Barn Bird Feeder With Miniature Mosaic Barn Quilt

Vicky Kloppenborg
by Vicky Kloppenborg
3 Materials
Although Sparrows seem to dominate and annoy the Mourning Doves, I still enjoy watching the activity at our bird feeders year round. With a little urging, my husband helped me turn some reclaimed materials into one of my favorite garden pieces.
I came across a small pile of mismatched forgotten boards, while sorting through "my stuff" in the garage, and instantly recalled the image of an old rustic barn bird feeder I had admired in a garden magazine several years ago. Although the boards were a mix of old narrow wainscoting and wide tongue and groove, it looked achievable.


The size of our feeder was determined by the boards we had available. We used the narrow wainscoting for the sides and the wide for the front and back. A simple frame was built from scrap lumber and the boards were attached with a brad nailer, painted red, then lightly sanded. I rescued a 1 1/2"W x 1/4 thick" piece of rough shipping crate lath from the trash bin to trim out the side entries. The trim pieces were cut, attached, and painted white. My completed barn measurements, without a base, are 20 1/2"L x 11 1/2"W. The side peaks are 14 1/2"H.


For the base, we used a piece of 3/4"plywood, cut 22 1/2"L x 13"W and a 1 1/2"thick plank cut 20 1/2"L x 11"W. Both were sanded and treated with Thompson's Water Seal.
Using tin snips, cut a piece of corrugated steel, with furrows running lengthwise, 20"L x approximately 23 1/2"W. For a neater appearance, cut the steel so the sides are matching. For example, I needed the roof to be 23 1/2"W, but went a bit wider so I was at the top of a furrow on each side. I was lucky on this step and had a scrap of steel that was in very good condition on one end and I only had to make 2 cuts. Cutting up the side, along a furrow, may be difficult. We found it helpful to bend it back as we cut and take your time.
My husband clued me in on a very helpful tip for bending the steel. Once cut, lay it flat, topside down (we were working on concrete). Pencil mark in the middle where you want it to bend. Lay a steel rod on the mark and hold it down firmly.. I stood on one end while my husband held the other. Hammer on the rod to collapse the furrows down. When done, keep the rod in place and slowly raise up one side of the steel, bending it evenly towards the rod.


A small lightning rod was a VERY lucky find during a junk ( gathering ) hunt!
What's a barn without a barn quilt?! With glass being my "thing", it seemed the thing to do.


With bitter cold, icy Iowa winters, I make a habit of bringing my mosaics, glass chunks, and stepping stones inside for the winter. For this reason, I wanted the quilt removable. I drilled two holes in a 3 x 3" square piece of glass to accommodate screws, and glued a glass pinwheel pattern to the front.
Grout and seal. Before hanging, add two thin rubber washers for cushioning and to prevent movement.
Read the complete post and see step by step instructions to make your own mini barn quilt by clicking on the blog link below ..
Suggested materials:
  • Screws and nuts   (home improvement store)
  • Reclaimed materials   (free)
  • Mini lightning rod   (junk store)
Vicky Kloppenborg
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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