DIY Bird Spikes
Under my deck, I have had a problem with Robins (and perhaps other birds) building nests in the rafters. Personally, I don't mind it were it not for them getting very "protective" and accordingly getting very "swoopy." So, I decided to install bird spikes. It's an easy deterrent against birds as it simply makes the area in question undesirable. From what I found, it's about $30 for 10 lin. feet. Considering I needed around 30 feet of spikes, this is very pricey.
This Instructable is to show how to create a set of bird spikes. Note, if only a few spikes are needed, this might not be the best method. Nails through a strip of wood seems to be another common method and it does not require the purchase of a lot of fencing material.
This Instructable is to show how to create a set of bird spikes. Note, if only a few spikes are needed, this might not be the best method. Nails through a strip of wood seems to be another common method and it does not require the purchase of a lot of fencing material.
Gather Materials
Gather the following materials:
Galvanized 2"x3" 16-gauge fencing material (I used vinyl coated galv.)
Roofing nails (galvanized, 1-1/4" should be fine)
Fence clipper or wire cutter
Needle-nose pliers (angled work best)
Hammer
Work gloves (not necessary, but handy)
It's critical that the fencing material is made of a material that won't rust. Even if it's coated, the material should be galvanized steel or stainless-steel as cutting the material will break the coating. Also, it should be a minimum 16-gauge wire.
Galvanized 2"x3" 16-gauge fencing material (I used vinyl coated galv.)
Roofing nails (galvanized, 1-1/4" should be fine)
Fence clipper or wire cutter
Needle-nose pliers (angled work best)
Hammer
Work gloves (not necessary, but handy)
It's critical that the fencing material is made of a material that won't rust. Even if it's coated, the material should be galvanized steel or stainless-steel as cutting the material will break the coating. Also, it should be a minimum 16-gauge wire.
Cut Fencing Material (Style-A)
Orient the fencing material so that the axis with 2" spacing runs down the center of the spikes; the 3" wires will become the spikes. Cut the fencing on both sides to create the spikes.
Cut Fencing Material (Style-B)
An alternate style yields another level of spikes that might be beneficial for some applications.
Create the Nail Holes
Take the needle-nose pliers and bend the central wire around the pliers 360 degrees. Repeat for all desired nail-points. If a narrow spacing is desired, create a "turn" between every pair of spikes.
Nail the Strip Down
Using the roofing nails, attach the strips to the desired surface.
Bend Spikes
After the strips are installed, bend the wire to create the spikes. Alternate the bends between a "wide-vee" and a "narrow-vee" (see second diagram).
Step Back and Marvel at the Savings.
Hopefully this process ended up saving money. And if it didn't, hopefully some useful tools were purchased! Good luck!