Can a porta potty be serviced if it's on a wooden deck?

Question

I'm renting a standard portable toilet for our bathroom renovation, which is scheduled to last about six weeks. The only spot I can put it is on our second-floor wooden deck because our yard is too sloped and crowded with construction materials. The rental company sounded hesitant when I mentioned the deck placement. They asked if a truck could get close and if the deck was strong enough. The deck is about 15 feet off the ground, and the closest the vacuum truck could park is maybe 30 feet away across the driveway. I'm worried about two things. Will the hose on the vacuum truck reach that far and that high? And is a wooden deck strong enough to hold a standard unit, which I know weighs a couple hundred pounds empty and gets heavier with use? Has anyone else had to put a porta potty on a deck and gotten it serviced successfully?

Marcus B. · Answer

A vacuum truck can service a portable toilet on a second-floor deck, but the setup is difficult and the rental company will charge extra for it. The vacuum hose typically reaches up to 100 feet horizontally, but lifting it 15 feet vertically reduces that range, and 30 feet away plus the height may be near the limit. The wooden deck must support at least 1,000 pounds concentrated load for the standard unit, which weighs 200 pounds empty and holds up to 70 gallons of waste adding over 500 pounds. In my experience, rental companies avoid deck placements because of the access risk and potential for damage; they require written confirmation the structure is sound. For a six-week bathroom reno, consider moving materials to clear a ground-level spot, or ask if a high-rise unit with a remote pump-out option is available, though it costs more.

Jake W. · Answer

I'd skip the deck and fight for a ground spot instead, even if it means moving a stack or two of materials. I've done a lot of bathroom remodels, and the deck plan worries me less for the hose than for delivery and pickup. Someone has to get that unit up 15 feet, and it comes back down heavy unless they pump it first. Your rental company is hesitant for good reason.

If the deck is truly the only option, check these first:

1. Have your contractor or a framer look at the deck framing and the ledger connection. A full unit is a concentrated load on a small footprint, not spread out like people standing around.
2. Ask the driver to walk the hose route. Going up stairs or over a railing means the hose gets dragged across your siding and deck boards every week.
3. Think about the crew. Six weeks of guys climbing exterior stairs or cutting through your house to reach it gets old fast.

What has worked for me on sloped, crowded lots is clearing a spot at the edge of the driveway, leveling it with plywood or pavers, and setting the [standard unit](https://portapotty.forum/glossary/standard-unit/) there with the door facing away from the street. Short hose run, easy service, and nobody is climbing to use it.

Can a porta potty be serviced if it's on a wooden deck?

2 answers