Before purchasing a new outhouse, you need to think about several factors. The size, price, and colour or style are all obvious considerations but don’t stop there. You’ll be looking at and relying on your storage hut for the next few years, so it’s a considerable investment. For long-term success, you’ll benefit from asking a few additional questions up front.
Quality vs Cost: You shouldn’t base your decision solely on the cost of a new shed. Some customers are so focused on getting the best deal that they overlook other factors in favour of only looking at the price tag.
Choosing the Right Color for Your Carpet: It’s best to spend a little more money on a high-quality outdoor storage hut that will last feel and look nicer than a cheap choice. Even if it costs a few hundred bucks more, an outbuilding is usually a wise purchase. If you don’t want to spend much, go for a simple, well-built hut constructed of raw items rather than ones with many extras or premium materials.
Considerations for the design: Storage is not the only purpose of outdoor construction. An outdoor storage outhouse’s aesthetic is just as essential as its use. The unit you select should, ideally, match the design of your house. Rustic-style out-house, including beadboard trim siding, go well with country-style homes. Choose an outside storage outhouse with formal elements to fit your home’s decor.
Adapting to the Environment: Prepare a plan for how you’ll integrate your exterior wall into the landscape. Using plants to camouflage an outdoor storage outhouse is possible to avoid standing out in a yard. There are many ways to create garden beds outhouses, such as planting annuals or perennials in the ground. The wooden outhouse walls can grow vines by installing trellises against them.
Materials for Walls and Siding: You can choose from three primary materials for a storage outhouse: wood, metal, or plastic. It is common for a wood outhouse to have stud-framed walls covered in plywood siding. The studs of a high-end woodshed may be covered with plywood sheathing, which is then covered with typical lap siding. Standard roofing elements, such as asphalt shingles, are used on the wood outhouses, as are wood roof structures.
Most metal outhouses are simple metal frameworks covered with production plants or vinyl-coated metal skins. Most plastic outhouses are vinyl (also known as polyvinyl chloride or PVC). They don’t need any paint or coating because their colour is intrinsic to the material. Whether made of plastic or metal, outhouses are available in kits that the homeowner may assemble.
Keeping a shed of wood in good condition requires the same upkeep as owning a house in good condition. Metal and plastic storage buildings are low-maintenance because they don’t require painting. In contrast, metal outhouse materials can corrode and wear over time if their paint or other surface coatings is scratched or damaged. For the most part, plastic outhouses require little to no maintenance.
Homeowners Association Rules and Zoning Regulations: You should call local city officials before purchasing an outhouse and even deciding on the size of the outhouse. Many zoning rules allow outhouses up to a particular size—typically 120 square feet—without requiring prior approval, but limits on where they can be built are all too often.
As an example, you could be required to maintain your outhouse a set distance from your site boundary. Some municipal zoning restrictions may require at least three feet from the property boundary.
Another consideration in zoning is the outhouse’s overall height. You don’t want to spend a lot of money on a hut to find out later that it is illegal.
Underpinnings and Surfaces: There are outhouses with a floor and no outhouses. Floors of wood shelters are often framed with plywood and covered with linoleum. Metal and plastic outhouses often have different flooring systems, and you can choose to use the manufacturer’s or create your own.
An outhouse should be built on a solid foundation, regardless of the type of floor. There are a variety of materials that can be used, including pneumatically wood planks, concrete blocks, and compacted gravel. A raised or well-draining base will go a far way to avoid rot or rusting of outhouse components.
Do-it-yourself or hire a pro?
Choose an outhouse through your hardware store and ask for it to be delivered and installed by their experienced installers if you’d rather have the hard work done for you. However, if you’re handy, you may save money by purchasing an outdoor storage construction kit that includes instructions for putting it together. Outhouses made of wood require carpentry knowledge and equipment. With two average-sized homeowners, two metal or plastic structures can be assembled in roughly a day.
Access: Keep in mind that if you have a gas snow shovel or lawn tractor, make sure the unit’s entryway is large enough to allow them both comfortably. And there will be plenty of ample space once it’s inside. The twin doors on many 8-foot by 10-foot outdoor storage facilities typically take care of this issue. How will you get inside your outhouse if it’s elevated above ground level? Take into account both the movement of large machinery and the normal flow of people.
Additions and Subtractions: Even the most minor details can significantly impact. French doors and domes can be found in some outdoor storage facilities. You can also make custom touches, such as planter boxes, shutters, or weather vanes. It’s important to remember that you’ll have to stare at this external storage structure each day for the near future. Decorated elements can be the difference between an ugly and an eye-catching piece of art.
Added Capacity: Adding a second outhouse to your home may be an option if your property is overflowing with clutter and you don’t have the money for a full-sized outhouse. Units can be divided into three categories:
Outhouses 3 feet tall, 3 feet wide, and 2 feet deep are known as corner outhouses.
Horizontal outhouses are usually 3 feet tall by five feet broad by 4 feet deep, with the width and depth varying from 3 to 5 feet.
Instead of purchasing two outhouses, you might get one slightly larger and has a storage loft built-in. It is possible to create a lean-to shelter linked to one of the outhouse walls if you do not want to sacrifice inside space for firewood storage.
