The toilet in the country is an integral part of comfort, a full existence. Acquiring an absolutely clean piece of land, the first thing we install is this building. This is not only natural, but even necessary. The construction of this building does not require any special projects. Anyone who is at least a little friends with carpentry tools can build a summer toilet with their own hands. Step by step we consider this process in detail. Now there are many modern alternatives to the stationary structure, some of which we will also discuss below.
In the country, you can do without many convenient, important structures: a shed, a pool, a cellar, a barbecue stove, but without a toilet - nothing.
Getting started, you need to consider many factors. The most important thing is sanitary standards. Your toilet should not create inconvenience to neighbors, therefore, the location of the building, the competent arrangement of the cesspool, ventilation should be worked out even during the design.
Country toilet, photo:
The equipment of the cesspool, the method of cleaning it is also an important nuance, which directly depends on the flow of groundwater. If groundwater is high, then you have to find alternative options, since you can’t make a pit. With low groundwater passage, the pit should be extremely tight.
Country toilet - design options
The simplest, most common option is a wooden restroom. Even a beginner can build it, it will come out inexpensive at the cost of building materials. If desired, this design can be easily transferred. For covering the frame, a board, lining, chipboard sheets are used, in the presence of imagination, sometimes pretty nice options are obtained. The simplest, cheapest option is a closet of board shields.
Design, photo:
A more solid structure of metal sheets is erected in two ways.
The first option - the same wooden frame is sheathed with sheets, in the second - the base of the frame is made of metal pipes, to which sheets of iron or slate are subsequently attached. The shaded part of the site is the best place for such a toilet, as in the summer the sun will heat the metal, giving you discomfort when visiting. From the inside, such a building can be sheathed with polystyrene or expanded polystyrene.
Stationary brick construction will require more time for construction, as well as the availability of building skills from the builder. Here you need to think in detail about how to clean the cesspool, the possibility of a convenient access (for example, a cesspool machine) to the structure.
Toilet country type "Luft-closet" does not have significant differences from the stationary version, the whole feature is the design of the cesspool. At the same time, its walls, the bottom should be sealed, and it should have an elongated shape.
This feature will improve the optimization of the waste disposal process, more convenient installation of waste water hoses. A significant "minus" of the Luft-Closet restrooms is the inability to use them during the winter.
Country peat toilet refers to alternative options for closets. In this case, the waste is immediately sprinkled with peat, and when the sewer tank is full, it is removed, the processed contents are removed. More details about the operational functions of peat toilets will be written below.
Requirements for the construction of a country toilet
There are many nuances associated with the construction of the restroom, you need to take into account the direction of the winds, the possibility of an unhindered access of the cesspool vehicle to the structure, the distance from the cesspool to the point with water (no more than 25 meters). If other buildings are located nearby, the distance from them to the toilet should be at least 5 meters. Often, closets are installed at a distance. But so that the border of the neighbor’s fence was at least 1 meter. Make sure nothing is visible to neighbors when the toilet door is opened.
A country toilet with a cesspool is a solid structure, which should be relatively spacious. The most common, convenient building options are a birdhouse and a hut. If you want to have where to turn around, the “birdhouse” type will suit you.
If we consider the building in terms of the effects of precipitation, then the type of "hut" wins here.
All the "attack" of rain, snow will fall on the roof, which at the "hut" reaches almost the ground level, while the walls will remain dry.
Both types of buildings allow you to equip a country toilet without a cesspool, having located at the base of the building or near it a removable tank where waste will be collected. It can be a welded metal tank, a special bucket, a suitable plastic tank or a wooden tank with peat, turf, sand. A foundation is preferred for any type of building.
A cesspool is the main element of a country toilet, in order to determine its volume, you should know that with constant use, approximately 50-60 liters should be allocated per person (3 months according to calculation). As mentioned above, it must be airtight so that sewage does not come into contact with aquifers. Properly equipped clay castle (20-30 cm thick) around the pit is an integral requirement for the construction of a country toilet.
We build a toilet on a summer cottage with our own hands
If you are building a toilet for the first time, then note that it is the wooden structure that is easiest to build. Wood is a relatively inexpensive building material, it is easy to work with, it retains heat well and is environmentally friendly. Let's look at this option in more detail. To equip the frame, you will need wooden blocks, a section of 40 × 40 (or a little more) is optimal. Choose the skin material to your liking: the lining, a standard board or even a block house will look quite appropriate. The roof can be covered with ondulin, slate, roofing material.
Base, frame of the future toilet, photo:
To build a birdhouse type of restroom, you can use the standard drawing, or you can connect a fantasy, develop your own individual version. Typical dimensions of a country toilet: the back wall is 2 meters, the facade is 2.30 m, the width of the building should be at least 1 meter, the roof should be single-pitched, there is a cesspool, the base should be at least 1 × 1 m.
Building materials that you will need: solid sand and cement blocks, wooden beams, sand, boards, lining (siding), roofing material. It will also require chipped brick, profile steel sheet, paint or varnish, door block, hinges, handle, latches, nails. To equip the frame, it is preferable to choose a edged board made of hard wood (for example - larch, beech), stock up on metal corners, screws.
DIY toilet cottage, stages of work:
- First of all, we proceed to the cesspool, its approximate parameters should be at least 1: 1: 2 m, the dimensions of the cesspool determine the dimensions of the structure itself. We cover the bottom of the pit with chopped bricks or rubble of a large fraction.
- Sand and cement blocks (they can be replaced with a concrete border) will be the foundation. We install them in the corners of the pit - this is the basis of the future frame.
- On blocks of stele ruberoid, approximately 4 layers - this is the necessary waterproofing.
- The wooden frame consists of 4 support legs (vertical). The bars that are laid along the length should extend beyond the borders of the closet hull by about 35-40 cm. The protruding part in the front is the future peak, the part in the back is the removal of precipitation from the wall of the structure. The piping is made at the level of the place where the toilet will be installed. The height of the toilet seat should be comfortable - 40-45 cm from the floor.
- For greater frame strength, we establish diagonal stiffness bonds on the back wall, as well as the side walls of the closet.
- The door block frame is two vertically mounted supports with a horizontal jumper at the top.
- Sheathe the frame with the selected material, lay the board on the floor (at least 4 cm thick).
- We cut a hole in the floor of the appropriate size, the shape can be any.
- We install a door unit with a door, cut a window if desired.
- We fix the roof of the restroom with the selected coating (roofing material, ondulin, slate, etc.).
- We cover the structure with paint or varnish.
The device of a country toilet with a cesspool means a well-equipped ventilation system. It is important that unpleasant odors from the pit do not stagnate, freely come out. The outlet pipe can be made of any material, but its diameter must be at least 10 cm. Holes of the appropriate size should be cut in the toilet pedestal, like on the roof. The upper end of the pipe should rise at least 20 cm above the roof of the building. The distances between the pipe and the place of cut should be carefully sealed, and a ventilation deflector should be installed on the upper outlet of the pipe (it creates a draft). Inside, the building can be sheathed with polystyrene foam or any other suitable facing material.
Outflow pipes, photo:
Country toilet - cleaning the cesspool
There is no such person who would feel comfortable breathing in unpleasant odors. Outdoor (summer residence) closet, of course, cannot be a source of pleasant aromas, however, advanced biotechnologies successfully cope with this problem. Today, there are special chemicals that not only block unpleasant odors, but recycle waste into liquid, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
Many summer residents do not have the right information about these chemicals, believing that chemicals can harm the environment, plants. This is not so - high-quality biological products (such as "Vodograi") are absolutely harmless to human health, the environment (ISO-9002 confirmed).
Separately, it is worth mentioning biogranules - a very convenient, necessary invention. Biogranules for toilets with a cesspool - the reviews are extremely positive, since their microbiological composition includes enzymes, non-pathological bacteria. Bio-granules are harmless to the environment, human health, animals, awarded the international medal of 2001 "Environmentally friendly products."
This tool destroys foul odors, decomposes feces, toilet paper, while waste products are quickly processed, become a cloudy odorless liquid. This liquid can subsequently be fearlessly poured, for example, under a tree or other convenient place. The use of biogranules solves the problem of cleaning, pumping sewage: they not only process the contents of the cesspool, but also reduce its volume at the end of the process.
Before use, water should be poured into the cesspool, and then the preparation should be applied according to the attached instructions. Every 7 days you should add water, make one bag of bio granules (25 g). If the cesspool contains a lot of liquid, then you can fill up several bags at once. In the second case, the drug is pre-mixed with water, and then poured into the pit. It is worth considering that if earlier you poured chlorine there, then ordinary biogranules will not work - a similar environment will destroy them. For these cases, there is a special kind of drug - Septic Biogranules.
Two or three days after the application of the product, a kind of film forms on top of the waste, which kind of “preserves” the unpleasant smell inside. This is followed by a decomposition process, which can slow down if your cesspool is simply dug, that is, not lined with bricks, not protected in any way. However, a positive result will be in any way. If you want to have a flavourless summer toilet, then choose bio granules - an environmentally friendly product.
Toilet for a country toilet - which one to choose
A toilet bowl is a comfort, convenience. Often in summer cottages you can see ordinary ceramic toilet seats, the same as those installed in city apartments. This is the wrong choice, since most toilet models have a flushed flush direction. In this case, the waste is washed off with a large amount of water, therefore, such a configuration is acceptable. The toilet for the country toilet, on the contrary, should have a direct "exit", so that the contents freely go into the cesspool. In addition, ceramic toilets are very heavy, which is also not very convenient for a summer cottage.
An excellent alternative for a summer cottage option is a special plastic toilet bowl. It has a small weight, performs all the necessary functions, it does not have a bent "exit", it is designed specifically for such street buildings. A country toilet made of durable plastic is relatively inexpensive. The models are quite diverse.
If we strive for comfort, then you need to consider all the nuances, all the little things. Such a pleasant trifle, especially necessary in winter, will be a warm toilet seat. It is not very comfortable to visit a street toilet in the winter, it is also not good for health. The seat is exactly the part that directly contacts our body. The plastic seat holds the cold well; this distinguishes it from the thermo-seat made of foamed polypropylene.
A warm seat for a country toilet is suitable for any street closet or toilet. The product is made of hygienic material that retains heat even in severe frost. This invention comes from Finland, and the Finns, as you know, know how to deal with the cold. It is very easy to install, it does not absorb moisture, it is easy to care for, it is resistant to weather conditions. The product has a modern external design, there is a cover made of the same material. The thermo-seat for country toilets is made of an analog of polystyrene foam, therefore it is absolutely harmless to human health and the environment.
Peat toilet - an alternative to the usual
Anyone can arrange such an innovation in their country house, since such latrines do not imply the presence of a cesspool. This option is perfect when the installation of a stationary building cannot be carried out (high groundwater flow). These buildings are characterized by a simplified design - you do not need much time or effort to install everything. We are talking about peat toilets - an innovation that appeared relatively recently, but has already managed to establish itself positively among summer residents.
Peat Closet, photo:
Peat closet models have an aesthetically attractive design, but this device can be “simplified” if desired. A removable tank is installed under a regular country toilet with a toilet without a cesspool, and a bucket with peat filling is placed next to the toilet seat. He did his job, reached out to a bucket of peat, scooped up a mixture of peat with a special scoop, poured it into the toilet bowl - that’s the whole process.
The principle of operation of such a device is to turn sewage into compost (biodegradation) due to the action of the active components. In peat dry closets, this role is played by peat or peat mix. Near the toilet is a box of peat. After sewage gets inside the corresponding tank, they are sprinkled on top of this filler.
Branded peat toilets are equipped with a special dispenser installed near the top tank for peat mixes. This is a very convenient device: you pull on the handle, a kind of “flushing” takes place - the dose of peat goes down, heaps the waste. From this moment, the decomposition of feces begins, the absorption of liquid, so that the unpleasant smell is blocked. When the tank is full, it can be easily emptied, since all the waste will be processed by this moment, will become fertilizer.
These devices require simple maintenance: impurities are removed from the storage tank, the tank itself is washed, a new portion of peat substrate is added, the toilet is ready for use again. You can buy a ready-made set of such a closet, or you can install a wooden structure (as described above) or just put a ready-made plastic summer toilet (you can buy used cabinets for dry closets at a low price). You just have to put the toilet inside the “box” with a removable tank for collecting sewage, periodically clean it.
When the storage tank is filled by a third, it is recommended to empty it. It is best to store the treated waste inside the composter, after a while you use it as fertilizer for your garden.
Peat toilet for giving - which is better?
When buying a product, pay attention to the following characteristics:
- Product dimensions - you should be comfortable using it (the height of the toilet seat is important), the entire device should fit into the booth proportionally.
- The volume of the storage tank should not be too large or too small. Consider the number of people, the frequency of use of the restroom.
- If two people use the toilet, then the tank that is too large will have to be cleaned half empty (the waste should not be inside the container for a long time).
- Consider the load on the toilet seat, strength, material thickness should depend on the weight of the heaviest user.
As for the producers of peat toilets, the products of the Russian companies Compact-ECO, Piteco, Finnish summer peat toilets Ekomatic L&T, Biolan Komplet, and Swedish composting bio-closets Mulltoa were the most positive reviews. Prices vary - depend on the quality, from the manufacturer. You should not save on such a necessary thing as a toilet - good equipment will last your family for more than a dozen years, and this is a significant reason.
Whatever type of closet you choose, the main thing is that it is convenient for you to use it, so that your neighbors do not complain. How to build a country toilet with your own hands step by step, how to equip a “dry” peat closet, what the sanitary requirements for the construction of this building should be - you now know, which means you can tell other summer residents about this.
Photo of toilets in the country: