DIY Countryside Toilet: Step-by-Step Instructions with Photos and Drawings

In a country house or summer cottage, it's not always possible to install an indoor toilet. In such cases, you can build a country outhouse yourself. The outhouse itself is simple – a small enclosed space with a septic tank or pit. However, before you begin, it's important to carefully consider the different types of outdoor outhouses, complete with drawings and step-by-step instructions. Depending on the design, their placement on the property and cleaning methods vary.

Choosing the Right Toilet Design

Before purchasing materials and starting construction, you should choose a ready-made design or create one yourself. This could be a classic outhouse with a cesspool, or a unique toilet with a bio-septic tank. If groundwater levels are close to the surface, digging a cesspool is not recommended; it's better to choose a septic tank with a surface tank. However, a classic outhouse is simpler and more convenient.

Classic toilet with cesspool

The simplest and most common type of rural toilet is the classic pit latrine. This type is built away from water sources. According to regulations, it can be placed no closer than 1 meter from the edge of the property and 25 meters from wells, cellars, or bodies of water. All waste flows into a pit located under the pit latrine—the pit must be of sufficient capacity, especially if this type of toilet is used regularly. Key advantages:

• • simplicity of design;
  • filling duration;
  • Multifunctionality of the pit.

When preparing a large cesspool, many try to combine the design of a classic rural outhouse with a shower stall. In such cases, the pit is expanded to its maximum capacity and a double frame is built. The booth located above is extended and divided into two rooms with a shared drain. A drawback of this combined design is the presence of unpleasant odors in the shower stall.

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Construction of a powder closet

A powder closet is a pitless toilet with a simplified design. It has a container located directly under the seat. After use, the waste is covered with an absorbent material. When the container is full, it is emptied. Depending on the absorbent material, the waste can be used as fertilizer.

The following substances are usually used as powder:

• sand;
• ash;
• sawdust;
• peat.

Using one of these fillers eliminates unpleasant odors in the toilet and the accompanying insects. If peat is used as an adsorbent, this toilet can be considered an analogue of an industrial composting toilet. These also use this filler. The waste can be used as high-quality fertilizer, but its quantity is strictly limited. The main drawback of a powder toilet is the need for frequent cleaning of the container.

Toilet with a compost pit

A toilet combined with a compost pit is one of the best options. This design accelerates composting and fertilizer maturation. This addition not only improves the soil quality but also reduces the amount of unusable waste. A cesspool with the following parameters is prepared for this type of toilet:

1. A cesspool with a slope and a maximum depth limited to 1.5 m.
2. The pit must be equipped with a ventilation system at 2 points.
3. When preparing the ceiling, think about the location of the 2 hatches in advance.
4. To loosen the compost and saturate it with oxygen, a lever is installed.
5. The pit is divided into three sections: toilet, compost and cesspool.

Construction of a toilet

Construction of a country outhouse should begin with selecting or preparing a drawing. Depending on the design features, materials are calculated and preparatory work is carried out. A typical pit depth is 1.5 meters, but it's better to make it shallower. Depending on the size of the outhouse, it's not necessary to limit it to the basement; additional external coverings with a hatch for cleaning the septic tank can be used. However, in such cases, the amount of materials required also increases.

Prepare your own drawing

When calculating the design for a village toilet booth, it's important to keep in mind that even for such a structure, regulations must be followed. According to sanitary standards, a cesspool toilet must be located at least 12 meters away from the house. The toilet's interior space must be sufficient to allow for comfortable movement; less than 1 square meter would be inconvenient. The following rules are also taken into account when designing:

1. The recommended height of the structure is 2 m. If the booth is smaller, it will not be convenient for all visitors to use.
2. The roof slope is made towards the back or in a gable version - it all depends on the design.
3. If you do not plan to connect electric lighting to the closet, be sure to cut in a window or leave a gap at the top of the door.
4. To prevent the toilet from becoming stuffy, the design can include ventilation located in the back wall.

Most country outhouses get hot during the summer, so many recommend placing them in the shade of a large tree. You don't have to create the design entirely yourself—you can rework or combine existing designs. Ready-made designs are quite common and convenient for use on your own property.

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Materials for building a closet

Once the toilet design has been decided upon, it's time to select the appropriate materials for construction. Each type requires customized drawings, as thickness, weight, and strength vary. Some are easier to work with, while others will last longer. The most common materials for building a rural septic tank are:

1. Brick. A closet made of this material can be considered a permanent construction – moving or dismantling the structure will be difficult. Its advantages include insulation and reliability.
2. Wood. Toilets made of this material may have a shorter lifespan than those made of brick. However, constructing a wooden toilet is easier – the "house" will be lightweight and warm.
3. Metal. The simplest material for construction. However, despite the reliability of these toilet houses, you can't expect them to be comfortable. The cracks are difficult to seal, and they conduct heat well.

Step-by-step construction of a wooden country toilet

Once the materials have been prepared and the location has been selected, construction can begin. The general principle can be illustrated by the step-by-step instructions for building a wooden outhouse. The most common types of such structures are the hut, the tower, and the birdhouse. The simplest version of the outhouse can be built using the following algorithm:

1. We dig a hole in accordance with the chosen type - a place for a plastic container, a classic pit, or a compost pit.
2. We make a clay cushion at the bottom of the cesspool – the thickness of such a layer is at least 25 cm.
3. We line the walls with brickwork, installing asbestos rings or tarred boards. The bottom can be poured with concrete.
4. We make the ceilings in accordance with the drawing and the indicated openings for cleaning.
5. We prepare a frame for the rear and front walls of the hut - a triangle with several crossbars.
6. We connect the structure with crossbars above the cesspool - the positions of the slats can be seen in the drawing.
7. We make the toilet seat the required height – 40-50 cm is standard. Comfort is key.
8. We cover the surfaces with boards and attach the roof coverings. The ceiling is slightly lower than the ridge.

The surface of the final structure should be coated with a protective moisture-resistant coating and covered with slate. Alternatively, roofing felt is often used. The height of such a shelter is approximately 3.5 meters, with an interior space of 2.15 meters to the ceiling. This difference is due to the sharp angle at the ridge, but the resulting space will be sufficient even for a tall person.

Cleaning the cesspool

In addition to the general design features, it's important to consider a method for cleaning the cesspool. For this purpose, a cleanout hatch is included in the design of a classic village toilet. It can be located under the toilet seat, but this isn't always convenient; it's better to locate it outside the toilet stall at the rear. The location of the pit on the property also plays a role—pumping out village toilets often includes not only the pit's volume but also the length of the hose used.

Self-construction toilet for a summer house It's not particularly difficult. Using ready-made plans and step-by-step instructions, the process won't take much time or money. You can use different types of septic tanks—cesspools or containers—but it's best to think through a method for emptying it beforehand. The best option is to build a manhole for pumping out waste.