From a Tin Can to an Outhouse – The Easy Way
Hey everybody, I hope you had a lovely weekend. A few weeks ago, we made an adorable antique washboard from a coffee tin. We still had a piece of that tin can left over, so this weekend, we decided to make this little outhouse for our small bathroom.
It’s just big enough to hold a spare roll of toilet paper 😉
It’s easy to make, and you only need basic tools and supplies.
What You Need to Make a Tin Can Outhouse
- Scrap bits of wood at least 12 cm wide (4 7/8”)
- A medium-sized tin can
- Wooden craft sticks and a piece of hardboard
- Two small hinges and a metal clasp. Those tiny ones that people normally use to make a jewelry box
- A cheap chrome toilet paper holder (similar to this one)
- Screws, hand saw, metal file, wood glue and a protractor
How to Make a Tin Can Outhouse
Start off by determining the angle to cut the piece of wood. We used a piece of wood that was about 70 cm long and 12 cm wide, so by measuring carefully, all the bits were cut from the same piece.
When I first tried to figure out how to cut the wood, I just eyeballed the angle and drew a line until my bright spark of a daughter gave me a quick lesson in the basics of geometry. Don’t you love it when your kids are more intelligent than you are? By cutting the wood at a 60-degree angle, I would get two side pieces for the price of one cut, and the pitch of the roof would be perfect.
Life without geometry is pointless 😀
Once everything has been cut, you should end up with two side pieces measuring 26 cm (10 2/8”) on the longest side and a small bottom piece that’s 14.5 cm by 12 cm (5 7/8” x 4 7/8”).
Sand, distress or paint the pieces to fit your décor. We wanted to experiment a little, so we used a crimped wire cap brush.
I love how it digs into the wood and chips away at the softer wood while leaving the harder wood exposed.
Putting the Outhouse Together
Add a little wood glue to the bottom piece and screw the two sides on. I’m sorry, I don’t have a photo of that bit. My phone was stolen before I could download those. UGH, the second time this year that happened. Anyhows, it should look a bit like a “U” when you’re done. Time to put on the roof 😀 Cut the tin can using tin snips to the right size. File away any sharp edges using long steady strokes. When you’re done, screw the cut tin can onto the top of the “U”.
To make the door, cut a piece of hardboard that fits snuggly inside the “U” shape. Glue on a few craft sticks. Ours were a little on the short side, so we measured the halfway mark on the hardboard and cut the craft sticks accordingly. Just glue another craft stick over the joins to hide them.
We stained the door and then attached it to the outhouse using two small hinges and a clasp.
Add a toilet roll holder to the bottom of the outhouse and a few posters from The Graphics Fairy to the inside of the door. Loo paper also needs reading material, right?!! 😉
I’d love to know what you think of the toilet paper outhouse. Does it work for you? Is it something you’d put in your bathroom?
If you like the idea of repurposing a tin can to make an outhouse, don’t forget to pin it for later.
P.S. Would you like to make something similar or are you looking for more outhouse-styled decor? We’ve got you covered Disclosure: Clicking on the links below means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry, it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us come up with more crafty ideas to share with you
Sending blessing and love as always.
This would be perfect for the outhouse at our campsite! Will endeavour to build it 🙂
😀 So happy to hear that Sandra. An outhouse in a real outhouse for the win.
So cute and creative! I love your style.
Thank you so much Joanna 😀
This is brilliant and such a cool project! Thanks for sharing..
Thank you so much Nora 😀 I really appreciate that
Michelle, this is such a fun idea!! I love the outhouse toilet paper holder and that was a cute move putting reading material in there for the toilet paper. This is great!!
Thanks so much Keri 😉
That is so crafty! Goals and kudos to you… I would love this as decoration.
Thank you Elisha 😀
Love how you’re repurposing items to reuse them and make something new. So creative and great resourcefulness!
Thanks so much Amy 😀
This is super cute. It is beyond adorable for a cabin bathroom.
Thanks so much Leanna 😀
Hi Michelle, I am learning a lot through your blog. This is a cool project, your creative ideas are always turning an unusable item into something that’s a great and usable product.
Thank you for that Sadhna, I really appreciate it. It’s how I feel every time I looks at all the delicious recipes you post. You know I can’t cook but I’m spending more and more time on cooking blogs trying to learn and yours is one of may favorites
This is such a cute idea! I want to be able to use my husband’s jigsaw so I can take on neat projects like this…love seeing all the things you come up with!
Thank you Clair 😀 We just recently got ourselves a jigsaw and I love using it.
Love its rustic charm Michelle! This is such an original idea!
Thank you Maya 😀
How rustic and interesting! You always have some of the most creative DIYs! Too bad I’m not much of one!
Thanks so much Candy. We’re all so different, which is a good thing right 😉 My sense of style would never be as lovely as yours. Maybe we can swap notes one day?
Your outhouse is so cool! It’s like a tiny replica of a real one, I like how you re-used the tin can for the top.
Thanks for sharing that 60º angle cut tip, now you will have me thinking all day why 60 instead of 45 to make just one cut and have symmetric pieces of wood. I used to love geometry when studying but can’t remember enough because I end up eyeballing cuts when I’m too burned out
LOL, Pili I’m also a bit of an eye baller at the best of times 😀 So glad you like the little outhouse though, thank you
This is perfect for a small bathroom!!
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Thank you Jodie 😀
Another amazing project Michelle! This is so cute and looks rustic and is perfect for a toilet roll! Love how you always get these amazing ideas!
Thank you Katrin, I’m glad you like it. Hope you’re having a lovely time in Canada my friend, enjoy your holiday.
This really is too cute – now I just need a rustic toilet to go with it!
Yeah you’re right, it wouldn’t quite fit in a modern bathroom 😀 Thank you Sarah
Oh this is so cute Michelle! You just never cease to amaze me with what you come up with. You can put things together that I never would of thought of putting together and then come up with the cutest things.
Love the little poster you added for the Loo paper to read, lol.
😀 Thanks Linda. I’ve been wanting to use those posters from the Graphics Fairy for ages, and giving the loo paper some reading material sounded like a good idea 🙂
This is just too awesome! I had no idea a toilet paper roll holder could be so darn cute and it has the perfect rustic touch to it. It’s the cutest outhouse I ever did see. Love it, Michelle!
😀 Thank you Angie. I really enjoyed making the little outhouse. It was so easy to put together
This is so adorable, creative and unique, Michelle! And what a great conversational piece! Love it!
Hey there Gail, thank you so much. I’m glad you like it
That has to be the most adorable TP roll EVER! Adding the reading material onto the inside of the door – perfect touch. You never cease to amaze me with your creativity, Michelle! My Dad would have been on this idea for the lake like a fly to an outhouse!
Bwahahahahaha Marie. I love your comment 😀
You are so inventive Michelle. There was no way I could think of combining all these materials and having such result! Congratulations!!!
Thanks so much Christina, hope you’re feeling better and all settled in 😉
It certainly does work for me. Why I could hide in there and scare anyone who walks in. It is so big and pretty! You always come up with the cutest ideas. Kudos to your girl for teaching you a thing or two about geometry! I don’t remember a thing!
LOL Mary, I can just imagine someone’s face if you try hiding in there 😀 I used to love geometry at school by it seems I can’t remember the basics anymore;-)
Gosh, this is super cute! It’s so rustic and I love it! It’s brilliant to house another roll of TP in there too. I will have to try and make one of these and soon!
Awwww thanks so much Carolann. We needed something a little different for our small bathroom.