Outhouses, check my thinking.

[scoutman]

Hey, all new to the forum and I figured I'd start out with the throne room  .  I've been lurking about the site for the past month or so with the intent of building a 16x28 cabin on a buddy's property.  I also want to build a shower house and an outhouse. 

One of the ideas I had for the outhouse is to take a 55 gal drum with one of the end caps cut off.  Dig a hole about 2' deep and bury the bottom 2/3 of the drum in the ground open end down.  With the capped end up, thread a pipe into one of the bung holes for a vent that will extend out the roof and cut holes for the lid to bolt down.  This whole setup will be surrounded by 4 posts set in the ground, some clear correguated roofing (to let some light in), and sided with whatever material I come up with. 

I see this getting used maybe 2 weekends a month at most.  I hadn't planned on making a house that moves from place to place or digging a hole to China since it won't see that much use.  That being said will this frequency maintain a reasonable level or should I re-think my plan? 

I've read where you can sprinkle lime, sawdust, fireplace ashes, etc in the hole to maintain smell but will these just fill it up faster?

[kenhill]

We did this.  Nice to get out of rain and snow.  Had my kids (teenagers) build it.

http://www.bigdamfish.net/outhouse1.pdf

[MountainDon]

 

As for the outhouse, I suppose that would work. It just doesn't seem like much of a hole. However, given your stated frequency of use it could work out. Urine makes metal rust faster;  

You didn't state size of the lot... watch outhouse placement with an eye to any present or future water wells.


One more thing... I don't mean this as a necessarily bad thing, just a cautionary note. How good a friend is this owner of the land where you want to spend your money building a cabin? One never knows what changes the future will bring. Maybe this has been thought through and is of no consequence. I do have a way of finding potential dark sides, so I could be off base with this concern.

G/L

[rwanders]

I would plan on digging somewhere around 3-4 feet for the hole----and be aware that ground water leaking into the pit is something to be avoided----a sill of 4x4s and perhaps some plastic to provide a dam around the pit is always a good idea.

Ditto on the caution about building on land you don't own----if he wants/has to sell in future, your investment is threatened unless you are in a position to buy it yourself at that moment.

[tc-vt]

Have you considered composting, aka humanure?

http://www.jenkinspublishing.com/humanure.html

I think I lent my copy of this book to someone and never got it back.  The method uses a 5 gallon plastic pail and sawdust as a cover material.  I did this when i was living in a 16 foot camper trailer while I built my house.  There is no odor and the bucket fills more slowly than you would think.  I only used it for solid waste, not urine.

Tom

[scoutman]

Yea, I understand the concerns and thanks.  The situation is we keep our horse (and eventually a second) on a very good friend of mine's place.  The land is actually his family's but has been in the family for a long while.   We all use the land about 1-2 times a month going camping, hunting, shooting, etc.  The cabin will be built mainly by friends with the financial aid of many so it's not all on me.  If I drop a few grand into building this place and get a few years out of it when we board our horse for free it will be worth it. 

Gotta go but I'll post more later...

[NM_Shooter]

That's an interesting idea.  To "eliminate" (hah) corrosion issues, you could use a 55G food service drum instead. 

I'm mostly annoyed by mosquitoes in the outhouse that live where I wouldn't.  I've been thinking of trying to find a way to make a sealed pedestal that I can open and close as required that would not allow bugs down into the pit.  I thought about making a hinged / seal-able pedestal lid that I can lift up and put some fly paper into easily.  Would also allow maintenance a bit better.

-f-

[MaineRhino]

I just used a foam seal with a sticky side. like you would use around a window. This was placed under the toilet lid where the lid hit the seat. It keeps all bugs out, but occasionally gets a bit of condensation on the underside of the lid.

[glenn kangiser]

If your soil will stand on it's own I'd recommend eliminating the barrel.  You don't a tank with an outhouse -- just more crap to deal with,  The lime is only sprinkled on like powdered sugar on  donuts -- just cover your creation and you're good to go.

Keeps the flies off and rats won't munch out on it.  Over the years it may turn into limestone and make interesting trinkets for future fossil collectors.   to the forum.

[scoutman]

Well the more I've thought and read up on this the more I'm thinking about building the house in the driveway and hauling it out as one piece.  Making it moveable will allow me to relocate it in the future should it ever get too full.  I'll just dig the hole and place a few concrete blocks under the corners to stabilize and level.  It will need to be anchored to the ground somehow cause the cows are a curious and dumb creature and I'd hate to have to recover a tip'd privy.   

I do have a few plastic food grade barrels but like ya'll said it probably isn't necessairy.  If the hole ever did fill up then that would just be one more thing that I would have to dig up to move.  Yuk! 

I found a cool site that has plans for all sorts of stuff from privy's to picknick tables.  http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/miscplans.htm

One site I ran across had a bug trap that may help with the flies and mosquitos.  It was a large mouth glass jar (like a large pickle jar).  The lid had a hole cut in it and was attached to the bottom compartment of the privy.  It had a funnel with the small end pointed to the bottom of the jar and the jar had a little bit of water in it.  The idea was that the flies would seak out the light in the jar, go through the funnel and not be able to get out.  Maybe that would help instead of making a tight fitting lid. 

[NM_Shooter]

One site I ran across had a bug trap that may help with the flies and mosquitos. 

If you come across that site again, would you post a link to that please?  It sounds interesting...

[glenn kangiser]

scoutman, I come from a long line of outhouse dwellers.

It was common to dig a hole, use it and when full enough dig a new hole covering the old treasures with the dirt.  Some had 2 or 3 holes to spread the width of the destruction out allowing several tall piles to be built before moving the house.

A new hole was dug, then outhouse was then slid over the new hole. 

My uncles cattle never did knock the out house over, but it was common for the kids to move the outhouse back about 4 feet in the dark on Halloween night.  When sleepy eyed farmer Jones wandered out in the dark he may drop in for a spell.

[scoutman]

One site I ran across had a bug trap that may help with the flies and mosquitos. 

If you come across that site again, would you post a link to that please?  It sounds interesting...

Found it...
http://www.omick.net/composting_toilets/composting_toilets.htm

[scoutman]

Well here's my progress.  I'm going to go with the movable outhouse idea.  Most of the materials are either scraps from other projects, freebies, or bought.  The only items bought so far are thr $5 toilet seat and a $7 sheet of roofing.  I'll need a couple more sheets of roofing before its finished.

Here are a few picts.  More progress hopefully this weekend.







The bucket is for reference and to get an idea of space.  I'm picking up wood for siding this afternoon. 

[Redoverfarm]

Don't forget the vent stack.

[rdzone]

Definately don't forget a vent stack.  We always use a solid floor in combination with the vent stack (usually 4" pvc) to help with the fumes.   The vent from the pit through the roof helps vent the fumes.  The solid floor (ie plywood or OSB) also helps prevent the fumes from invading the throne space. 

[scoutman]

Well I just dug through the tractor shed and found a piece of 3" PVC that is about 7-8' long so that should work.  I will probably take it out the back and through the roof overhang to keep from cutting a hole in the throne room. 

Good point about covering the cracks up. 

I just got my hands on a trailer full of lumber this afternoon.  The bad part is that a lot of the siding is no good.  I got enough siding to skin one and a half walls.  On the other hand I did get a TON of 2"x 6,8,10" of various lengths so I may have enough to build a picknick table.   

[glenn kangiser]

Nice Logo there, scoutman.

Our first outhouse had no walls.  You must be going for the expensive model.

[scoutman]

Nice Logo there, scoutman.

Our first outhouse had no walls.  You must be going for the expensive model.

Thanks, 610 ft/lbs of 1 ton diesel power is how I roll 

This outhouse may not be the expensive model but it is sure going to be the heavy model.   

[glenn kangiser]

My sig from DTR

1999 3500 Quad Cab Dually 24V AT-DTT Single disc conv.-Suncoast Valve Body-Mag-Hytech Super Deep Pan- Check Valve rmvd from ATF heat exchgr-- 4x4 -Edge EZ-ATS 3pc manifold- 9' Flat Bed w/7ton dump - 4000 LB Crane-BHAF -Silencer Ring MIA - 4" Straight Exhaust--Springs, 2 extra main leaf, 2 extra overload -11000 lbs empty -Autometer Pyro,fuel pressure,trans temp, boost-Cracked 53 block changed out -Cummins 1K Rebated-Timbo APPS
1926 Dodge Sedan-Stock-Fair 1919 Dodge Roadster- Stock-A bit rough.

[lobster]

i notice the public outhouses here in acadia nat'l park all have vent stacks quite large diameter, like a 6" stove pipe, and further are painted black which i assume generates a natural draft from sun heating, and a negative pressure in the pot chamber, thus keeping fumes out of the sitting chamber.

[Erin]

Dodge... Puhleeze.   





The original PowerStroke is the best diesel pickup every made.   

[Erin]

PS--  Whomever brought up the vent stack: Thanks!  I nearly forgot to do that...   

[glenn kangiser]

Dodge... Puhleeze.   





The original PowerStroke is the best diesel pickup every made.  

[Redoverfarm]

Erin the Powerstroke brought it up.  They always come through.