Architectural Outhouse Digest...sneak peek

True to our promise of building in the spring of 2012, the outhouse is now finally built! There are still some finishing touches necessary but it is fully functional and rain and mosquito-proof. If I wait 'til all the details are completed this post may never happen. Soon to appear in the pages of Architectural Outhouse Digest...ha!

Some will recognize the yellow door - rescued from the demolition of the back porch at Casa Smalla to make way for the
new addition. Sizing the outhouse meant building to accomodate the door. Note how colour co-ordinated the tools and
 milk cartons are to the door. Spectacular dontcha think?

Cutting the hole in the floor for the composting toilet. Again, notice the colour co-ordination of tool to outfit.
Not all trailer park girls are so conscious of this.

The building takes shape with the installation of the cedar siding.

This particular Biolan composting toilet uses no electricity or water, but rather a mixture of peat moss and pine bark to get the job done. Here, I'm priming (for lack of a better word) the toilet with the initial 4 inches of peat moss and pine bark. And as always, one must make due with the tools on the land...the scoop is made from a plastic Clamato container. At least it's not a pickle jar.

Attaching the tin roof. We chose a metal roof because we are collecting the rain water from this surface and didn't want the asphalt shingle grit in the water. We kind of forgot about the 10 million pine trees on the land and all the bits they drop on this roof. Oh well, I guess straining out pine needles and pollen is better than straining out tar-covered grit...?!

The building is finally finished. Just a few details to take care of before the inspector (Ras) gives the final approval. For one, I know you can see right in through the screen. The bottom portion of screen will be replaced with something solid to offer a little more privacy to the shy outhouse-goer. And eventually there will be some exterior stain once we decide on a colour.

The interior will be left the natural cedar. It offers a most wonderful aroma (I kid you not, this is the best smelling outhouse you have ever used) and it looks fantastic as is. The box holding the peat moss and pine bark is on the right. One scoop after each use...easy peasy. TP holder and trash on the left and TP and accessories in the cabinet above. One of the most enjoyable things about this composting toilet is the crazy thermal styrofoam seat. No matter how damp or chilly the day is, this seat is always warm when you sit. Totally unexpected...and a very comforting sort of thing!

The solar lighting system. Because the building is so shaded, it was necessary to put the whole light system on a board that can be moved into the sunshine when recharging is needed.

A celebratory moment after construction is complete. It's uncanny, but once again there is a colour co-ordinated theme going on here...from the red Crocs and t-shirt to the glass of red wine. It all goes beautifully with Pooh's red shirt. One would almost think there was much thought put into my work outfits.

And really, is there any better use for a Pooh door than on a compoosting toilet outhouse?

'Nuf said,
Mimi