an outhouse!

We spent four hours out on our land today. It's warmer there than here where our house sits, as our house is closer to the inlet. Our nearest neighbor came over with her kids and we all hung out talking, reading, and the kids played antelope and creature. It was so nice!

Does anyone have great ideas for an outhouse, favorite pics, a book to recommend, anything?

Thanks much! :)
Rhea

LOL. good choice.

I used this one for a week....

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1009/1046527245_f8b6c3969a.jpg?v=0

Now, I didn't construct it but I felt sort of intimate with it after a week. so here's what I remember.....

It was in canada so it was insulated but not heated.

The very tippy tops of the peak were screen. Just a few inches down from the peak, then the walls were solid.

It was an insulated door too with a sturdy lock...but it was to keep the bears out so that's probably not required.

It was standard construction, framed with 2x4's, but the inside was paneled with that bathroom paneling you find in trailers and such. plastic coated. You could hose down the entire works if you had too I guess.

There was a toilet-seat and cover...that was key, to always keep the cover closed.

The pit was treated with enzymes that eats the blech. AND it keeps the stink down. My friend actually said a "balanced" potty should not stink at all.

finally, there was a make shift window for light, which was nice. Just a long slender piece of plexiglass. It was like 2 feet tall by 6 inches wide. You could see the lake from the potty. lol.

hmm...don't know how deep the pit was because i just never really looked down there. :)

Oh, no female sanitary products. Keep a garbage in there for that stuff if you don't do cloth.

Great choice! :lol:

I have never built one...no advice there. We do have one down by the brook on our property that needs cleaning out (it was used for storage, not the pit LOL) and some rehab. I have used one...for the entire year we lived in Alaska as well as during other times in my life when I lived without plumbing. :)

I just watched a show on the green living network wheere the family lived in Canada. They had put a small woodstove in there for the children's comfort.

Make it roomy enough to stand up, turn around, bend over and pull pants up. Sounds silly but some of the outhouses are so darned cramped. I'd also be sure to get a nice comfy seat and one that is maybe padded so it won't get too cold.

A low window with curtain is cool and the vented area at the top is a must. Insulation for where you are sounds smart and needed. Some kind of storage for enzymes and TP on a shelf. Maybe a wetbag hanger for cloth, etc as needed.

I feel like building an outhouse now :lol:

You could also do an incinerator or self composting potty in a shed. But I don't know how cost prohibitive they are.

You could also do an incinerator or self composting potty in a shed. But I don't know how cost prohibitive they are.

I thought of that too. I actually recorded but haven't watched yet a show on building one. I'd like one for our garage so I cna have a full workshop out there but I'm not sure about the laws here.

Thanks for the info, Mamas!

I get so hung up on where to put things. I had no idea that raw land would be so... intimidating. LOL

Rhea