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Setting a pole for a bird house.

| Posted in General Discussion on February 22, 2002 04:36am

*
I am going to be helping a friend put in a bird house. He needs to attract a particular kind of bird to his property that is supposed to eat insects (in this case, mosquitos). The specifications required to make a safe habitat for the birds include a pole or post 15 feet high and it must be free standing; meaning no guy wires or supports of any kind.

The bird house specifications are not final yet, but when we have that we will know the size and weight (plus birds and nesting hopefully) we need to support.

We have discussed using a metal pole, possibly steel pipe, or aluminum. We also plan right now to set the bottom of the pole in coarse gravel and then pour concrete over it to allow drainage. We know that several factors will affect how this pole is set in place:

total weight, soil type, diameter of the concrete we pour into the base, etc.

We would prefer not pay for consulting a soils specialist or structural engineer just to put in a bird house, but we don’t want it to fall over either. How or where can I learn the right way to set this pole; how deep should it be to compensate for all those factors, what material is best to use for it and why and do we need to make any special considerations in preparing the hole to set it?

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Replies

  1. RichC | Feb 22, 2002 04:30am | #1

    *
    Reuben,

    Why not set a 20 ft 4x4 (pressure treated) five feet in the ground in concrete in a hole 16" in diameter. That should be more than adaquit. Make sure the concrete is slightly above grade and also beveled away from the post so it won't collect rain water. Good luck.

    1. bake_ | Feb 22, 2002 04:48am | #2

      *Ruben, we set power poles a lot, usually they are burried 1/4 to 1/3 their height, get a pole and set it to those standards, compact the soil or use concrete like Rich said.cheers bake

      1. calvin_ | Feb 22, 2002 04:54am | #3

        *Ruben, don't forget, you'll have to clean the house out yearly. Some Martin house poles are available that telescope down for easy cleaning. Also, there's not many ways to keep other birds out of the apartment till the martins set up house. Make sure you go to a bird site and study the whys and wherefores b/4 you go to alot of trouble. Best of luck.

        1. Rich_Beckman | Feb 22, 2002 05:22am | #4

          *Calvin is right. You want to be able to access the house for yearly cleaning but also for cleaning out the nesting materials of other birds that beat the Martins to the punch.Rich Beckman

          1. Tom_Carter | Feb 22, 2002 04:27pm | #5

            *Better yet, try this:Two five-foot 4x4s (treated) side-by-side in concrete, three feet under ground, two above. Separated by the O.D. of the pipe or mast planned (2-1/2 inch iron pipe is probably cheapest: flagpoles get pricey fast). Then get two grade five 1/2-inch machine bolts w/ nuts to go through the 4x4s and the mast, one low, one high. Bottom one serves as pivot, top one anchors. Works even single-handed.Tom

          2. Cliff._Johnston | Feb 22, 2002 04:36pm | #6

            *Reuben,We put in a Purple Martin house close to the specs. that you stated. We used a telescoping pole - best thing this side of heaven for cleaning out at the end of the season. We simply used a posthole digger, went down 18" set the pole in and put a bag of readymix in it. We then wetted the area with a hose. You don't have to mix the stuff first. It will set up hard using what available moisture you provide with a hose or bucket. Simplicity itself! We did ours 8 years ago and it is still plumb and working fine.Cliff.

  2. Reuben_Rhodes | Feb 22, 2002 04:36pm | #7

    *
    I am going to be helping a friend put in a bird house. He needs to attract a particular kind of bird to his property that is supposed to eat insects (in this case, mosquitos). The specifications required to make a safe habitat for the birds include a pole or post 15 feet high and it must be free standing; meaning no guy wires or supports of any kind.

    The bird house specifications are not final yet, but when we have that we will know the size and weight (plus birds and nesting hopefully) we need to support.

    We have discussed using a metal pole, possibly steel pipe, or aluminum. We also plan right now to set the bottom of the pole in coarse gravel and then pour concrete over it to allow drainage. We know that several factors will affect how this pole is set in place:

    total weight, soil type, diameter of the concrete we pour into the base, etc.

    We would prefer not pay for consulting a soils specialist or structural engineer just to put in a bird house, but we don't want it to fall over either. How or where can I learn the right way to set this pole; how deep should it be to compensate for all those factors, what material is best to use for it and why and do we need to make any special considerations in preparing the hole to set it?

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