Say Goodbye To Traditional Birdbaths: Use An Old Plate For An Easy DIY Solution

If you're looking for a cute, quirky, and simple way to attract feathery friends to your yard, you can't go wrong with a well-maintained birdbath. Though many store-bought baths can be quite elaborate (and expensive), you don't need a traditional basin to give birds a space to cool off or grab a refreshing drink. With just a splash of creativity and some upcycled items from your home or local thrift store, you can throw together a charming DIY birdbath that's as decorative as it is functional. All you need is a plate or bowl and a plant stand that it can fit into. If you can find a plant stand and dish that fit snugly, you will have a small birdbath in a matter of minutes.

Apart from how quickly it all comes together, one of the biggest advantages of this DIY is its versatility. You can experiment with different stand heights and types of dishes to create a birdbath that suits the local wildlife in your neighborhood and appeals to your aesthetic. Pasta plates or shallow pie dishes could be a good option, as they're slightly deeper than regular dinner plates, and should be able to accommodate 1-2 inches of water (which is the Goldilocks zone for birdbaths). A large, gently sloping bowl can also do the trick. 

The basic design behind this DIY couldn't be simpler: Take your old plate or dish, set it on top of a plant stand, and add a bit of water. If you'd like to add some color or spruce up an old or rusty plant stand, you could apply a coat of fresh paint to it. If you're worried about the dish being dislodged in bad weather, you can secure it to the stand with outdoor adhesive. However, leaving it standing unattatched in the stand can make cleaning easier, as you can simply remove the plate or dish to scrub it out.

One drawback to this idea is that the surface of ceramic plates can be a little slippery for birds to get a grip on. If you have an earthenware or unglazed clay dish, this could be ideal. Or, if you're keen to get a little crafty, mosaicing a pie dish could provide some grip. Work down any sharp edges if you go this route, so you won't harm wildlife or yourself when you're changing out the water. 

You also don't have to rely on a plant stand as a base if one isn't handy to support your dinner plate birdbath. PVC pipes with an inverted bud vase (that you glue to the bottom of dish) or a small wood platform could work well. Other DIYers have made quick work of this project by stacking bricks, cinder blocks, or gluing glass vases, one on top of another, to create a decorative glass base. No matter what material you use for your birdbath, your stand should have a top that supports the plate securely, using a sturdy adhesive.