Thread: Disability - a bench for the toilet - thoughts?

Hi Evan;

Can’t offer a design beyond what you’ve already mentioned, however I would consider fitting armrests that double as handles she can use to assist her standing up again.

Sorry to hear about your wife going through such a thing. The arm rests sound like a good idea. I moved into a house with two chrome ones fitted to the wall either side of the loo for the former elderly lady that lived here and we kept them in place we liked them so much. Just make sure the position is correct and that they don't take away side ways movement from you. They should be ahead of your sitting position.
If you did a tall frame to take the seat , maybe screwed to the wall, you could have a chain or rope hanging down as well to enable a person to lift themselves up by pulling. They have such overhead things on hospital beds and I remember my elderly Dad liking it.
Urethane may not be the best if its getting lots of splashes. I did a urethane Laundry bench top once and the water and wet towels destroyed the finish in a year or two. The same type of timber bench tops in the kitchen were then finished in Wattyl 7008 two pack clear and they were still good 15 years later.
I use a timber workshop made seat over a container ( cut down 44 gal drum) out the back of the workshop rather than walk 90 meters back to the house. Its just plywood with an oval hole. Not sealed and needs replacing after 8 years in the open. I think its a lot more comfy than the normal plastic seated type inside the house. The wider flat width of it is great. I sit there with the birds watching me, No walls. And Ive only been caught twice by people walking from the workshop . They were more shocked than me when they saw me sitting there . Other than workshop visitors there is no one else around.
The contents get covered with wood shavings as its not far from the dust extractor. That gets turned into the soil nearby and the grass takes off and loves it.

The plywood is OK but I recon if I was going for top quality a Red Cedar seat would be the best.

Rob.

yes to arm rests, left field thought....build the 'seat' with hydraulic/electric rams. These activate when she puts pressure on the armrests to lower the seat, then another button to raise her up again.
just an idea someone will hopefully work out the details.

Good luck with your project.

I’ve made a couple of wooden toilet seats.
One in solid timber, many years ago for a wealthy dude and I don’t remember the timber species.

The other for a long time mate who couldn’t source a new plastic one to fit their 10 year old Italian designer loo. He was looking at new loo and retiling etc etc mucho moocho.
This last one was in 21mm ply and turned out ok.

I know you want nicer than ply so why not go bananas and get a large enough piece of Huon Pine.
I will be seeing the mate in a couple of weeks and have a rather nice piece of Huon and plan to offer him an upgrade if he wants it.
Trend here in Sydney was where I impulsively bought the piece I have.
H.