A garden shower provides perfect refreshment on particularly hot days. No matter whether the “small simple” variant, directly on the garden hose or a bit more complex with its own pump and drain. According to our article, you know what options are available to build a garden shower yourself and which (structural) requirements must be met for an outdoor shower.
Table of Contents
How does a garden shower work?
There are different types and functions of building an outdoor shower yourself.
The simplest way is based on the principle of connecting the garden hose.
Another option is the solar shower, which has an integrated water tank, which is used to preheat the water for the garden shower using solar energy. If it is not quite as warm, it can be very pleasant.
A third option, and the most complex one, is when the garden shower is connected directly to the domestic water system. Here the garden shower is supplied with water either via the “normal” water pressure in the line or via a pump.
The basic functional principles are always the same for all variants. To sum up:
Build a garden shower yourself: There are 3 options
Directly on the water hose
With water tank and solar energy
at domestic water supply
Build an outdoor shower yourself: what needs to be considered?
It is very important here which variant you choose, the “simple” option for the garden hose can be quickly stuck into the ground and placed where you need the garden shower.
If it should be a little more complex, then the garden shower gets a permanent place. For this, it makes more sense to put a small foundation or a kind of floor slab and also to clad the garden shower.
What materials and tools do you need for an outdoor shower?
Depending on how you design the foundation, you will need different tools and starting materials.
If you need a concrete foundation, then a concrete mixer or agitator for the concrete.
For a paved surface, gravel and the appropriate paving stones are usually sufficient.
If the garden shower gets a permanent place, you should definitely make sure that the water can drain. So not seeping directly into the lawn, the chosen place would only soften unnecessarily.
For the “simple” variant, this is the most complex part. As soon as the “substructure” is ready, you can start to set up the garden shower. Here we recommend buying a finished system from a specialist dealer.
For the general garden shower set-up and construction, tools such as a hammer, pliers or a spirit level should also be available.
Build a garden shower yourself: step by step instructions
Determine the place and determine the shape
Where exactly does the garden shower go and what does the shape of the substructure look like? As soon as that is clear, you can use a spade to cut out the area and remove about 20-30 cm of soil.
Note that there must be enough space to shower. Now you can prepare the surface:
In the case of a paved area, gravel would now come into the excavation area in order to then place the respective paving stones.
If you want to concrete the garden shower area, you would now mix the concrete and spread it over the surface.
Now we come to the exciting part
Depending on how the garden shower is designed, it could now be placed. In most cases, however, a privacy screen or wall construction is installed beforehand or a wooden floor for a concrete surface.
Which wood should you use for a garden shower?
Basically, the wood should be resistant and have no problems with water. Most of the woods used in terrace construction are suitable. If you then pretreat them sufficiently, for example with high-quality wood protection, you will enjoy the wood used for a long time.
Our tip: To keep it cheap, here is Siberian lark, for example, but the high-quality tropical woods are also suitable. Many types of wood are possible, from bankirai, teak or coumaru.
You can then freely design the privacy screen construction. To do this, build a small frame that you connect to the substructure and then place the respective wood.
Some garden showers can be integrated directly into such a construction, so be sure to inform yourself beforehand and you can plan this in directly. So you can make the garden shower “disappear” and it works like a normal shower.
Other factors, things that are important
The drain for an outdoor shower is negligible in most cases. You just shouldn’t wash yourself with soap (unless it’s biodegradable soap). Most garden showers are not in continuous use and the infiltrated water can be distributed quite well over the gravel layer or edges.
Our tip: Generally for the garden area you should have an additional water meter installed. So install a water meter on a tap that has no drain and report this to your water supplier. Here you can then apply for a so-called garden water meter and do not have to pay any sewage fees.
Other possibilities of garden showers
There are certainly more variants to build a garden shower yourself, whether with a solar and own tank or also directly attached to the water connection. These options are much more complex, but they are very similar from the basic principle of the structure. The basic construction remains the same.
Important: For the direct water connection to the house, it is always advisable to consult a specialist.
