This garden art is for the birds, and it needs your help

The first time I saw these architectural birdhouses was in the supermarket, of all places, several years ago. They were on sale and I could not resist them.

It’s the details in these birdhouses that make them so appealing.

It surprised me that I brought so many birdhouses home, since I am not a collector. The majority of these birdhouses I bought at the grocery, but I also found a few in the home décor section of other stores. They are sold for a lot more online than what I paid. Although I believe they are second-hand, I thought they were fine when I bought them.

Each tag explains that the bird was at the forefront of their design.

I wanted to keep them looking good. I didn’t want them to get ruined by the weather. I purchased a gallon spar urethane. It was advertised as “exceptional protection against sunlight, moisture and temperature.”

I applied one coat, waited for it to dry, lightly sanded, then painted on the second. This was tedious and not my cup tea. It was winter and I was excited to display them outside.

The results of the poll were disappointing.

Birdhouse rocking chair also delaminated — The plywood of the chimney delaminated.

Birdhouse window showing damage. — The roof peak is peeling and the “shingles” have mildew.

The porch railing is not faring much better.

What I imagined would happen, if I didn’t use the spar urethane. The plants were only outdoors for the growing seasons. They didn’t have to suffer the harsh winters in upstate NY. This makes me cry.

I am not a DIY or crafty person. What did I do to get these results? Was it because I didn’t paint the edges of the delamination? What does lightly sand really mean? Did I sand too much? Was the grit I used wrong? Should I have used a third coating?

What should I be doing now?

Only a third (or so) of my birdhouses were varnished. They’ve been waiting in the house for me to find time to finish them. It’s obvious that I can no longer do what I used to.

I need help from you, my readers. Please give me advice if you have experience in this area.

Should I reapply the spar urethane, but pay more attention the edges? Do more sanding and apply three coats of the urethane?

Should I try something else, like auto clear coat?

Or how about this stuff?

Do you have a better idea?

The unspoiled birdhouses are now done. I’m still deciding if it is worth my time to repaint and repair the damaged ones. What do you think about this?