DIY Outdoor Shower

Photo by Thomas J. Story

This weekend project has three basic parts: two wing walls and a center pole with the plumbing attached. All materials are available at the Home Depot.

Time: One weekend (4 hours of labor, plus drying time for sealer)

Difficulty: 3 (on a scale of 1–10; requires modest woodworking skills)

Cost: About $170

Full article with tools and materials list

Outdoor shower: Frame and sides

Each wing wall has a 6-foot-long corrugated metal roof panel that’s screwed to a frame made of 2-by-4 lumber.

Each frame requires two 90-inch side pieces and four 26½-inch crosspieces.

We used redwood for the frames, which was protected with a water-based sealer prior to attaching the panels. A less expensive option is pressure-treated lumber.

Panel options include clear, frosted, or colored fiberglass roofing, aluminum flashing, or colorful oil or acrylic cloth.

Outdoor shower: Top view

The wing walls attach to one 8-foot-long pressure-treated peeler-core log outfitted with 1/2-inch galvanized metal piping, a faucet, and a showerhead.

This showers uses only cold-water lines from a garden hose and is not intended for long showers, so we have only built simple drainage.

Water will flow into the gravel and soil underfoot, watering your plants while it cools you off.

Outdoor shower: The plumbing

Lay out and assemble the galvanized piping (see materials list) using nylon plumbing tape at each joint. Do not add the hose coupling at the end of the 8-inch bottom pipe yet.

Center and drill a 3/4-inch-diameter hole through the pole 78 inches from the top.

Slip the short leg of pipe through the hole, then center the pipe and faucet on the pole and secure it with C-shaped pipe hangers.

Add the hose coupling and then hook it up to the garden hose. Pressure-test for leaks.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Outdoor shower: Positioning

Find a location for the shower. We placed it on a gravel pad to help drainage and also added concrete pavers to stand on.

Dig a 12-inch-deep hole for the center shower pole. Place it so the faucet handle will project outward at 45° between the wing walls.

Set the wing walls at square to each other and attach them to the pole (with three 12-inch screws each) so their legs only go 6 inches into the ground.

Check verticality with a level before tamping and compacting soil.

Full article with tools and materials list

Stylish DIY outdoor shower