6 Tips for Installing an Outdoor Shower Enclosure

An outdoor shower enclosure can be very useful, especially if you have kids who spend most of the summer playing outside in the pool. It can keep dirt away and leave everyone feeling fresher on a hot summer’s day. It’s not especially difficult to install an outdoor shower enclosure; all it takes is a little time and some labor.

1 - Depth

Your outdoor shower enclosure will be built around four posts. These should be made of treated lumber, as they’ll have to stand up to water and also be put partly in the earth. Make sure the enclosure is large enough, probably 3 feet by 3 feet, before you begin digging for the posts.

Use a post holer for the job, and make sure you go down deep enough. Each post should be buried to a depth of 2 feet to be fully secure. Make sure you check the depth with a tape measure. Use posts that are 8 feet long so that the outdoor shower enclosure is tall enough above ground.

2 - Concrete

After you’ve mixed up the concrete and set it in the holes around the posts, use a level and supporting timber to ensure that the posts are straight on all sides. This is vital. The posts need to be straight and to be properly supported until the concrete has fully set.

3 - Sides

The sides can be made up of boards nailed horizontally to the upright posts. Remember that you only want to enclose three of the sides of the outdoor shower enclosure. As with the uprights, you should use treated wood that won’t root from exposure to the water. The boards don’t need to overlap as there’s no problem if the water leaks a little.

4 - Sealer

Once you have the uprights and the three walls of the shower enclosure in place, you should use a water sealer on the wood to protect it. Even treated wood needs that to take care of the frequent water.

5 - Floor

One thing you don’t want in your outdoor shower enclosure is a plain dirt floor. That will just quickly result in muddy feet. Buy a duck board of the appropriate size. This is slatted wood that will raise you from the dirt and keep your feet clean during the shower. It’s a small investment that can do a very important job.

6 - Water

Finally, consider the water. If it’s coming from an outdoor faucet, all you need to do is run hose along the yard and over the top of the outdoor shower enclosure (you can also drill through the back wall of the shower.

Attach a shower head and hang it so it will shower you properly. If you’re planning on using collected rainwater to supply your shower you’ll need to ensure that the water butt is at a higher level than the shower head. If it’s not, gravity won't work in your favor. You can put it on a hill or build a stand to accommodate it. Put a fine mesh on top of the butt to keep out dirt and insects.