Treating birdboxes and tables

[rekstout]

I am busy making bird tables, bird and bat boxes and the like for our garden. I want to treat the wood so that they last at least a couple of seasons - can anyone recommend a bird and bat safe treatment for the wood - is Cuprinol OK? Naturally, creosote is out.

[Cetti]

This is taken from the RSPB website:

Softwood boxes may be treated with water-based preservatives such as Fenceguard or Sadolin: apply only to the outside of the box, and not around the entrance hole. Whatever you use, make sure the box dries and airs thoroughly before putting it up.

[curlygirl]

You shouldn't really treat them with anything, as any timber treatments could potentially harm the bats (sorry, don't know about the birds). Have a look at this webpage, it's the Bat Conservation Trust's guidelines for making bat boxes: http://www.bats.org.uk/batinfo/batbox.htm