Bat House Forum

[IowaNate]

  I am posting another plan for making two single chamber wedge houses at minimal cost. Total overall exterior dimensions for the houses will be 18" wide and 30" tall. Modifications can be made to these houses for more experimentation or personal preferences, but the basic design has been very successful. Kent Borcharding will hopefully give some more valuable insight about this design and it's modifications.   

  Materials needed

 1- 4'x4' piece of 1/2" exterior grade plywood

 1- 6' length of 1"x2" or 2"x2" lumber

 1- quart of waterbased stain or exterior paint (color according to region)

 100- 1" exterior grade screws
 1- tube of silicon caulk

 
  Tools needed 

  electric drill with 1/8" wood bit and Phillips head bit

  circular saw or jigsaw

 A cutting diagram will follow this post very soon!

 

[IowaNate]

 Here is the diagram. B is the back, TF is the top front, LF is the lower front, R is the roof, and C is the ceiling. I did only one sketch of a side for the house being 1.5" at the bottom sloping to 1/2" at the top. You can create a small vent in the front by leaving a 1/4" gap between the front peices, although this may not be crucial to occupancy even in warmer climates. Each square in the diagram is 2x2".

 

[Terry Lobdell]

Nate, nice plans...........thanks!

[IowaNate]

 It would also be very easy to use this design for the front chamber of a multiple chambered stlye house. The front being a wedge style and the following rear chambers being 3/4".

[kerbat]

Hi Nate,

You seem to get bats pronto, has this one been occupied? Looks like a great small box to put up to decide if an area is ripe for a larger box.

Bernie

[IowaNate]

 I built a house of this style many years ago, but it was only 12" wide and 21" tall. It housed a bachelor big brown the first spring it was hung, and he came back every year. This slightly larger version should have better chances at attracting bats