Eddie-man,
Yep, the cross cuts in the face of the board is a good idea, but I passed on it thinking that the hardware cloth would provide a higher level of duckling traction. Also, this area is below the only opening in the box where rain could be blown in...so...Mr. Overkill considers that water could collect in these grooves, particularly since the boxes will be leaned forward slightly. This might promote early decay because I used pine. Nope, I also passed on any finish on the interior to maintain a natural, chemical-free wood environment. The only place I put interior finish was on the bottom panel and about 2" up the sides because any water that does enter, whether it be thru the hole or because some duck forgot to wipe his feet, will eventually migrate to the bottom. I also drilled 8 holes x 5/16" dia in the bottom for drainage. I am not concerned with compromising the au-naturale interior by sealing the bottom because....
I plan on laying a bed of 3" - 4" of cedar shavings. We picked up a 16 litre bag of Kaytee Cedar Bedding and Litter (pure cedar shavings) from PetsMart. I think it cost about $7. It will be plenty for a couple/three years.
A no-pest strip. How old are you? These things first came out in the late 60's, manufactured by Shell Oil. They were famous: "the Shell No-pest strip". Honestly, I don't know where to buy them, but I presume there are plenty of knock-offs. It looks like a strip of cheese, about 1/4" thick x 2-1/2" wide x 12" long. Insects are attracted to it and if they touch it; dead.
Lastly, I recommend you follow Myron's directive to use the dimensions shown on the WD Society link I provided in an earlier post.
