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Hi I have an older home with an unfinished basement. Down in the basment, out in the open, is a toilet. It works fine but it's in the open. no privacy, just there lol. I'm looking for ideas on how to maybe enclose it or give it some privacy so it's a bit more functional. I don't mind using it but hwo could I ever ask a guest to use it like this lol. Any ideas? I don't think I can finish the basement becasue the height of the ceiling is lower than what is required (it's just over 6 ft hi and with pipes and beam probably closer to just under 6 ft in many spots. )
Any suggestions are appreciated!
Thanks
Hi...I saw your post and immediately thought about the ceiling mounted railings with curtains you see in hospital rooms or doctors offices and found a couple of links but they might be cost prohibitive. I did find something on Amazon for a Ceiling Mounted Curtain Track kit which is relatively inexpensive and then you would have to either buy or make a curtain to add to it for privacy which could be pulled back when not in use, or just left in place all the time. I don't think it's odd at all - my aunt and uncle's basement was like that when I was a kid - we never thought anything about it. When you have to go - any port in a storm! Our basement in our house is not finished either but there is a rough-in for a future bathroom down there if my hubby ever decides to start re-building his model train empire again and this might be an option for us too. Currently we just use our basement for storage, mechanicals are in there (furnace, water heater etc.) and the kitties run around and play down there. Don't be discouraged here - just take what you need and leave the rest!
Here's the link to the Amazon product I found: Amazon.com - New White, Ceiling Mount 8 ft Curtain Track Kit
You don't send your guests to the basement toilet. Trust me on this.
There's nothing wrong with people waiting to use the real bathroom.
If you're a guy and there is bunch of people taking a ridiculous amount of time to use the toilet (the sex of these people shall remain anonymous) you don't really care if it's in the basement walls or no walls. Trust me on this.
My first concern would be the stairs down into the basement. Many of them do not have railings, and I would not want people going up and down them if they had been drinking, or in high heels, or small children who have a tendency to run everywhere. If there are railings, of course, there is no problem.
I'm not keen on a lock on the inside of the door to the cellar. If someone should lock the door and then trip on the stairs, you would have a serious emergency on your hands.
I would just build a wooden wall around it (with the inside walls finished off with plywood), paint it to minimize moisture problems, and if there is no light above it, make sure to have a "window" or two up high to let in light from the cellar lights. And I would put a door on it with an inside latch or lock.
The basement, while not finished, isn't a war zone. There's stuff down there but it's farily well organized. There is a railing down the stairs so I am not worried about that so much. I may go with the curtains Idea as a temporary fix and do something more permenant down the road.
The shower curtains are a good short-term solution. It is less odd than sitting out in the open in large basement.
But it is still odd. Just feels odd sitting with just a curtain between you and whoever else is in the basement playing ping pong, or waiting their turn at the toilet.
We put up walls after a few years.
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