How to Decorate Birdhouses If You Don't Know How to Paint

Question

Decorative birdhouses add a whimsical touch to a garden or backyard landscape. You can find unfinished birdhouses at most craft stores, but how do you decorate them if you don't know how to paint? You need not be a talented artist to create colorful and creative birdhouses for your outdoor decor; painted designs are not the only way to embellish these projects. Instead, decorate your birdhouse with ceramic tiles or glass stones to add dimension to the design.

Answer 1

1
    Spray paint the birdhouse with a single color as a background for your decorations. Use exterior spray paint in a smooth, side-to-side motion. Let the paint dry. Spray another application, if necessary, and let it dry.

    2
    Lay the birdhouse on one side on a level surface. If the roof line causes the side to be tilted, prop up the base of the birdhouse with a book or some other object.

    3
    Arrange mosaic tiles on the side of the birdhouse. You can cover the side with the tiles side-by-side, or you can arrange the tiles in a random formation. Grouting is not necessary for this project; you can abut the tiles against each other if you like.

    4
    Remove the tiles in order. Run a bead of waterproof construction adhesive onto the birdhouse, wherever you plan to place the tiles. Press the tiles into the bead of glue to replicate your arrangement. Allow the glue to dry completely.

    5
    Rotate the birdhouse so that a painted side without tiles is facing up. Repeat Steps 2, 3 and 4.

    6
    Repeat Step 5. When the glue is dried, stand the birdhouse upright.

    7
    Glue a row of flat-backed glass stones to the perimeter of the birdhouse roof with clear waterproof construction adhesive. Tape the stones in place with painter's tape, as needed, until the glue dries. Remove the tape. Continue to decorate the roof from the perimeter upwards with flat-backed glass stones and/or mosaic tiles, gluing the embellishments into place as you go. The first row will hold the subsequent rows in place on an angled roof.