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HOME IMPROVEMENT: OUTDOOR SHOWER OR TUB

by Anne Pyburn Craig

June 18, 2020

Water pouring down with the sunshine, the delicious freedom of being invisibly unclothed in the fresh air, birdsong mingling with a breeze on the leaves.... An outdoor shower is the next best thing to having a private waterfall. An outdoor tub is a lot less fuss than a pool or spa. Either project will pay for itself many times over in sheer unmitigated bliss.

a simple outdoor shower

Outdoor showers needn’t be complicated or costly. You can install a solar camping shower in a private spot. You can make a cut in a hula hoop, slip two shower curtains onto it, hang it from a tree limb and have an instant private spot. You’ll still get the lovely experience and the ability to avoid bringing garden muck indoors.

You’ll need proper drainage. Choose a location where the water will flow away from your foundation. Test the permeability of the soil by dumping a large bucket of water there; if you still have a puddle after five minutes, you need to build a drain.

A dry well—a four-foot-deep pit filled with gravel and stone—is effective but labor-intensive and may be regulated under building codes, but once you’ve established a dry well, you’re free to build your shower floor from pretty native stones or vintage brick.

A simpler choice is a shower pan connected to a hose that directs your runoff to your garden, or to a receptacle that can be taken there. If you don’t have a slope in the right spot, you may need to dig a slanted trench for the pipe. Shower pans are available in all sorts of materials, at all sorts of price points.

 

A step up from the solar camping bag idea is an outdoor shower kit. These, too, come in all sorts of styles, from solar-heated with a water reservoir built in to those that connect to your indoor taps.

You can also purchase a privacy screen, or build your own. Bamboo fencing is beautiful, lightweight, and waterproof. Add a few solar lights, strategically located, and you’re ready to shower under the stars. Now that’s living.

a relaxing tub

Start with an old bathtub or large stock tank from an agricultural supply store—meant for watering cows and horses, it’s easy to fill, drain, or fit with a cover. You can leave it cool for a refreshing dip, or add propane, wood, or solar heating. A stock tank with an insulated solar cover may be plenty warm for a relaxing soak.

You’ll want to install on a firm, level spot, of course. You can wrap the outside in any material that suits your design sense for a finished look.

Add a dash of Epsom salts as desired, a handy patio table for snacks and drinks, and ahhhh the evening away.

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