I love, it! I do have a birdbath but it is not nearly as unique as yours.
Sharon

wasllisadi, is this about right?

1 16x16 paver
12 6x6 pavers
4 4x4 colored tiles
1 planter saucer (16-20 inch diameter?)
1 tube Heavy Duty Liquid Nails

These are the coolest!

that should do it. build a little bit at a time, the liquid nails makes the stone want to slide. also, make sure the spot you pick is where you build it. very heavy when complete. i like to add flea market finds to the saucer, birds don't seem to mind.

Very cool! And I like the idea of Tuesday Morning shopping :)

Those are so Zen! Lovely idea, and adaptable to so many garden styles. Thanks for the instructions too. I want one bad. LOL

girlsaylor

These are great photos. I would love to make a mosaic tiled one. That one with the baby frogs is so adorable :)

Was thinking of doing this project this week, as bluebirds are starting to arrive. They love birdbaths. Then I read that it needs to be warm for Liquid Nails to set up fast. Do I need to wait? Highs are in the 60s and 70s this week.

Also, where can you purchase tiles by the single piece?

Thanks!

Bluejays are rats with wings that attack and destroy the eggs from decent bird's nests. You want to bathe them?
Build the bait system (feeder or bath) cheeply and spend the real money on a good BB or pellet rifle and quality scope. ;)

Then, when the really nice birds show up you can feed them and bathe them all you want and their eggs might survive.

I want to bathe Eastern BlueBIRDS, not blueJAYS. Am I misunderstanding?

Those are great. Wanting to make a birdbath to cover a wellhead and you've given me some great ideas.

pellet guns, bb-guns, should have a three day waiting period just like real guns. gives the critters time to scatter and gives you time to think about how stupid it is to kill. just my take...all is free to use my bird baths!

Wallisadi,

How warm does it need to be for Liquid Nails to set up?

Where did you get your tiles?

Where can I purchase tiles by the single piece?

Thanks!

Love the yard, here in Jax you can buy seperate tile at both HD and Lowes. Also check the flooring/tile places for odds 'n' ends. Or, come over to my house and we'll MAKE you some tile!
cora

love your birdbaths!!!

Cora, you are awesome. I was also looking at this one - love the random tile mosaic on the bottom. What do you think? Do you want one, too? Maybe we could do them together? See link below.

http://www.hoeandshovel.com/2009/02/diy-mosaic-birdbath-project.html

Here is a link that might be useful: DIY Mosaic Birdbath Project

You can also find individual pieces of tile at a Habitat for Humanity Restore. Usually for great prices.

~dianne

Wallisadi, I agree with you. Pellet guns to shoot the bluebirds, ridiculous and cruel.

Bluebirds are great birds. The BlueJAYS are the rats. I guess there are some that can't tell the difference.

Bluejays will come to the nests of other birds and destroy the eggs and peck the young ones out of the nests. Talk about cruel.

Once again let me say. It is a Federal offense to shoot birds.
It is nature for them to steal others nests. It's not up to you to question why it evolved like that, just accept it. There is no need to kill things just because you don't like what they do. If any neighbor of mine was shooting birds I would be on the phone reporting them in a heartbeat. I worked at a bird sanctuary long enough to see the damage man does to critters just because they can.

Love the yard, I have some odds and ends of small tile - mosaic and some shells, and grout, adhesives (no Liquid nails, tho') and a garage that has never seen my car. I taught miosaics (among other things) at Michaels, before retiring. Bring what you have or want to use and we can always order a pizza!
cora

Great bird bath. Sorry to get the nutters all wound up. ;)

Boy OH Boy, From reading this thread, I sure am glad I don't have any close neighbors.
The few neighbors that I do have out here keep their nose in their own pockets.
I'm just a country boy living out in the country and lovin' every minute of it!

Lou

Lovetheyard, thanks for a good link. Many interesting things on there.

I have a plain, small concrete birdbath that I have always wanted to do that to. Good idea about going to Hab. for Hum. for the tiles. I have one close by. I'm thinking the person that said to use thinset instead of mortar might be right.

Lou, we are on a corner and love the openness, but are putting up a fence this spring for privacy, since the next door neighbor's druggie son has moved back. You are lucky to be where you are.

all it took was one gun happy nutto...got six bird baths going, build 'em, they will come....i love garden web....:) how long ago did i post that????????

Hey Walli,

I am still in love with that birdbath! (The one with the blue tiles.) If you don't mind, would you measure the diameter of the blue saucer you have on top and tell me what size it is?

Thanks!
Carol

Hey Carol, How come you get all the dirty bluebirds?
I had two pairs of bluebirds show up today and I didn't have to wash either pair. LOL
I think you are getting things mixed up. We are BIRD WATCHERS, not BIRD WASHERS... good grief!

Seriously, One pair used the water in my tractor bucket loader to bathe in.
The other pair used the water in my broken down wheelbarrow tub I keep partially filled as a bird bath.

I keep those water sources filled to water the critters that show up here on the farm.

Still no robins showing up.... BUMMER!
Spring ain't sprung until a robin craps on my car.

Lou

I tried this with some left over pavers from my patio. Worked great! Thanks for the idea,
Lori

I finished my birdbath. Walli, thanks so much for the design and inspiration!

(Please excuse all the brown stuff in the yard. Plants are just waking up in northeast Florida.)

awsome!!!!!!

Thanks, Wallisadi. The photos make it look like a sister to a famous tower in Italy. The birdbath actually is plumb - for now - until the ground settles.

If anyone is thinking about doing this, I have one small tip. If you are using medium-to-dark colored tiles and the sides of the tiles are white, as mine were, color or paint them before gluing them. My tiles are a deep blue and the sides of the tiles were white. When I held them to the pavers, they looked terrible - just kind of sloppy and unfinished. I found that a blue Sharpie pen was an exact match! I "colored" the sides of the tiles before gluing them on to the pavers and it was much better. So check the sides of your tiles before you glue them.

Ah-HA! The first bird has hit the pool! Saw a robin perched on the edge. No bath, but he took a long drink for quite awhile. How cooooool, for me!!

WOW!! This post was certainly worth a repeat. Beautiful birdbaths, wonderful tutorial, lots of good reading..who could ask for anything more. Thanks a million. - Marylee

I saw this link posted on the Garden Junk forum and I had to come look right away. Its fantastic!!!

Walli, may I put your photo in our GJ Inspiration album for bird stuff? Love the Yard, I'd also like to add yours.

GREAT job on these, and soooo inspiring!
Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: For the Birds Inspiration Album

purplemoon,

Wallisadi is the original designer and his birdbaths are so cute and whimsical. I only copied. But you are most welcome to use my photos.

Note that when I did the project, I used 13 6x6 pavers (not 12, as written in my previous post above) and I used "Loctite PL Landscape Block Adhesive".

I glued the tiles onto blocks first, prior to assembly, so that they could be laid flat and allowed to dry that way.

I glued four pairs of 6x6s together prior to assembly to make final gluing and assembly go quicker.

I glued the top bowl to a glued pair (joined a day or two prior) and did NOT touch or move it once joined - for at least 24 hours. (If you try to pick it up by the bowl rim, you will probably be sorry you did.)

I was very liberal with the glue/adhesive. And most importantly, I allowed each gluing session's work to dry/set/cure for at least 24 hours before moving on.

Carol

How on earth did I miss this thread?
These birdbaths are so unique. I love the structural yet earthy look and feel of them. I gotta make me one of these.
Thanks to whoever bumped this back to the top!

I'm in NH and don't usually look at the Florida garden forum, but I just want to say that you guys are the bomb!
Kathy

Walli,
Am so impressed with your ingenuity-love the birdbaths. So original.

love the yard--love yours, too. Where did you find that gorgeous blue saucer ?

I found my blue saucer at Garden Ridge in Jacksonville, Florida. I believe it was $10.99 but not 100% sure - it's been a few months.

The project was really easy and fun but be sure to think it all through before you start gluing. Also build it where you want it. As Walli said, it isn't easy to move once put together.

Carol

I also placed two large rocks/stones in the water. The bottom of my birdbath bowl is slippery and I read that birds like to have traction and hop in and out of the water. The rocks are not in the picture but thought that might be an idea for someone else.

Carol

love the yard:

Thanks for the info.

Liz

Had not considered that. These were not built with cinder blocks; we used 6-inch by 6-inch pavers. They are not nearly as big or heavy as cinder blocks. I don't think plastic bins would give me a look I would like. They might look a bit cheap. They might also tip over or fly around in the wind. Also, not sure how they stand up to UV rays. I really liked Wallisadi's original bird bath and thought it looked quite lovely. I don't like a lot of junk in my yard and was hoping mine wouldn't end up looking like an eyesore. I'm happy with the way it turned out. Maybe if I saw one with plastic bins I would change my mind?

Carol

Here is my home bird bath.....Having fun with it

{{gwi:138884}}

Gardencraze

I love it. Where did you get the things to do it?

GOOD GRIEF! Now that's what I call originality.

Lou

Gardencraze,

That's great!

John

Minderella, I had everything I need as I am a junky from way back, LOL the inspiring thing was the 'cat chiminea' I found at a thrift shop for 2 bucks the rest is history. the chimea was all terecotta and I paited it.

Happy Gardening
Carmen

I'm getting so many good ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gardencraze, love your birdbath! I've made several similar and am now putting together a small fountain using an old fashioned wash basin and a very tall ceramic vase. Had to make an upside down bowl with a hole in the bottom to cover the pump. (I dabble in ceramics) I have all the parts and pieces, just a matter of very carefully drilling a couple of holes and putting it all together. cora