Speaking of Outhouses, again.

S

SC_Mike

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Or better titled, "How I spent my summer vacation."

I've built them out of 2x4's and tarps but I had to have something nicer for the Mrs to spend time on the new hunt land/property. After doing research on YT, I finally settled on a "design". A simple 4'x6' foundation and 4'x4' structure and there ya go. Probably have about $400 in it but it seems solid. The door I found at a junk shop with working knob for $35.00.

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The ventilation screen above the door and in the rear are gutter screens. I used a large plastic trash can minus the bottom to be mounted inside the box as a splash guard. Also used a standard seat and lid. Mounted a coat and hat hook inside as well as a dowel for a roll of paper. Yet to build a magazine rack. Curtains are TBD.

The Mrs has given it her approval.
 
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Well you can certainly tell the folks with class. Nice job and a nice place to spend some important time.

You got Wi-Fi of course....don't you?
 
Two seater? I was thinking two story!

And fwiw I had an uncle drag one leg the rest of his life from getting black widow bit on a cheek he don't shave in one of those. Watch closely for co-tenants.
 
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It was not too long ago,
I'd go tripping through the snow,
Out to that house behind my ol' hound dog,
And I'd sit me down to rest,
Like a snowbird on its nest,
And read the Sears & Roebuck's catalog.​
Oh, I'd hum a happy tune,
While peeping through that quarter moon,
Just like my daddy's kin had done before,
Just a humble little hut,
But its door was never shut,
And it gave the same relief to rich and poor.:D​

(Credit to Mr. Billy Edd Wheeler and his "Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back.")
 
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Damn. That's a nice one.
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How long did it take to build, once you got the materials on site? Did you pre-cut everything at another location before putting it together? Just curious. If you'd made it about 18 inches wider, you could've had room for a small loading bench and single stage press . That door's prettier than the back door on my house.

I'm such a klutz, I couldn't make something like that if you put a gun to my head.

Bet you wouldn't have any trouble at all constructing one of those tiny houses.
 
Watchdog said:
Damn. That's a nice one.
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How long did it take to build, once you got the materials on site? Did you pre-cut everything at another location before putting it together? Just curious. If you'd made it about 18 inches wider, you could've had room for a small loading bench and single stage press . That door's prettier than the back door on my house.
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Thank you sir. I prefabbed the stud walls at home in the garage then trucked them in, most the rest was built on site. I tried to pick materials that were pre-finished or at least primed as not to have to paint. The siding was from HD, most other materials came from Lowes. Time wise it took me about 1-2 days per week for about a month, while the Bob Whites whistled encouragement and advice. I used decking screws instead of nails which ate up a lot of time.

Thanks again all.
 
SPEEDGUNNER said:
By the initial picture I think the hole needs to be a lot deeper!!
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I went down until I hit water. At about 5 feet the clay would stick to the shovel so I widened it outward to make it more accommodating. I had used most of the dirt from the hole on another project.
 
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Yeah you wont need dirt to fill the hole. [emoji1]

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That is a nice job!

When I bought the property where my house is there was an old outhouse on the lot I salvaged the wood, old hand sawn cypress, and the seat shown below. it would make a good frame for someone's portrait!
Steve W
 

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Mike,

Great idea and workmanship, and of course a necessity at the average hunting camp. I have a question which I'm surprised hasn't been raised, but on the other hand I may just be missing something that everyone else instinctively knows. The door appears to have glass panels. Am I correct? I wouldn't expect anyone to be casually or deviantly peeking in, but I could visualize a person in fairly urgent need hustling down the walkway & reaching for the doorknob only to look in and catch someone "with his pants down" in the very literal sense.

Well, it just now occurred to me that you've likely thought way ahead of the game and instructed your wife to pick out some opague curtains to her liking in order to eliminate any possible problem along the above lines. If so, you may disregard my odd query and I will shrink back into the woodwork.

Regards,
Andy
 
I remember this routine when Red Skelton was playing his Clem Kaddidlehopper character. Clem and his parents were in the farmhouse when the FBI arrived:

FBI: "Come out with your hands up. We have you surrounded on 8 sides."
Papa Kaddidlehopper: "The house only has 4 sides."
FBI: "We were counting the little one in back."
 
When ma first moved out west 65 yrs ago a friend gave her a little book entitled "The Specialist". A very tongue in cheek autobiography of an outhouse builder.A very funny read :-)
She said her first impression of Denver was "Oh my,how rustic!"
 
A vent pipe from the vault through the roof is a nice added feature.

I always bought a bag of farm lime from the feed store and tossed about a 1/2 cup down the hole after use.

One morning I sat down only to discover a squirrel was downstairs. That was a big surprise to both of us.
 
I have a friend who grew up on a ranch with an outhouse. In his teens they built a new house with indoor plumbing.His grandfather had a hole dug out back and hauled the old outhouse over it.He refused to use the indoor bathroom as that was just wrong.Gramma would roll her eyes :-)
 
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I don't remember much before I was about six, but when I was seven and
eight I remember well. My Dad was a section hand on the U.P. Railroad.
We lived in half of a little section house. (Just 2 rooms). When you walk
in the door the "kitchen" was dominated by a big Majestic stove. My sister
and I had bunk beds in the "kitchen".
It was a short hike down the trail to the two holer, but I had a little honey
bucket under my bunk, so I didn't have to take the hike for all of my business.
My daily chores were chop kindling wood and bring it in. Bring in a bucket
of coal. Pump water and bring in a couple of buckets.
My Dad got promoted and we moved in to town when I was nine.
All the conveniences. Indoor plumbing, electricity, even a telephone.
 
I have a porta johnny, it's lightweight and easy to clean. It only cost .50 cents and doubles as a five gallon bucket. If you need privacy, pull your toboggan down over your eyes:D
 
Beecherkid said:
A vent pipe from the vault through the roof is a nice added feature.

I always bought a bag of farm lime from the feed store and tossed about a 1/2 cup down the hole after use.

One morning I sat down only to discover a squirrel was downstairs. That was a big surprise to both of us.
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He was looking for nut's.[emoji46]

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Have lived in a house, (or two), that had 5 rooms and a path. But, those were the "bad" ole days, not to be confused with the good ole days.

Have a blessed day,

Leon
 
arjay said:
When ma first moved out west 65 yrs ago a friend gave her a little book entitled "The Specialist". A very tongue in cheek autobiography of an outhouse builder.A very funny read :-)
She said her first impression of Denver was "Oh my,how rustic!"
Click to expand...

I have that book! It was published in 1929, and the author's pen name is Chic Sale (his real name was Charles Partlow).

When I was growing up my grandmother called outhouses "Chic Sale Houses."

I'm quite sure Chic would have given his stamp of approval to the OP's Chic Sale House, especially with that covered porch!

Beware, though, Halloween is nigh, and you know what happens to Chic Sale Houses on that night, right?
 
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