Outdoor Shower ideas

[dippasan]

Hi Folks,
With "ice out" just around the corner I've been daydreaming about my Island camp. I would like to install/construct an enclosed outdoor shower against the back of my camp. To those of you that already have one I'd like to hear about what you like or dislike about your outdoor shower design. I do know I want it to be big enough to accommodate a small bench/seat to the side, away from the water stream to sit and get dressed. I'm curious about best materials, dimensions etc etc.

My camp is just that...a camp...and I'd like the outdoor shower to fit the "Early American poverty" theme of my camp if you know what I mean. (Marble, granite, stainless steel and some of the other crazy designs Ive seen on the internet...probably out of the question)

Thanks in advance for any info or advice

[ishoot308]

Here is what I used for the basic shower stall. http://www.lilypodinc.com/

I bought the single stall unit with dome cover and interior seat option. You will definitely want it covered or will be constantly cleaning leaves and pine needles out of it.

I then ran a hose and attached it to this portable tankless hot water unit which I hung inside the shower stall... http://www.amazon.com/Eccotemp-L5-Po...hot+water+unit

I raised / shimmed the roof on my shower stall 2" to allow the tankless unit to vent properly.

We love this setup and one 20 lb propane tank is all we used all last summer. An outdoor shower is great when you have guests over and don't want to over burden your septic.

We also only use all natural and environmentally neutral bathroom and household products on the island.

Dan

[dippasan]

Thanks for the info Dan. My stall will be located directly behind the bathroom on the inside of the house so I'm planning on running hot and cold water from inside through the wall. I love the idea of the dome cover on top. I had planned to keep it open but a cover seems to make more sense.

Thanks again

[Rusty]

Build yourself one of these. I like the idea of using pocket door sliders for the door. Also this would fit into the plumbing from your house as you can see by the video.

Good luck:

[Rusty]

I don't know if you went to the website to look at the plan for the outside shower, so if you didn't here it is: http://cdn.cottagelife.com.s3.amazon...hower-Plan.pdf

Here is one page of it:

[JMR]

I was thinking the same as Steve. Thanks for the ideas. now I have to get serious about it

[codeman671]

Last fall the Mill Stores had complete outdoor shower stall kits in a few sizes. They were nice, but not cheap.

They are still on the website.

http://millstores.com/category.cfm?c...=2&catcode=154

[Denny Crane]

I built one 2 years ago and had a fence company make the walls and poles, so I made mine 8'x5' with the gate on one of the long walls. I used tongue and groove cedar sections because I wanted to keep it natural and not pvc or plastic. I prestained it with sikkens srd using a sprayer before installing.
There were 5 posts I had to dig, 3 on one long side with gate, 2 on the other which wasn't fun and had some hangups.
Prior to that I dug out a hole for a drywell and a trench off that with 4 inch landscape drainage pipe going about about 15 feet, overkill yes, but I don't like the idea of stepping onto wet shower/etc water after the fact. On top of the drywell and crushed stone I build a simple 8x5 pressure treated frame with 1x6 cedar flooring. I don't like the idea of a roof and feeling closed in, and my voice sounds better echoing into the woods when I sing. A couple of fish towel and clothes hooks I found on ebay, music next. I have about 1 inch of space between the floor and the bottom of the fence section. My family visitors love it.

[ApS]

Six years ago, I bought an 1960's house that has an outdoor shower. Compared with designs suggested here, it appears to be on the small side—at just 4' per side. It sure seems plenty-big enough.

As it is very low-maintenance and the run-off treats ornamental plantings to daily waterings, I use it a lot.

In your design, I'd include a roof, and skip any closed storage bins. The usual showering items can be kept within the shower itself, but make certain any soap is in a mouse-proof container.

___________________________________

Especially-important considerations I'd make with any new shower:

1) location and

2) especially if you're using lake water, an outdoor shower can be "powered" by much higher water pressures, much larger showerheads, plus the usual water-pressure-restrictors can be omitted.


Be prepared for depilatory pressures!

3) any openings to the outdoors...even with outdoor temperatures in the high 70s, any wind will quickly turn a warm shower into a chilling experience!

[tis]

I just have to say this. I don't understand why anyone has to take a shower after going in the lake. Maybe I am old fashioned and we grew up on the lake, but the lake isn't that dirty or salty like the ocean.

[rrr]

Originally Posted by tis

I just have to say this. I don't understand why anyone has to take a shower after going in the lake. Maybe I am old fashioned and we grew up on the lake, but the lake isn't that dirty or salty like the ocean.

My mother-in-law used to say the same thing. But I noticed the difference in the sheets - one side where a showered body slept and one who didn't. Unfortunately, the lake is not as clean as it was 10, 20, 30... years ago.

[dippasan]

Great info from all!
I do plan to keep it very simple but a bit larger (4x6) or so to accommodate a small bench and to be able to move your arms around when lathering up! I was thinking I would do the floor with a Trex type plastic lumber (nice on the feet no splinters and rugged). I'm still curious about drainage. The shower will be about 100 feet from the Lake behind the camp. A 10 minute shower (pretty long) at 3 gallons a minute isn't a lot of water and because of the slope of the property, the water will flow into the sand under the house. I may dig a shallow dry well to help collect it.

Steve

[fpartri497]

Originally Posted by dippasan

Great info from all!
I do plan to keep it very simple but a bit larger (4x6) or so to accommodate a small bench and to be able to move your arms around when lathering up! I was thinking I would do the floor with a Trex type plastic lumber (nice on the feet no splinters and rugged). I'm still curious about drainage. The shower will be about 100 feet from the Lake behind the camp. A 10 minute shower (pretty long) at 3 gallons a minute isn't a lot of water and because of the slope of the property, the water will flow into the sand under the house. I may dig a shallow dry well to help collect it.

I wouldnt recommend draining any water UNDER the house, it will allways retain moisture and thats not a good thing

[RLW]

Originally Posted by dippasan

Great info from all!
I do plan to keep it very simple but a bit larger (4x6) or so to accommodate a small bench and to be able to move your arms around when lathering up! I was thinking I would do the floor with a Trex type plastic lumber (nice on the feet no splinters and rugged). I'm still curious about drainage. The shower will be about 100 feet from the Lake behind the camp. A 10 minute shower (pretty long) at 3 gallons a minute isn't a lot of water and because of the slope of the property, the water will flow into the sand under the house. I may dig a shallow dry well to help collect it.Steve

Great idea, as I believe that one is not suppose to dump gray water on top of the soil per state standards. I have not read this, but have been told by a reliable contractor. There isn't a probably if soap isn't included in the equation.

[Justenuff]

I put a shower on a pad outside my house, mostly for the sand that comes in from the beach. It was real simple.
I had a concrete slab poured outside my bathroom, and cut into the shower lines that were about 8 inches from the outside walls, I piped it outside (PEX works great) and put a shutoff in the lines.
From there, it was pretty easy, plastic lines to another set of valves that then merged to a shower head.
I also used 6' tall vinyl preformed privacy fence as an enclosure with a door.
My better half wanted the door off, and now we just have an opaque shower curtain on the entrance.
Not sure if you can use PEX in NH, but it works great here in the south.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by dippasan

Great info from all!
I do plan to keep it very simple but a bit larger (4x6) or so to accommodate a small bench and to be able to move your arms around when lathering up! I was thinking I would do the floor with a Trex type plastic lumber (nice on the feet no splinters and rugged)..."

My experience is that a smaller (4x4) shower will still accommodate a small bench: if you get soap in your eyes, you'll have a nearby wall to support yourself should any temporary disorientation occur. Six feet could permit a slip/fall situation.

You might to keep the floor raised a couple of inches and also keep the walls low, to keep Mother Nature's intruders out. I once stepped back, and felt I'd stepped on "something big" which turned out to be a Box Turtle inspecting the premises!

[dippasan]

I just wanted to post a pic of the completed outdoor shower.

It measures 5x7 with a diagonal opening. I simply used T-111 and painted both sides of it so it matches the camp. I capped the top edges of T-111 with vinyl "F" channel to keep rain from de-laminating it. It fits perfect over the T-111 and looks like it belongs there. The decking material was a "Trex" type lumber I picked up at Big Jims. I used Saloon style doors which I bought on Craig's list for $12 and painted and mounted them with double action spring hinges so they open both ways. I installed a nice triangle shape bench on the right when you walk in with some hooks above and shelves on the left for soap and shampoo. I still have diagonal supports across the top until I build some sort of an arch over the entrance. I'll post a couple of better pics next week.

Everything worked out great and we enjoy it more than we even thought we would. Plenty of room, a cool breeze, birds chirpin' and the sound of boats going by while you you lather up. Perfect!

[AC2717]

love it and I am jealous

[dippasan]

Thanks!
Pretty easy and inexpensive! I would say the whole thing was about $500. I figure if the T-111 gets punky after a few years , I can just unscrew it and replace it all for about $150. The plan now is to build a boardwalk from the shower to my side deck.

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by dippasan

Thanks!
Pretty easy and inexpensive! I would say the whole thing was about $500. I figure if the T-111 gets punky after a few years , I can just unscrew it and replace it all for about $150. The plan now is to build a boardwalk from the shower to my side deck.

Thanks for the follow-up. Often times I find posters will have question and/or problems and solutions/suggestions are put forth and that is the end of the story. It is good to see what you did and as they say a picture is worth a thousand words! Enjoy!!

[Rattlesnake Gal]

I highly recommend a shower by candlelight, on a nice warm starry night. It can't be beat!

[dippasan]

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Gal

I highly recommend a shower by candlelight, on a nice warm starry night. It can't be beat!

Sounds perfect. I'll have to time it when the space station is going over too! I just wouldn't want any revealing photos to show up on Google Earth!

[P-3 Guy]

Did you have any issues getting a building permit?