synthetic wood (1 Viewer)

[Gary Polliard]

I built a screech owl house from the new synthetic wood that is in the lumber yards locally and used stainless screws to hold it together. Put it up last year and actually had an owl in it breifly then taken over by starlings. this year a pair of screech owls one red phase and the other grey have been in it for over a week. It is located in a small acre wooded area facing our house about fifteen feet up the tree. The synthetic wood comes in one half inch thick by 12 inches wide and sixteen foot lenths.

 

[wanderer55]

Interesting, I haven't seen any here, but I will have to keep my eye out for it. I would like to try it and see how it works. Does it saw and drill well? Typically plastic has to be cut and drilled with low speeds to keep it from melting and smearing or enlarging the holes. It must be some type of plastic?

 

[Gary Polliard]

Interesting, I haven't seen any here, but I will have to keep my eye out for it. I would like to try it and see how it works. Does it saw and drill well? Typically plastic has to be cut and drilled with low speeds to keep it from melting and smearing or enlarging the holes. It must be some type of plastic?

This synthetic wood works well on all my woodworking tools and does not melt or gum up blades. It drills well and holds screws well. I actually made a sailboat part out of it also since it holds up so well in all types of weather. I am hoping the nest boxes will last many years and with all indications they should. I am planning on making bluebird houses also. The only thing to remember is to cut small grooves where the birds will be grabbing onto the structure with thier "talons". I also put small piece of 1/4 " wire mesh on the inside so the young can climb up to the hole.

 

[Gary Polliard]

This synthetic wood works well on all my woodworking tools and does not melt or gum up blades. It drills well and holds screws well. I actually made a sailboat part out of it also since it holds up so well in all types of weather. I am hoping the nest boxes will last many years and with all indications they should. I am planning on making bluebird houses also. The only thing to remember is to cut small grooves where the birds will be grabbing onto the structure with thier "talons". I also put small piece of 1/4 " wire mesh on the inside so the young can climb up to the hole.

Here is the picture of the synthetic wood owl/ wood duck house I made. It should last a while.

 

[Gary Polliard]

I had built my sister a screech owl box same as one that is pictured although a round 3 inch hole was used instead of the oval 4 by 3. It was put up in the spring of last year and today she noticed a grey phase screech owl looking out. The box was put about 20 feet up in a tall straight trunked tree and facing the house on the edge of the woods. The synthetic wood is holding up nicely to the weather and hope that it lasts for many years. I made a bluebird house from the same material and bluebirds nested in it with in a week last spring.

 

[Joe1980]

I made on of cedar, put it up, and once had some kestrals scoping it out. But, to date, the only things that have taken up residence are some squirrels, and yellowjackets.

 

[etudiant]

Interesting material.
Should definitely last longer than the low cost pine, but not sure it would outlast cedar.
Does the design have any provision for a predator guard? They were an essential for Bluebird boxes, at least in CT.

 

[KC Foggin]

Maybe a silly question but does this synthetic wood breathe like real wood?
Just wondering about excessive heat and mold.

 

[bitterntwisted]

And is it biodegradable?

 

[Joe1980]

Ok, what I know of synthetic wood is as much as my research from when I checked it out for possible use when I built my deck. The stuff is very similar to a thick plastic, so I would say no, it would not "breathe" like wood, but I don't think that'd be a big deal so long as you drilled vent holes in the bird box. As far is it being "biodegradable", well, everything is in some sense, only some take longer then others. I think the whole idea behind this stuff is for it NOT to rot, so I'd say in our lifetime, no, it is not biodegradable. I opted not to use the stuff for decking material, due mainly to excessive cost. Also, long spans tend to sag easier then wood. But for a bird house, I could see it being a good material. It'd last longer then wood, thats for sure, then again, I've had my cedar ones since I lived out on my own, which is 12 years now, so I'd say I've gotten my money's worth, and many of bird families raised.

 

[KC Foggin]

Thanks Joe for taking the time to explain it a bit further.

 

[Cleme]

I was walking in a UK nature reserve at the weekend and saw an old wood owl box which was still fixed to a tree (and in a nice shady spot) falling apart and no use to anything... a synthetic box would still be doing its job after 10 or 20 years.

Having said that, we've bought a wood owl box which will be going up soon. Eventually it will need repair/replacement.

 

[caheaton]

I'm curious about using this material for some birdhouses. Is it smooth enough to deter wasps from building their nests, or would I still have to soap the box?
Craig

 

[Joe1980]

You'd need to soap them yet. Wasps, hornets, and bees will still beable to attach nests, because they seem to have no problem doing so on/under synthetic wood decks. Another trick is cooking spray, or grease, both of which don't seem to bother birds at all. I'd avoid the butter flavored cooking spray if you have raccoons or the like in your yard though.

EDIT: Also, I've done about all the research a guy can do on bees/hornets/wasps. I have tons of them in my yard, and get attacked just about every year by an unseen nest, so lord knows I have a bit of experience.

 

[caheaton]

Looks like a PVC nest box may be the way to go then...

Shame about all your nests. Thankfully, they aren't a huge problem in my yard (yet), though I was stung a couple of years ago while mowing the lawn. It seems they decided to build a nest under one of the rails of our fence, where it meets the post and I was standing next to that post. Needless to say, my mowing for the day came to a stop that day! (And so did their home...)

Craig

 

[Joe1980]

Oh let me tell ya, you haven't lived until you get attacked by bald faced hornets. We had a dry spell here for a good 2 months, plenty of time for them to build a basketball sized nest in a tree without my noticing. Needless to say, I put my head into it while mowing, and got stung in the head several times. I kid you not, it felt like I got hit in the head with a bowling ball. Usually I just get the yellowjackets, who build in old chipmunk holes, and sting my legs when I mow over them. I actually am paranoid in late summer and fall when I have to mow.

 

[Gary Polliard]

This is the second year for the owl box and the owls are back this winter. I assume they are nesting again although I did not look inside. Last year the male was grey phase and the female was the red phase. I was able to notice two grey chicks looking out of the entrance one day. I have read that they mate for life, and the grey owl is the only one seen so far. The synthetic wood is holding up nicely. cost was 45 dollars which will build one owl house or three bluebird houses. It comes in a board 3/4 inch thick, 12 feet long and 11 1/2 inches wide. It is made from a mixture of recycled plastic and fiber. You can see the owl picture in one of my earlier posts.

 

[Gary Polliard]

This year the screech owls have nested again and I found a way to get a close picture of them. I noticed that while on my garden tractor they will let me get within 20 feet of the nesting box and so with camera in hand I was able to get this of, I believe, one of the young owlets looking out at me. The adults look much bigger so I believe it is one of the young.