After you have your bird spikes, you will need to install them. This is a fairly straightforward job that shouldn’t pose much of a problem in most cases. That said, there are some circumstances that are a bit dangerous and are best left to professionals. If you are installing bird spikes on the edge of the roof, for instance, make sure you feel safe and comfortable before trying the job yourself.
If you are going to install plastic bird spikes, you will need to attach them to wherever you want them. If you are putting them on a railing, you can tie them on if you want, but most people glue them on. The same goes for installing bird spikes on roofs and ledges. They pretty much have to be glued on. The easiest way to do this is to pick up a canister of bird spike adhesive.
These are canisters that fit right into a caulk gun, so if you don't have one of them, you will need to pick one up as well. They only cost a few dollars. As for the adhesive, it is weatherproof and is meant to bond to many different types of surfaces, and a tube of it costs around $8. Of course, it is probably pretty similar to other all-purpose adhesives that you find at the hardware store. Just make sure if you buy another kind that it 1) it is indeed waterproof and 2) that it works with a caulk gun, since this is by far the most efficient and neatest way of applying the adhesive. It is also worth noting that the same adhesive will work fine on both plastic or stainless steel bird spikes, so if you go with the latter, it won't make any difference. Make sure you get enough adhesive. One tube will be able to cover about 20 feet, so make sure you know how much area you have to cover before heading to the store or buying online.
Some people are concerned that they won't be able to remove the bird spikes if they glue them on, and this is partially true. While it is possible to take them off a railing or wherever you put them, it isn't that easy and it will probably be even harder to remove all of the adhesive attached to the railing. If you know that you will need to take them off fairly soon for some reason, I would suggest getting a bag of those plastic fastener ties, as they are very neat and easy to work with. Installing the bird spikes on the roof or ledge won't give you much choice but to glue them on, so that is probably your only option.
As for actually installing the spikes, it is as simple as applying a bead of adhesive over the area and then sticking the spikes on. If you are going to install the plastic bird spikes on top of wood, you have another installation option. If you don't want to glue them on, you can nail them onto the wood instead.
