.
In order to speed up print time, consider using a thicker layer height (between 0.2 and 0.3 mm), which will also strengthen the print. Silver and grey variants make for an impressively realistic castle aesthetic.
Who made it? Valcrow
Who printed it? 15 Thingiverse users have posted their Makes, and there’s also one Remix.
Where to find it? Thingiverse
Temple
This birdie temple is a literal sanctuary for small birds. The story behind it is that the designer had issues with pigeons and magpies in his attempt to feed small birds. So, he created a birdhouse and bird feeder that was only large enough for sparrow-sized birds.
He modeled this design after an Asian-style temple, but the sloped roof is far from merely ornamental: It makes it impossible for pigeons and magpies to roost on the house while it’s hanging. The green floor is removable so it’s easy to clean, and the floor has drainage to shed water.
The designer suggests printing the floor in PETG to make it waterproof, while the rest can be printed in PLA. It should be noted that you’ll need just under 800 grams of PLA and about 42 grams of PETG for printing.
Who made it? Job Smolders
Who printed it? No one has posted a picture of their print of this model, however, Smolders has successfully printed all of his designs and writes detailed descriptions on print setting suggestions and assembly instructions.
Where to find it? Design uit inspiratie
Nested Nest
3D printing makes previously difficult or impossible designs easy. This birdhouse is printed in one “flat-packed” piece that unfolds into a lovely, modern birdhouse featuring a rain roof, perch, ventilation, integrated drainage, and easy cleanability.
The designer suggests printing this model with at least two walls and 25% infill. PLA and PETG are popular materials, but PETG will probably last longer and shed water better.
Who made it? Gyrobot
Who printed it? Nearly 50 Thingiverse users have posted Makes of this model, and there are seven Remixes.
Where to find it? Thingiverse
Prusament Spool
Just like Josef Prusa’s 3D printers and filament have taken the maker community by storm, the uses for used Prusament spools never fail to impress. Who knew a 3D printer’s filament spool could be used to make a birdhouse? One maker on PrusaPrinters sure did!
This simple birdhouse is assembled from three 3D printed parts and one half of a Prusament spool. After sliding the pieces together and applying a dab of glue, you’ll be ready to delight your backyard bird buddies. As per the designer’s suggestions, consider printing the pieces with a brim, no supports, and a fine layer height for the stick component.
Who made it? Blazebit
Who printed it? The designer is currently the only maker to have posted a make of this recently uploaded model.
Where to find it? PrusaPrinters
Raindrop
Some models meant for outdoor use look out of place. Not this one! This birdhouse was designed to look like a raindrop, which looks right at home outside.
This model has no frills; it’s a simple three-part assembly made of a front half, back half, and perch. Though it’s designed to be a snap-fit assembly, a dab of glue on the contact points wouldn’t hurt. One maker opted for magnets instead of glue.
Who made it? Scintilla
Who printed it? 16 Makes of the model have been posted on Thingiverse and the prints are lovely! There are also four Remixes.
Where to find it? Thingiverse
Simple Barn
We love the minimalist aesthetic with beautiful detailing on this barn. It’s the perfect little house for small birds who need a home.
The designer used PolyLite PLA along with the fuzzy-wall feature in Cura to make the cinder block look more realistic. Prepare to use some supports with your print and to enjoy a delightful birdhouse!
Who made it? Flowalistik
Who printed it? One maker besides the designer has posted a Make of this model. There’s also one Remix.
Where to find it? Thingiverse
Death Star
If you love Star Wars and birds, then you will love this Death Star-shaped birdhouse. It’s a super simple print that’s immediately recognizable when completed.
Feel free to scale this model to fit your needs. The designer even included the SolidWorks files for you to edit however you’d like. Whatever size you decide, simply print both hemispheres of the Death Star and glue them together. You can use a 5-mm ring bolt through the top to hang it outside.
Who made it? plainolddave
Who printed it? 20 Thingiverse users have posted pictures of their prints, and the model also has seven Remixes.
Where to find it? Thingiverse
Fairy
This birdhouse is right out of a fairy tale. Its whimsical charm is sure to delight your feathery friends. Despite this design’s incredible detail, it requires no supports! Simply print, hang, and prepare for a fantastic birdwatching experience.
At over 415 mm tall, this model is too big to print in one piece on a typical 3D printer. You can either download this model for free from Pinshape or Thingiverse and scale it down or pay $2.92 for a segmented version of the same design from Cults.
Who made it? Sonia Verdu
Who printed it? The designer has printed this birdhouse multiple times. Additionally, two Cults users and 36 Thingiverse users have posted pictures of their own makes. Before you print, know that the full-scale model should use approximately 500 grams of filament.
Where to find it? Pinshape
Feeder (Paid)
This incredible model is worth the few bucks you’ll need to shell out to get it, $4.90 to be precise. You’ll be contributing to Printed Nest, a Czech-based group that’s using its projects to encourage engagement with 3D printing technology. Their bird feeders are now in an amazing 451 cities in 63 countries around the world.
Printed Nest offers two versions of their bird feeder, one that attaches to a window, while one that is meant to be hung. Each download includes all necessary 3D models as well as pre-sliced G-code files and a manual.
Who made it? Printed Nest
Who printed it? Over 35,000 makers have downloaded Printed Nest bird feeders. These feeders take approximately 15 and 20 hours to print, respectively, and Printed Nest provides print setting suggestions when you purchase the files.
Where to get it? Printed Nest
Lead image source: Alice Yoo via My Modern Met
License: The text of "3D Printed Birdhouse: 10 Great Models to Tweat the Birds" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.