A bird bath can be used for a number of things on a balcony. Obviously, it can be a great way to attract and entertain your local bird community. But you could also load it up with tiny tea lights to add light and romance to your balcony. Or if you have plants that prefer a humid climate, you could use the bird bath as a combination humidity tray and plant stand. There are even water plants that you can grow in a bird bath if it is deep enough. I’m sure you guys have even more ideas, right?
Whatever the intended use, a compact bird bath is easy to make, let me show you how…
Supplies
- 1 terracotta pot
- 1 terracotta saucer
- Ceramic adhesive with built in applicator (no need to buy a caulking gun for one project)
- Semi-gloss outdoor paint
- Sponge paint brush
Instructions
First, apply a generous ring of the ceramic adhesive to the bottom of the pot, like so:
Then, with the saucer turned upside down on your work surface, center the bottom of the pot on the center of the saucer. You can measure it out and mark the spot if that helps, but it’s not super important to be in the exact center of the saucer. “Close enough” is fine. Wiggle or turn the pot once it is in place to ensure that you have good contact between the adhesive, saucer, and pot. Allow to dry for several hours. When you flip it right-side-up, it should look like this:
Spread out newspaper in a well ventilated area. Place your bird bath on top of the newspaper and beging painting. Apply two thin coats of paint to all exterior surfaces, like so:
When you’re done, place it outside, among your plants. If you think bees are likely to also enjoy a drink from your bird bath, place a few stones in the water so that they’ll have a place to land.
