Bat houses are wide, tall, and relatively flat.

They have a 3" to 6" tall landing pad at the bottom, and are
fully open on the underside. It’s essentially a box with internal partitions. These partitions are staggered
at the lower edge to give the bats something to grasp as they enter their home.

In this house there are four baffles, spaced 3/4" apart. When the front and back walls are added, there
are five “chambers” that run the full height and width of the house. The chambers seem narrow, but our
bats like small spaces.

You’ll need some kind of saw, galvanized finishing nails, glue and caulk. I used Titebond III, which is
waterproof. Caulking all exterior seams and nail holes is important to preserve heat.

I used cedar boards, but exterior grade plywood would work too. It’s okay if your measurements differ
somewhat, as long as you respect the 3/4"–1" spacing between the chambers. Rough sides of boards
should be on the inside to help the critters get a grip – more on this later. The roof is angled at 22.5
degrees to shed rain and snow. The sides, and all pieces that reach the roofline, are cut or beveled at the
same 22.5 degrees so the roof sits tightly across all members.
Many Grooves – Both sides of the partitions, and the insides of the front and back panel, have a series of
shallow grooves on them. The grooves allow the bats to gain a secure grip when they are inside the
house.

Grooves can be cut with a variety of hand and power tools. I preferred the mitre saw. Note to the novice:
don’t become complacent when you are doing repetitive cuts. Even when a table saw has teeth barely
peeking out of the table, there is a possibility for serious kickback. Don’t ask me how I know this.

Side Panels

Machine your side panels, then cut them in two, across the grain. They will be positioned one directly
above the other, but with a 1/4" gap between them for venting. Spacing strips that run down the
interior of the sides will hold the resulting two parts of side panels together. I suggest cutting all the side
spacing strips slightly oversize, and with a 22.5-degree bevel on their tops, then trimming them to length
once they’re in place. The front and back pieces are also cut in two to create the 1/4" vent. They are
held together by the exterior vertical trim. The outside corner trim should be ripped to width last in case
your measurements differ slightly from mine. Let me warn you that once the box begins to take shape, it
becomes very awkward to maneuver. As it comes together, laying it on its side is the only choice.

Add spacing strips

Laminate boards together as needed to make your walls and partitions. Don’t forget that if you’re using
standard fence boards, with rounded edges, you have to trim those edges off to get a square, flat edge
for gluing. Rip 3/4" wide strips for the interior partition spacers that run down the sides and for some
outside trim. Glue and nail the narrow strips along the side panels, spaced so the partitions will fit nicely
between the strips. Nail from the inside out wherever possible. Glue the panels between the sides, into
the spaces you have prepared. Lastly, add the vented front and back, the roof, and a landing pad. Add
Trim. Caulk. You’re done.

Offset Bottoms – The bottom edges of the partitions are offset so the bats can enter the house easily.
Once it’s attached, the back panel will drop down a few inches lower than the sides.
Final location

A bat house needs to be hung 15–20' high, facing south or southeast, and needs at least six hours of
direct sunlight per day. The further north you are, the darker you should stain or paint your bat house to
preserve heat. Hanging it on a tall metal pole works well. If it’s hung in a tree or on a wooden pole, then
a 12" tall sheet-metal ring around the base will discourage evil climbing predators. What’s important is
plenty of open space in front of the bat house for the bats to fly in and out, and to foil predators lying in
wait. Hang it in late winter and 10 degrees off of vertical to help keep babies from falling out. Fresh
water should be available in lakes, ponds or rivers within a quarter of a mile. When deciding where to
hang it, remember that bat poop or “guano” will be dropping from the bottom of the bat house. Guano,
by the way, has been used for centuries as a rich fertilizer, and wars have been fought over it.