Erin And Ben Napier Transform A Home Decor Staple Into A Unique DIY Birdbath

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While it's fun to find ways to attract birds to your yard, it's even more fun — and fairly inexpensive — if those birds are drawn to things you actually made for them. On "Today," Erin and Ben Napier demonstrate how to transform old-school candlesticks into a pedestal stand for a DIY birdbath. It's a simple project that requires only a large candlestick or candle holder, a bowl or large pot lid for the birdbath basin, and some durable, waterproof adhesive. It's a similar hack to turning glass vases into a birdbath pedestal.

Creativity comes into play with your choice of candlestick, basin, and decorations. The Napiers hit thrift stores and yard sales to find unique, ornate candle holders with sturdy bases. As far as the basin is concerned, pretty much anything shallow, with gently sloping sides is a good choice for many backyard birds so they can enter the water and gradually go deeper as they choose. A textured birdbath interior makes birds feel safer, so if you have several options, choose the textured, gently sloping one.

Candlesticks and candle holders come in all sorts of styles and sizes, but the ones that work best for a birdbath base are pedestal-styles with a fairly wide top. A traditional candlestick is used to hold tapered candles. It can work, but offers only a narrow surface to attach the basin to. A wider candle holder designed for pillar candles will offer more surface for gluing, so it could be the more stable option.

Durable birdbath materials are a must for the base and especially for the basin, especially if you'd like to keep it outdoors in winter. A ceramic bowl will work for warm months, for instance, but could crack during freezing weather. Thoroughly wash and dry the candle holder and bowl, then flip the bowl upside down to mark its center. For the "Today" show, Ben Napier applied a healthy amount of an industrial construction adhesive like Liquid Nails or E6000 to the top of the candle holder, then flipped a pot lid upside down, centered over the holder. Leave it in position until it cures, following recommendations on the construction adhesive's label. You can paint the components with a high-gloss exterior spray paint. Avoid painting the interior of the birdbath, unless you have a food-safe option.

Once it's ready, consider setting the birdbath in the shade atop a patio table or in a flower bed, and add fresh water, replacing it every day or two. Shade helps keep algae at bay, especially during hot-weather months. Clean the birdbath regularly, as the water can get quite cruddy simply from birds using it.