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bhebby
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# Posted: 6 Sep 2011 06:58pm
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How deep of a hole should I dig depthxdiameter? Thanks to all almost finished with it and I appreciate help with the finishg touch questions.
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SEOhio
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# Posted: 7 Sep 2011 07:37am
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Some folks dig a hole big enough to line with an old trash can or barrel (top and bottom gone) that helps keep the hole from collapsing. Empty plastic 55 gallon barrels can be had for as little as $5 or $10 at a soft drink bottler.
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PlicketyCat
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2011 07:40am
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General build around these parts if you're not using a drum/barrel is 4x4x4 square which lets you form the walls of the pit with 2 sheets of ground-contact/permanent-foundation/pressure-treated plywood cut in half with two 4x4 posts cut in half reinforcing the corners. 64 cubic feet is a lot of poop! Of course, you can do 4Lx4Wx8D if you really want to make sure it doesn't fill up too fast. A lot depends on your water table, how fast your soil percs, whether it's warm enough long enough to decompose quickly, whether it gets a lot of use or only a little, and during which seasons.
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larryh
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2011 12:10am
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I built my out house pit using treated 2x4's for the corners and 1 x 6" for the sides leaving an inch between the boards for drainage. I fashioned it on the ground first and lowered it into the pit which I made sure was level all around before I did so. The pit is around 4 feet deep and extended above the ground a about 6 inches so that the floor to the outhouse would just fit over it and could be screwed to the corner post to prevent it from blowing over in winds. So far its been in medium usage for three years and is a long way from filling up, but that is with one person part time.
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PlicketyCat
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2011 06:20pm
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larryh I've seen the slatted sides design as well. It works good if you have poor draining or rocky soils. My only concern with slatting the sides would be in a silty soil area where seasonal rains/melt could cause the soil to squeeze through the cracks. It probably wouldn't be enough to fill in your pit in a season, but could cause the area around the outhouse to subside. That does happen a bit here during breakup, and the resulting low lying area just captures more runoff, which then fills up the pit with water for a month or so until it drains. That probably wouldn't be too much of a problem if it's only getting summer/fall use though. Some landscaping fabric on the slats would help keep the soil from sifting in, which would also keep the area from becoming a muddy hole :)
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