How We Make Our Handmade Timber Bird Feeders

July 26, 2026 Scott Martens

Every Potting Mad timber bird feeder is individually handmade in Queensland using reclaimed pallet timber. Rather than allowing perfectly useful timber to go to waste, we give it a second life as a practical feeding station for Australian backyard birds.

Each feeder is built one at a time, so no two pieces are exactly alike. The natural grain, old nail marks, knots, weathering and colour variations all form part of its character.

🌿 Starting with Reclaimed Timber

Our bird feeders begin with reclaimed pallet timber that has been collected and stored ready for future projects.

We look through the available boards and select pieces that are suitable for the feeder platform, roof and supporting components. Because the timber has already had a previous life, every board has its own markings, grain and natural variations.

Any unsuitable sections are removed, while the usable timber is kept wherever possible to reduce waste.

Reclaimed pallet timber stored ready for making Potting Mad bird feeders

🪚 Cutting and Preparing Each Piece

Once the timber has been selected, the boards are measured and cut into the individual components required for the bird feeder.

The feeding platform, roof panels and supporting pieces are cut separately before being checked for fit. Rough or sharp edges are tidied while retaining the rustic texture that gives reclaimed timber its distinctive appearance.

Timber being cut and prepared for handmade bird feeders

Cut reclaimed timber pieces ready for bird feeder assembly

🔨 Building the Feeding Platform and Roof

The main feeding tray is assembled from several timber boards, with supporting rails fitted underneath for strength and stability.

The roof panels are joined to create shelter over the feeding area. Each component is positioned and secured by hand, with adjustments made as required because reclaimed timber is rarely perfectly uniform.

This individual approach means every feeder may have small differences in grain, board width, markings and overall appearance.

Handmade timber bird feeder roof being assembled in the workshop

Potting Mad outdoor workshop used to make timber bird feeders

🪵 Finishing the Natural Timber

Our natural timber feeders are finished with tung oil. The oil brings out the timber grain and gives the reclaimed wood a richer, warmer appearance while helping protect it from outdoor conditions.

The oil is applied by hand to the individual timber sections and allowed to soak into the wood. Excess oil is wiped away before the pieces are left to dry.

Because reclaimed timber absorbs oil differently from one board to another, the finished colour and grain naturally vary between feeders. This is part of what makes each piece unique.

Tung oil being applied by hand to reclaimed timber bird feeder pieces

Oiled reclaimed timber bird feeder panels drying outdoors

🌱 Adding Our Potting Mad Stamp

Once the feeder has been assembled and finished, we add our Potting Mad stamp underneath the feeding tray.

It is a small finishing touch that identifies the feeder as one of our handmade pieces while keeping the branding discreet when the feeder is hanging outdoors.

Potting Mad branded stamp underneath a handmade timber bird feeder tray

🐦 Ready for the Backyard

The completed feeder is checked before the hanging chains and rope are fitted. It is then ready to be placed in a sheltered backyard location where birds can safely approach, feed and leave.

The broad platform provides room for a feeding dish, while the roof offers some protection from sun and light rain.

As with any outdoor timber product, the feeder will gradually weather and develop more character over time. Periodic cleaning and another light application of timber oil can help maintain its appearance.

♻️ Why We Use Reclaimed Timber

It gives existing timber a useful second life.
It reduces the need for newly manufactured materials.
Every board has its own natural grain and history.
Each completed feeder is genuinely individual.
It suits the rustic, natural style of a backyard wildlife product.

💚 Handmade, Not Mass Produced

Our bird feeders are not factory-made or mass-produced. Each one is cut, assembled, finished and checked by hand at our home workshop in Joyner, Queensland.

Small variations are expected and celebrated. Nail marks, knots, grain differences and weathered sections are reminders that the timber has been reclaimed rather than discarded.

The result is a practical bird feeder with its own individual appearance and a story behind how it was made.