# Outhouses



## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

The home I am hoping to buy has an outhouse on the property.

The structure is falling down (it hasn't been used in years) around the toilet.

I know NOTHING about outhouses.

I would love to build a functional structure around the toilet (and replace the toilet w/ a new one) and make this a usable, functioning outhouse.

It won't be my primary toilet. Can I have the "Honey dippers" clean it out when I have the septic pumped annually?

Anyone w first hand knowledge of outhouses, how they work, how to maintain, etc, I sure would appreciate your input.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Outhouses are holes in the ground with a seat in a building over top. You use the hole until it gets full and then you dig a new one and move the outhouse to the new spot. Fill in the old hole.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Which is why I build my outhouse on skids, for easy moving.



painterswife said:


> Outhouses are holes in the ground with a seat in a building over top. You use the hole until it gets full and then you dig a new one and move the outhouse to the new spot. Fill in the old hole.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

Sourdough said:


> Which is why I build my outhouse on skids, for easy moving.


This outhouse has a concrete base around the toilet. 
I will try to swing by and get a photo to show you what I am talking about!


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I built ours over a 300-gallon plastic tank like the one in the photo below. The septage pumpers pump our outhouse tank when they pump our septic tank.

One reason why I used a tank is that our soil is very sandy. If I were to dig a hole for an outhouse, the soil would cave in and fill up the hole. Yes, I suppose I could have lined the hole with treated lumber or cinder blocks, but this way I do not have to move the outhouse when it's full.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

SUPER helpful Cabin! Thank you!!


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

The single most important thing to understand about outhouse operation is, "Only" put poop and pee in, and never but butt'wipe or anything else into the hole. Have a small'ish trashcan and put the used toilet paper in the trashcan and burn the used toilet paper once a week or every ten days. About once a month add a few cups of lime, the "Caustic Lime" not the yard fertilizer.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Two basic styles. A hole in the ground that gets filled up with solids and the liquid soaks into the surrounding soil. Being mostly dry, won't stink too bad with some barn lime sprinkled on it. The other is a structure with a tank underneath to hold the solids and liquid. There should be a vent from the tank to a point above the roof to exhaust the odor. Sort of like an over sized porta john. Every time it gets filled up, a truck comes and sucks it out. My area won't allow a hole in the ground style, but does allow one with a tank.
The local parks often have outhouses over a holding tank. Vandals throw every available roll of toilet paper, beer bottles, diapers, etc that makes it hard for the septic sucking pumps to suck up.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Here is a super tip for "Happy'butt-Cheeks" in the winter. Use 2" Polystyrene to sit on. In the coldest part of winter (back when we use'ta have winter) I would use a 5 gal. bucket in the cabin. One thing that can become an issue in the arctic is the poop freezes and builds a frozen pyramid/stalagmite structure till the following summer. For this reason, having a two-hole outhouse is smart in the arctic and Sub-arctic.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Laura Zone 5 said:


> This outhouse has a concrete base around the toilet.
> I will try to swing by and get a photo to show you what I am talking about!


Is this a WPA Toilet? I found one that was not wanted by the owners and moved just the wood outhouse to a slab for an farmhouse decoration. The base was quite heavy.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Sourdough said:


> Here is a super tip for "Happy'butt-Cheeks" in the winter. Use 2" Polystyrene to sit on. In the coldest part of winter (back when we use'ta have winter) I would use a 5 gal. bucket in the cabin. One thing that can become an issue in the arctic is the poop freezes and builds a frozen pyramid/stalagmite structure till the following summer. For this reason, having a two-hole outhouse is smart in the arctic and Sub-arctic.


My neighbors used an outhouse for a number of years. They just brought the seat into the house with them. When they had to use the outhouse, just grab the seat and take it out with you. At one point they had 4 girls under 5 years old and in winter used a 5 gallon pail in the house in the coldest part of the winter. They kept a "bat" of sorts in the outhouse to knock down the stalagmites.


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## oneraddad (Jul 20, 2010)

My bucket was first class

http://i1322.photobucket.com/albums/u563/666Maverick454/Dos****ter_zps637682e5.jpg


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Here's my outhouse. ....I have indoor plumbing too! : )


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

THAT Roadless is what I want to do.
Dress it up.
I want it to function......but I want it to look nice too.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

:hysterical::hysterical:......Suggest that you put cables on your outhouse and anchor it so it does not blow over on this side like "Roadless's Outhouse"........:hysterical::hysterical:




Laura Zone 5 said:


> THAT Roadless is what I want to do.
> Dress it up.
> I want it to function......but I want it to look nice too.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

*My FRIEND waits for me.*..........:hysterical:


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## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

If the place is over 100 years old I would check for antiques before filling it in. Lots of stuff used to get thrown down there.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

roadless said:


> Here's my outhouse. ....I have indoor plumbing too! : )


 Very nice.

But I have a question. Wouldn't the vent pipe be better outside, on the south side, painted black so it would heat up and suck the air out?

WWW


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

You could just fill the hole. Cover the opening with concrete and then build a " sawdust toilet". Keep another bucket handy for sawdust. It should make great compost.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

I think you are right, but it was that way when I bought it. Fortunately it works well as it is!


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

roadless said:


> Here's my outhouse. ....I have indoor plumbing too! : )


Nice. Almost the same color scheme as oneraddad's and without the soft feather flooring. Both have their qualities.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Thanks!
I have used one very similar to raddad'so too, but not as fancy!


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## cindilu (Jan 27, 2008)

roadless said:


> Here's my outhouse. ....I have indoor plumbing too! : )


Oh my goodness, this is so stinkin cute and I am pretty sure I could do the doo doo in this just fine. LOVE your style.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

cindilu said:


> Oh my goodness, this is so stinkin cute and I am pretty sure I could do the doo doo in this just fine. LOVE your style.



Stinkin??? Lol, there is air freshener. :gaptooth:


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## cindilu (Jan 27, 2008)

Yeah, I saw that. I saw this picture and showed it to my family. One of the things that keep me from living in my small cabin is lack of bathroom. But if I had a outhouse like yours that would not be a problem. Think I need to start working on that.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

It shouldn't be to tricky to build cindilu, and it really is practical at my cottage.


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