How to Design an Outdoor Shower

Outdoor showers aren’t just for beach bungalows! Getting clean in nature is becoming a refreshing trend. Imagine finishing a long gardening session working outside in the hot summer sun for hours. Stepping into an open air shower never sounded better! 

How can you design the perfect outdoor shower? Use these tips to get inspired.

Find your slice of paradise

Picking the location for your outdoor shower takes careful consideration. Think about where the interior hot/cold water lines are inside your house and start from there. Usually, outside next to where your kitchen or bathroom is located is an ideal choice. It’s easier to reach the water lines, with less work on your part and better yet- it’ll be less expensive.

Design with privacy in mind

When bringing the indoor shower outside, you’re shaking the roots of privacy already. Design with a plan to add coverage for bathers to feel more comfortable. This is a fun chance to let your creative juices flow. Enclose the shower with simple walls using wooden slats. You can paint it for a more refined look or keep it rough, uneven and rustic. Use plants to your advantage by planting thick bushes or add a trellis with thick jasmine vines.

Drainage

One of the most important elements of your outdoor shower design needs to be proper drainage for gray water. Luckily, there are several options to drain, making it a fairly easy task.

• Municipal: You can always connect a drain to city pipes that carry out waste water.
• French drain: A simple 3 ft. deep hole layered with gravel that soaks up water. Be sure to use biodegradable wash products, because it will soak directly into the soil.
• Gravity-fed: This is a great eco friendly choice, because you can reuse the water. A tray catches gray water and you can attach a hose to the tray for watering the garden later on. This option also requires the use of biodegradable soaps.