Build your own bird bath: 25 DIY ideas for your garden or balcony

Cooling down in the garden pool on hot summer days is not only welcome for us humans: Birds are also always grateful for a bird bath. Wild birds need water not only to drink, but also to care for their feathers. However, since humans keep changing the landscape, natural water sources are no longer accessible to many native bird species. Migratory birds also have difficulty reorienting themselves every year. The hobby gardener can come to the rescue here and build a bird bath himself. We offer you numerous ideas for your garden or balcony made of concrete, clay, stone or glass, which you can make yourself with a little skill. Opt for a bird bath on a stick and set accents in the middle of the flowerbed. Or choose a hanging bird bath that saves space on the balcony.

Build your own bird bath: an overview of the various materials

Different materials are available depending on where you want to place the bird bath. We give you an overview of the possibilities:

1. Light materials such as clay or ceramics are suitable for bird baths on sticks that are placed in the middle of the flower bed. However, since they are only partially frost-proof, you should either put the bird bath in a sheltered place in winter or check for cracks every spring.

2. A concrete bird bath is stable and safe. The material offers numerous design options for creative hobby gardeners. For example, you can make a leaf-shaped bird bath yourself and then stage it effectively on the terrace or balcony.

3. A bird bath made of stone is very solid and stable, lasts for years and does not need frost protection.

Make your own clay bird bath: DIY idea for the balcony

If you want to make a bird bath for the balcony yourself, then you are certainly looking for space-saving variants. A good idea that you can quickly realize is to build a low bird bath and stage it under the plants and flowers. It looks particularly natural and attracts not only birds but also butterflies to the balcony garden. It also has another advantage: you always have access to it and can easily change the water every day.

A sheltered place, but above all sheltered from the rain, is best suited for this bird bath. You need the following materials:

• Round saucer for flower pots made of clay with an inner diameter of at least 20 cm and a height of at least 6 cm.
• Bricks
• River stones

Build a substructure from 6 bricks and place the round coaster on top. The clay bird bath is difficult to tip over thanks to its weight. For more stability, you can place river stones on the bottom of the saucer.

Build your own bird bath: DIY variant also for the garden

You can use the same coaster to build an outdoor bird bath. But so that it is clearly visible, place it on a pole or tree stump. Place the self-made drinking trough in a place in the garden where the birds can spot enemies such as weasels, wild boars, badgers or cats early enough. We also recommend a sheltered and ideally sunny location. Places directly under trees, for example, are less suitable, as leaves can get into the bird bath and pollute the water.

Build your own bird bath to hang up

If you want to save space, you can hang the bird bath. All you need is a rattan hanging basket and a saucer for flower pots that will fit. For more stability, place stones on the bottom of the saucer and fill it with water. Hang the bird bath on a sturdy branch of a tree.

If you have a kitchen garden, then you can distract the birds with a bird bath on the other side of the garden. Trees where the birds like to hang out are also suitable, for example for nesting. Such trees and bird bushes are, for example, the mountain ash, the barberry and the black elder.

Build and design your own bird bath

Arranged in a corner on the balcony, on a step ladder or a Bekvåm stool, the next bird bath cuts a particularly good figure. This medium-height bird bath has another advantage: the birds will surely notice it quickly and you can keep the watering can on the steps of the ladder. So you have the necessary accessories close at hand when you want to change the water in the drinking trough. To prevent the coaster from tipping over, you can place a small flower pot in the middle.

Build your own vintage bird bath

Do you have vintage vases and plates lying around at home? Then you can make a vintage bird bath for balconies yourself. Simply turn a long glass vase over and place it on a wooden stump. Then place the plate on the vase and fix it with hot glue. The following rule applies: the more colorful the plate, the better. Deep plates are ideal for soups and plates with floral and natural motifs in cheerful colors.

Make concrete bird bath yourself: Instructions

For the next concrete bird bath you will need the following materials:

• Large plant leaf
• Dry concrete
• water
• sand
• Plastic bucket in which you can mix the concrete
• Wooden stick
• Color spray
• Gardening gloves
• paint brush
• olive oil

Make a mountain of sand out of the sand. Moisten the sand and place the sheet on it. Use the brush to apply a thin layer of olive oil to the leaf. In the meantime, stir the concrete in the plastic bucket, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Spread the concrete on the sheet and let it harden. Then you can carefully separate the plant leaf and paint the concrete leaf green with spray paint. Let the paint dry and fill the bird bath with water. complete!

Build a bird bath on a stick yourself

You bought a bird bath on a stick, but want to spice it up? Carefully remove the potion from the wand and attach a vintage plate in its place. Then build a strange tower out of several coffee cups, coasters and a teapot. Drill holes in the harness and carefully slide the rod through. complete!

Build and design your own bird bath with stickers

For the next craft idea you will need the following materials:

• Bird bath, a deep plate or a round tray
• Wall stickers, self-adhesive
• Tomato climbing aid
• Evergreen shrubs, ferns or other ornamental foliage shrubs of your choice
• Hot glue or glue for metal

First stick the wall sticker to the potion. Then attach the bird bath to the tomato trellis. For more support, you can place the plant in the trellis below.

Build a bird bath for your balcony yourself: glass bowl and old lamp

The next bird bath is made from the frame of an old table lamp and a glass bowl in the shape of a shell. It is a cool eye-catcher for the garden in Mediterranean style and cuts a particularly good figure in the middle of the lawn or in the flowerbed. You can put it right in front of a bird bush so that it attracts even more attention. Since the bird bath is quite low, you should put it in a place where it cannot reach natural enemies of the birds. If you have a high and sturdy garden fence and neither wild animals nor cats in the garden, the height should not be a problem.

This is how the bird bath is made: First, take the old table lamp apart. You only need the lamp base, which you can paint with a paint spray or with acrylic paint. Then glue the glass bowl onto the lamp base and let the glue dry. The new bird bath is ready. It has only one disadvantage: so that you can change the water, you have to lift the whole bird bath with your foot and then carefully place it again. You can place the bird bath on a paving stone so that it does not sink too deeply into the earth over time.

Build and design your own bird bath

In addition to using wall stickers to decorate your bird bath, you can also paint it. Download a free ladybug template from the web, print it out, and trace the image onto the bird bath. First, just draw the outlines of the ladybug in pencil, then fill them in with paint. By the way, colors like red and green attract not only birds but also butterflies to the garden.

Small bird baths made of glass for the balcony and the garden

You only need a beautiful glass bowl and river stones to make an attractive bird bath yourself. You should change the stones regularly so that no algae or bacteria can form in the water. Place the bird bath in a shady or partially shaded place, because the water in the glass heats up very quickly in summer when the water is in the blazing sun. Glass bowls are an inexpensive alternative that you can stage anywhere.

Whether you should put a glass bird bath on the balcony railing is debatable. Even if you fill the bowl with gravel and have also put a brick in it, there is always a risk of it tipping over and falling. But if you have designed a cozy reading corner in the garden, you can place it on the railing of the gazebo, for example. The terrace is not suitable for this because we like to stay there in summer and the birds would not come when people are around.

Cool idea for a stone bird bath and a galvanized lid

Metal trash cans are clearly a thing of the past, but if a galvanized lid is lying around in the garage then you can use it for the next DIY idea. To make this stone bird bath yourself, you need the following materials:

• galvanized lid
• flat stones
• small round or oval stones
• possibly vintage bird figurines

Build the construction from larger flat stones and place the lid on top. Put an oval stone in the middle and pour water into it. Now the birds can come and freshen up in the cool water, clean their feathers or just drink water.

Build your own bird bath and decorate it with sea glass

If you have a Mediterranean garden then the next DIY idea is for you. Arrange an old white tray on a classic sandstone pillar. Decorated with stylized natural ornaments, the stone column brings a touch of romance from the Mediterranean. The impression is completed by the blue sea glass in the tray. Surrounded by lavender and Mediterranean plants, the bird bath becomes a real eye-catcher.

Build modern bird bath yourself

Building a modern bird bath is not a difficult task. All you need is a puristic ceramic bowl and several tree branches on which you can attach the bowl. This bird bath cuts a particularly good figure in a puristically designed garden. It can be staged particularly effectively with suitable lighting in the flowerbed or in front of the garden fence.

Since ceramics are very durable, you do not need to overwinter the puristic bird bath. It can be left outside and will not take up space in the basement or garage. Another advantage: you don’t need to set up the branch construction every year.

Whether modern or rustic, with solar panels or with sea glass: A bird bath enhances the garden and balcony and offers migratory and resident birds water in the hot summer months. In the photo gallery below you will find more inspiring DIY examples that you can recreate.

Build solar bird bath yourself

The solar bird bath is colored with spray paint and combines water feature and bird bath in one design

Bird bath on a stepladder in bright pink

Make your own bird bath on a stick

Stone bird bath decorated with sea glass. Vintage plate in the middle completes the design

Bird bath in the middle of the flowerbed: The water should be changed daily