instructables

Building an

by WesH31

Before you build an outhouse, you need to check with your local government. There are a lot of rules regarding any kind of waste system. This outhouse included a washing station.

Step 1: Digging the Hole

There are a lot of regulations about how close you Using 4 x 4 posts, make a rectangle that is eight feet can put an outhouse to water and to your lot line so long and four feet wide. Lay this so that the long sides check with authorities before choosing your site. Put are just beyond the sides of the hole and one short a stake into the ground and then make a square with side is just beyond the side of the hole. Level this three other stakes so that they create a square that is rectangle by shoveling away or adding dirt where three feet by three feet. Using the stakes as a needed. You need to keep all the sides of this guideline, dig a hole three feet deep. Keep the sides rectangle above ground level or water run into your as straight down as you can. Try to make the hole as hole when it rains and fill it up. much of a cube as you can. If the outhouse is going to get constant use, dig the hole deeper.

Building an Outhouse: Page 1 Step 2: Floor

With this size of base, your outhouse will be four feet inches by 28 inches. Lay it so that it makes the floor by four feet with a landing exactly the same size in of the outhouse itself, starting at the cross piece and front of it. Cut a piece of pressure treated 2 x 4 41 going to the decking. Make sure it does not extend inches long and put a cross piece exactly two feet past the edge of the cross piece as this will create a from the back of the rectangle. There should be a gap ledge that could trap undesirable material. Cut strips of exactly 21 1/2 inches from the inside of the back 4 of the 3/4 inch plywood and screw them to the top of x 4 base to the side of this cross piece. Then run 2 x 4 x 4 base anywhere that is not already covered by 4 joists from this cross piece to the front of the the plywood or the deck boards. This is so that when rectangle. They should be 16 inch centers. Cut deck you build the walls, the base of the wall will be all the boards four feet long and screw them to these joists same height. with deck screws to make the floor of the landing. The landing should end four feet from the front of the Back fill dirt along the 4 x 8 rectangle so that there base. Remember to paint end cut on the ends of any are no gaps where critters could get underneath your board you cut. floor when the outhouse is done.

Cut a piece of 3/4 inch pressure treated plywood 24

Building an Outhouse: Page 2 Building an Outhouse: Page 3 Step 3: Walls and Seat

Build the walls in the usual fashion using top and For the top of the seat, put a support that is one inch bottom plates and making the total height eight feet. thick along the back wall at 18 inches high to support Don't put blocking between the two studs on the back the top of the seat. It shouldn't be thicker than one wall. The vent pipe will run up between these two inch because you will have to drill holes in the top studs. Along the side walls, put a stud exactly 24 3/4 board for the seat and you need the space. Put inches from the back. This is so you can nail the supports on the side walls at 18 inches high also. Use upright piece of the seat to it. plywood or other stock for the top of the seat.

To make the seat, cut a piece of 3/4 inch plywood or Now you can start the sheeting or boards for the other stock 18 x 48 inches. This will be the upright outside of the outhouse. You will need something that part of the seat. Nail it onto the stud. You will have to is resistant to the weather or you will have to paint it notch out the bottom plate. Make sure that the inside regularly or coat it with something. For the corners, of this upright piece sits exactly even with the inside run a piece of 1 x 3 board from the bottom to the top of the 2 x 4 underneath it. As I said before, you don't to cover up the unfinished edge. want to create a ledge to catch undesirable material. Cut a piece of sheet metal 22 x 41 inches and nail it Cut out a rectangle of about 14 inches by 10 inches to the inside of this upright plywood. This is so when on both side walls. Place a piece of nylon screen over guys are sitting and happen to pee also, the pee the rectangle and then use molding to hold the screen doesn't hit this upright piece of wood and soak in. in place. This is for ventilation.

Building an Outhouse: Page 4 Step 4: Roof

In this build, I made the overhang on one side of the Block the spaces between the trusses at the top of outhouse longer. This is because I would be putting a the wall with pieces of wood and caulking so that it is wash station on that side of the outhouse and wanted relatively closed off to insects. protection from the rain while washing up. I had some leftover metal roofing so I used that but Make the trusses in the usual fashion with the truss at shingles work well for the roof. With metal roofing, the front and back of the outhouse lower so you can you don't have to put sheeting on the roof and it is make a ladder for the front and back overhang. As less prone to mildew than shingles. this is an outhouse, I didn't bother with soffit and facia or eaves trough.

Building an Outhouse: Page 5 Step 5: Door

Make a two section door. This allows you a beautiful around 26 inches) minus about a half inch for view from the throne. (see picture) Make the bottom clearance. Add bracing on the inside along the top portion first. If you like, you can put door jams to and bottom and diagonally across the door. Attach cover up the rough 2 x 4 studs on the inside of the the hinges. door but I didn't. Likewise, you could put door stop on the door jam to stop the door from swinging in but I Cut plywood or tongue and groove the rest of the just added an overlapping piece to the outside of the height of the door for the top portion. Typically, doors door to stop it. are 80 inches high. Make the top portion the same way as the bottom portion but add a piece at the Cut plywood or tongue and groove about three feet bottom that overlaps the bottom portion. high by the width of the door opening (typically

Step 6: Vent Pipe and

The vent pipe should be three to four inches wide. up around two feet beyond the peak of the roof. Trace the outside of the vent pipe on the wood seat part right at the back. Cut the circular hole. Drill a hole Toilet seats typically have two plastic bolts at the all the way through the vent pipe about two inches back. Line up the toilet seat so that it is in the middle from the bottom. Put a six inch spike through the hole of the outhouse and the two bolts will bypass the so that it sticks out on either side of the pipe. Slide support you made for the back underneath the the vent pipe into the wooden hole. The spike will wooden seat. Mark where the bolts are going to go. stop it from sliding all the way down into the pit. Drill the holes and set the seat in place. With the lid up and the seat down, trace the inside of the seat. If you were to run the pipe directly through the roof, Remove the toilet seat and cut a hole 1/2 inch bigger you would have to cut away the top plate so cut the than the traced oval. Put the toilet seat back and put pipe below the top plate and then use two elbows to the nuts onto the plastic bolts and tighten them snug. detour the pipe around the plate. The pipe should end

Building an Outhouse: Page 6 Step 7: Wash Station (optional)

Make a platform about 33 inches high and attach it to a threaded pipe, two thin nuts that fit on the pipe and the side of the outhouse. Find an old and trace some silicon. Cut a hole in the front wall of the pail the outline of the sink on the top of the platform. Cut a near the bottom. You can't put it right at the bottom circle 1/2 inch inside the traced line and fit your sink because you need some clearance for the inside nut. it. Attach piping to the drain and run it underground to Put the first nut on the pipe thread as far as it will go. a drainage area or use a French trench. A French Put silicon on the inside and outside of the hole and trench is a trench filled with rocks so that the water push the pipe so that the nut is snug against the pail. drains away and the ground is still even. Put the second nut on from the inside and tighten it until the faucet is firm. Make another platform right beside the first one but 10 inches higher. Buy a rectangular pail, a faucet with

Building an Outhouse: Page 7 Actually I grew up with an outhouse in our yard. Yes I am dating myself here. We did use it occasionally, but we did have indoor for sure. We later removed it and that also was a mess...really! But while this sounds like a nice project, in the hot summer the stink is nearly unbearable. JMHO This is at our cottage that is only water access so there's no electricity or plumbing. The summers aren't so hot here so the smell, while it is not nice, is not horrible.

Building an Outhouse: Page 8