Using a garden hose and an outdoor water source, such as a lake or garden hose spigot. Attaching your shower to the side of the house and tapping into the internal plumbing. Because this method is extremely difficult without experience and serious tools, this article will focus on the prior method. [1] X Research source
A garden hose that can reach your shower from the water source. Three pieces of 1/2" thick galvanized piping. Two pieces 36" long. One piece 8" long Appropriate garden hose to pipe adapter joints. 2 1/2" elbow joints A ball valve or gate faucet and adapter to fit into your piping. A rain-shower head. C-shaped hangers or plumbing ties hold your pipe upright. Plumbing tape. [3] X Research source [4] X Research source
If you want to use a lake or pond to power your shower, you’ll need an inline utility pump and a car or marine battery to pull water from the lake to your shower. A 12V self-priming pump is your best bet. [5] X Research source
Place two elbow joints at the ends, each facing different directions. One is for your shower head, the other for the garden hose. Be sure to seal each joint with nylon plumber’s tape to prevent leakage, wrapping each joint 4-6 times. [6] X Research source Don’t attach the hose or shower head just yet – wait until you’ve finished the plumbing and attached the rods. [7] X Research source
Dig a post hole at least 1-1/2 feet deep and three times as wide as your post. Firmly implant the post in the ground. Mix a 5lb bag of fast-setting concrete and pour it into the hole to set the post. Wait 24-hours for the concrete to set. [8] X Research source
Make sure that your elbow joints point the right way before continuing – you need the top one to face into the shower and the bottom one needs to turn enough that you can fit the garden hose onto it.
You’ll likely need an adapter to fit the hose to your piping. This is called a “hose coupler. “[9] X Research source
Attaching the shower head to a wooden fence, tree, or other already created post. Attaching the head to an overhang or wall with a simple bracket or wooden board. Attach the head to something decorative, like an old surfboard, for a unique look. [10] X Research source
Smooth out the flooring the best you can. Lay down your stones around the shower. For a more professional look, use half-buried 2x4s to create a simple enclosure around your shower that will hold the gravel in. Use a tamper to press the gravel tightly together, leaving you with a smooth, regular floor. [11] X Research source
Cut one of the 4x4’s into 4 even pieces, then screw them together into a simple square frame. Cut a 1x4” into 7 individual pieces, each 26-1/2” long. Place your 7 pieces onto your board starting on the edge, each piece parallel to the next. Leave a 1/4" space between each board for water to drain through. Screw the floorboards into the wooden frame. [13] X Research source
