Homeowner Shares One-Of-A-Kind Mosaic Birdbath DIY: 'Time Well Spent!'

Growing up in a crafty house, I have a lot of memories of sitting down to work on random art projects. Once, we took one of those concrete stepping stone kits that come with tiles and glass pebbles and turned them into Halloween headstones. We never thought to try turning one into a birdbath, though. Reddit user Aggravating_Crab_401 did, posting the results in r/Mosaic. They used a similar technique to create a unique mosaic birdbath, and I'm honestly a little miffed I didn't think of it — because it turned out gorgeous.

The comments are full of well-deserved praise and more than one person asking how such a charming project was accomplished. According to the creator, they started with a plain concrete birdbath and attached tiles to the outside and glass pebbles to the inside of the bowl with grout, over the course of six months. I do mosaic-style art (in paper, not concrete), and completing a project of this scale in half a year sounds about right. If you're going to try it yourself, be sure to take plenty of stretch breaks — it's going to be rough on your shoulders and back! If you do decide to make your own, you could start with this highly-rated birdbath from Lowes.

One commenter wondered if the project would work with a resin birdbath as a base. "I've never gotten one because they're ugly and too light," they noted, "[but] if I cover it in mosaic..." I think it's worth a try, but you'll need to clean the release agent off first using high-proof isopropyl alcohol or another solvent, then sand the surface. Otherwise, the tiles will slide right off the slick surface.

Eschewing the usual snark Redditors are famous for, this project has (so far) only received praise in the comments section. "This is so cute and useful," one user said, while another wrote, "The birds will thank you!" Are they right? After all, there are some problems with concrete birdbaths, including often being too heavy to move comfortably. In fact, the original poster addressed the bath's mass: "The top is ... heavy! The pedestal isn't so bad because it's actually hollow." Still, they seem happy with where it is, and as long as they don't need to move the birdbath anytime soon, it shouldn't cause any problems. However, if you are considering this DIY, a resin basin would be easier to move, while the layer of grout or mosaic stone cement and tiles would give it heft, making it less likely to tip over.

Using glass pebbles for the inside of the bowl was a smart move, creating texture. It's hard to tell the exact dimensions of the bowl, but from the pictures, it looks deep and steep. Depth and smoothness are important considerations when buying a birdbath. Smaller birds sometimes have trouble using a birdbath if the sides are too steep, but the pebbles help make the slope more gradual and may give birds a place to perch. If you want to improve on this idea, swap the glass pebbles out for aquarium rocks or another water-safe rock. The rougher texture will make it even easier for birds to grip. All in all, this Redditor's birdbath looks like a success! One comment puts it best: "Makes you want to be a bird ... Time well spent!"