7 Useful Steps in Building an Outdoor Shower

Outdoor showers are becoming increasingly popular for homeowners who want to add unique, rustic charm to their backyards. They mostly place it beside their swimming pools, and garden to have a quick shower and clean before they go in the comfort of their homes and relax.

Whether you’re looking for an eco-friendly option for a beach house or simply need a way to cool off in the summertime heat, building your own outdoor shower is a great way to achieve this.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the components and steps necessary to construct your very own outdoor shower from scratch.

What Are Outdoor Showers For?

Having an outdoor shower can offer several benefits. It can give you a place to cool off and freshen up after swimming, gardening, or yard work on hot days. An outdoor shower is also great for reducing water usage, since it eliminates the need to run traditional indoor showers.

Furthermore, it creates a relaxing retreat in your backyard where you can enjoy the sounds of nature while getting clean.

Outdoor showers are also helpful when entertaining guests with pool access as they provide a convenient option for visitors to wash off chlorine and other contaminants before entering the house.

Finally, creating an aesthetic appeal in your backyard that will dazzle your friends and family!

What You’ll Need to Build an Outdoor Shower

• Plumbing Tape
• Pipe Wrench
• Screws
• Showerhead
• Plumbing Connectors
• Garden Hose
• Elbows and Thick Galvanized Pipes
• Wooden Planks
• Hammer and Nails
• Shovel

Things to Consider Before Building your Outdoor Shower

Before building an outdoor shower, there are several things to consider. You will need to make sure that you have adequate water supply and drainage for your project.

• What style of Outdoor Shower do you want? In this guide however, we’re gonna stick to the simplest style of building an Outdoor Shower which is made out of Wood. You can change this to your liking, you can use stones, marbles, or any luxurious material you can think of. As long as you know what you’re doing or you have a professional working with you.
• Pick your Outdoor Shower Location Wisely. Most people disregard this, but this is actually a crucial factor to how you will build your Outdoor Shower. If you don’t plan wisely your outdoor shower might be an obstruction in the long term. Place it right where it’s most convenient for you and where it won’t be an obstruction. Best place to put it may be:
  • Beside your pool
  • Near the garden or yard
  • Next to your home gym
  • Your work area
• What are you going to use it for? If you have pets or kids and you don’t want them going into the house all dirty after they play. This will affect your decision in building your Outdoor Shower, how you want to be, and where you’ll place it. You can add hot water for it if you live in a cold area, and cold water if you live in a hot climate.
• Privacy. Yep, you’ll need this one. You don’t want other people to be taking a peek at you while you’re having a good outdoor time in your bath.

How to Build Your Outdoor Shower

Most DIY Outdoor Showers don’t really require a lot of hands, if simplicity is what you aim. However for more luxurious, and aesthetic projects you might need to consult professionals to lend you a hand.

In this video, YouTube content creator MakerGray shows exactly how easy it is to construct your own Outdoor Shower as long as you have the right tools, equipment, and materials.

Steps in Building your Outdoor Shower

1. Pick a place to put your outdoor shower.

Pick a place where you’re going to have the best access to an outdoor spigot or a plumbing line. This will simplify the networks you’re going to build leading up to your shower head.

The best place to begin is by locating your home’s hot water supply pipe. Often near showers, bathtubs, dishwashers and other areas that demand either hot or cold running H2O. When you’ve pinpointed a service on the exterior of your domicile with both said supplies available – there it is! All set for installing a new outdoor shower!

2. Build the Base of your Outdoor Shower Fixtures

Building a wooden base for your outdoor shower is an important step in creating a convenient and attractive feature in your backyard. You’ll need to decide how large you want the base to be and how many sides it should have, depending on how much water you plan to use.

You’ll then need lumber, screws, drill bits, a saw, and other tools for construction. Begin by measuring the area where you will build the base. Cut the lumber to size using the saw and assemble the structure with screws or bolts. If necessary, add metal corner braces for extra stability. Having a bit of slant on your platform will give way to easier water draining.

Once completed, lay down waterproof sheeting on top of the base to protect it from moisture before installing your shower fixtures. This can be done with more wood or plastic sheeting that is nailed into place with decking nails. It’s also advised to seal any gaps between each piece of wood with caulk or silicone sealant for extra protection against water damage.

Finish off your wooden base by staining or painting it with outdoor-grade paint to provide some decorative flair while protecting it from sun exposure and weather damage. For added longevity, consider applying a layer of concrete sealant to further protect against moisture buildup and rot from standing water.

You also have the option of buying a pressure-treated wood to make your base more durable and long-lasting.

3. Setup Wooden Walls for Privacy

When building an outdoor shower, it is important to create a wooden wall for privacy. The wall should be constructed using durable and weather-resistant lumber, such as cedar or redwood. It should measure at least 6 feet in height to provide adequate privacy.

For the construction of the wall, start by measuring and cutting the lumber to size with a saw. Attach the pieces together using screws or bolts and make sure each joint is secure. If necessary, add corner braces for extra stability and dig numerous post hole to create a foundation.

Once the structure is ready, spread waterproof sheeting on top of it before installing the shower fixtures. This sheeting will help protect the wood from water damage by preventing moisture from getting inside the wood fibers. Afterward, you can give your wall a decorative touch by staining or painting it with outdoor-grade paint that will also prevent sun exposure and weather damage from occurring.

Finally, seal any gaps between each piece of wood with caulk or silicone sealant for extra protection against water damage. You may also want to apply a layer of concrete sealant for added longevity and to further protect against moisture buildup and rot from standing water.

4. Start Routing your Plumb Lines

You’ll need several supplies for this task, such as PVC pipe, fittings, couplings, elbows, tees, and clamps.

Begin by measuring how much pipe you’ll need to connect the main plumbing line outside your home with the shower fixtures. Cut the PVC pipe to size with a saw and use fittings, couplings, and elbows to route it through corners of your base or along walls. If necessary, use tees to branch off the main line for multiple fixtures.

For additional stability, it’s recommended to secure the pipes into place using metal clamps that are attached to walls or posts around your shower area. Once all of the pipes have been secured in place, run hot and cold water from inside your home out to the fixtures using flexible hoses.

This process can seem daunting at first but with careful measurements and attention to detail you can be sure that you’re routing your plumb lines properly. It’s always best practice to double-check all connections before turning on the water supply in order to ensure there aren’t any leaks or damages throughout your system

5. Start Installing Your Rain Shower Head

Start by turning off the water shutoff valves to ensure that there are no issues with water flow while installing your rain shower head. Once you’ve ensured that the water is fully turned off, begin by attaching the mounting flange of the rain shower head to your wall with screws or bolts. Make sure to drill pilot holes beforehand if needed.

Next, attach flexible hoses from the hot and cold water sources of your main plumbing line to the fixtures of your rain showerhead using couplings or other appropriate fittings. The hoses should be securely connected without any leaks or kinks in order for water pressure to remain consistent throughout use.

Make sure the shower arm is facing the right direction so it won’t complicate your installation much further. Turn on the main shutoff valves and test out your rain showerhead by turning both knobs simultaneously. If all connections were done correctly and no leaks are present around the mounting flange or hose connections.

6. The Draining System

You have multiple options for your drainage system, such as a conventional drain or a self-contained drywell. For the former, you’ll need to dig out a hole in your shower area and insert your drain pipe into it. Connect the other end of the pipe to your home’s sewers using an appropriate adapter, depending on how far away they are from your outdoor shower location.

For the latter option, simply dig out a pit large enough for a barrel to fit inside and connect it with PVC pipes that lead down towards the bottom of the pit. Make sure to also add gravel around all sides of the barrel before connecting it with pipes that will run out and away from your home’s foundation.

Depending on how much water is expected to be produced by your outdoor shower, you may also need to install a pump system. This will keep the water from flooding your yard after heavy use and ensure that it runs out easily so you won’t have to worry about standing water around your home’s foundation.

7. Add Personal Touches

Adding a bit of decoration to your outdoor shower area can turn it into a tranquil oasis right in the comfort of your own backyard. To make the most out of the space, you can decorate it with items that add color and texture, such as potted plants or hanging baskets. You can also place candles around the shower space to create a soft ambiance while taking a relaxing shower outdoors.

To further enhance the look and feel of your outdoor shower area, you may want to consider adding an extra layer of privacy from any onlookers by installing fencing or curtains around it. If you’re feeling adventurous, try creating unique decorations out of natural materials such as stones, driftwood, and seashells for an inviting and peaceful atmosphere.

Additionally, some people like to add a touch of music to their outdoor showers by placing a small waterproof speaker in one corner. This will help bring peace and relaxation as well as provide a calming backdrop for your daily showering routine. Finally, many homeowners like to install LED lights along pathways leading up to the outdoor shower so they can have easy access even during nighttime hours.

Bottomline

Building your own outdoor shower can be a great way to enjoy the outdoors and relax in privacy. With just a few simple steps, you can create an inviting atmosphere by using natural decorations and adding some extra touches like lighting or music for ambiance.

Now that we’ve gone through how to build an outdoor shower step-by-step, it’s time for you to start creating yours! If you have any tips on how other homeowners could make their outdoor showers even better, please share them with us in the comments section below!

FAQs

Q1. What tools do I need to build an outdoor shower?

A1. You will need basic tools such as a spade, shovel, level, wrench, and drill with appropriate bits. Additionally, you may need additional plumbing equipment depending on how complex your installation is, such as pressure valves and water hoses.

Q2. How much space do I need for an outdoor shower?

A2. It depends on how large of a showerhead you would like to have and how many people will be using it at the same time. As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to plan for at least 3 feet (91 cm) of space around the perimeter of the showerhead and an additional 1 foot (30 cm) in between users if there are more than one person using it at a time.

Q3. What type of materials should I use to build an outdoor shower?

A3. You can use materials such as treated wood planks, PVC pipes or copper pipes for the framework of your outdoor shower depending on how you intend to design it and how long you expect it to last in varying weather conditions. To ensure that your outdoor shower is waterproofed and sealed properly against moisture intrusion, use polyurethane caulk or silicone sealant along all joints of your frame and any exposed surfaces where water might leak through into your home’s foundation or other areas underneath the structure.

Q4. What is the best way to install my drainage system?

A4. The most common drainage system used with an outdoor shower is either a conventional drainpipe connected directly to the sewers or a self-contained drywell which involves burying a barrel filled with gravel in order to collect excess water runoff from your shower area before draining it away from your home’s foundation.