Sealing a compost toilet with fiberglass

[paddywagon-SKO]

Howdy folks,


I'm finishing up my composting toilet and a thought occurred to me about sealing it. The box is built out of cedar, with an industry-standard 5-gallon bucket waste bin and an elegant porcelain urine diverter that takes the liquids under the bus. A small computer fan will circulate fresh air into and out of the box, under the floor.



Anyhow, I realize that in the real world, there will be occasional splashes or times when the bucket chemistry isn't just right and a smell develops. I'm concerned about the wood absorbing these liquids and smells over time. I was going to urethane the inside of the box, like the rest of the cedar siding inside. But I am wondering if it would be better to fiberglass the inside of the box for a more complete seal?


I haven't worked with fiberglass before, but this seems fairly straight forward. Brush on the resin, lay the fiber mat, and brush with resin. Repeat for a few layers.


Looking for thoughts on this, as well as advice for laying the fiberglass.

 

[Drew Bru]

Seems like overkill to me, but if you're looking for a reason to work with fiberglass then hell, why not? If that's the case its worth pursuing, but I would think a few coats of poly would seal it up pretty thoroughly. Having said that, I think fiberglassing skills are nice to have.
That bathroom looks really great, I like how you separated the shower and toilet areas and made the cut out for the window.

 

[Danjo-SKO]

Tropicool?

 

[TheSecondChild]

Howdy folks,


I'm finishing up my composting toilet and a thought occurred to me about sealing it. The box is built out of cedar, with an industry-standard 5-gallon bucket waste bin and an elegant porcelain urine diverter that takes the liquids under the bus. A small computer fan will circulate fresh air into and out of the box, under the floor.



Anyhow, I realize that in the real world, there will be occasional splashes or times when the bucket chemistry isn't just right and a smell develops. I'm concerned about the wood absorbing these liquids and smells over time. I was going to urethane the inside of the box, like the rest of the cedar siding inside. But I am wondering if it would be better to fiberglass the inside of the box for a more complete seal?


I haven't worked with fiberglass before, but this seems fairly straight forward. Brush on the resin, lay the fiber mat, and brush with resin. Repeat for a few layers.


Looking for thoughts on this, as well as advice for laying the fiberglass.

I like the idea! It does seem a bit overkill, but the skills and logic behind the process are solid. I'd love to see an update later if you decide to do it! Either way, you summed up the fiberglass process fairly well--just be sure to have it well-ventilated and wear GLOVES!

Fiberglass or polyester--you're still working with an adhesive material that needs a curing time, so it is important to do your research and practice "Saftey first!"

Good luck with your build!

 

[nikitis]

I think if you polyurethane the wood it won't absorb any smells. That stuff is water proof. I vote stick with the wood look and just poly every piece around it.