Waaaaaayyyyyyy of topic, but have any of you guys ever installed an outdoor shower at your house? I need some tips on the best way to do it at a reasonable cost. thanks
Off topic? Nah, you gotta rinse off after a session right. Choose a location where you have an outside faucet available. Turn off water supply to this faucet. Remove the faucet head fixture. Might be sweat jointed copper, galvanized or possibly PVC. I would use PVC for your shower addition with brass or copper fixtures. T-off from the water supply, one leg of the T is for replacing your faucet head the other to extend vertically for your shower head. Take it up vertically as needed, perhaps adding supports as you go up vertically, at least one support at the very top. Add the necessary angles and fittings to attach a shower head on top. Somewhere at a convenient height add a lever type gate valve (brass not plastic) for your shower control. You will have problems specific to your existing plumbing but there is always an answer to fixing plumbing…just multiply how long you think it will take by 3X. The moral is that if there are females in the structure you are working on send them away for 1/2 a day at least. If they ask you why or how long will it take just hand them some cash or a credit card. Tom S.>>> Waaaaaayyyyyyy of topic, but have any of you guys ever installed an > outdoor shower at your house?>>> I need some tips on the best way to do it at a reasonable cost.>>> thanks
Thanks Tom, One follow-up. do you have a suggestion in drainage? Do you need an actual drain, or will gravel do?? thanks again
KID: Kind of depends on your installation. Is is going to pool and stand where it falls? Sandy soil or natural slope away from the structure. What about nearby neighbors? Quick solution without cement or plumbing might be to dig out underneath, box in with wood, maybe put in some perforated 4" PVC pipe extending away then fill the whole thing with beach rock or whatever. Tom S.>>> Thanks Tom,>>> One follow-up. do you have a suggestion in drainage? Do you need an actual > drain, or will gravel do??>>> thanks again
Waaaaaayyyyyyy of topic, but have any of you guys ever installed an > outdoor shower at your house?>>> I need some tips on the best way to do it at a reasonable cost.>>> thanks Because I’ve been a plumber for a long time I think qualify for this one. There are as many ways to do it as there are fittings in the basket. If you want something that’ll last get together with someone with experience. If you just want cold put mount a run of 1/2" pvc plastic with a shower arm and head on the side of the house about a hose bib. Then put a 1/2 ips by female hose adpter on the bottom of the pvc and hook a short run of hose up to it. If you want to mix hot and cold that’s allot more envolved. and I would recomend making the system out of copper or galvanized, not mixing metals because of the galvanic action that is sure to ruin the piping quickly. PVC exposed to the sun is soon brittle and is very prone to breakage. But plastic is the cheapest if you just want something temporary. If you going to use soap then you have to provide proper drainage which is usually most comples issue of all. Gone Surfin’, Rich
Rich, If I remember correctly, you’re in Santa Cruz??? I’m also in SC. Can you recommend someone in the area that you would trust to do a quality install at a fair price. I don’t want to spend a fortune, but I’m willing to pay a fair price for something that looks decent and that will last a while. thanks.
Waaaaaayyyyyyy of topic, but have any of you guys ever installed an > outdoor shower at your house?>>> I need some tips on the best way to do it at a reasonable cost.>>> thanks I’d add to what the others have responded with by mentioning the use of some kind of simple water filter - like for use with hoses or whatever - to keep the shower head from clogging with little bits of debris. Has to be accessable though to do you any good (clean it out once in a while). If you are just rinsing in cold water, you can build a little redwood platform to stand on so you aren’t left in a puddle. If you aren’t looking to get on the Home And Garden Network, don’t forget the portable camping shower. Solar heated, hangs off most anything at any height you like,and dirt cheap. Nels
Rich,>>> If I remember correctly, you’re in Santa Cruz??? I’m also in SC. Can you > recommend someone in the area that you would trust to do a quality install > at a fair price. I don’t want to spend a fortune, but I’m willing to pay a > fair price for something that looks decent and that will last a while. > thanks. Email me and I’ll drop by if you like.
I’d add to what the others have responded with by mentioning the use of > some kind of simple water filter - like for use with hoses or whatever - > to keep the shower head from clogging with little bits of debris. Has to > be accessable though to do you any good (clean it out once in a while).>>> If you are just rinsing in cold water, you can build a little redwood > platform to stand on so you aren’t left in a puddle.>>> If you aren’t looking to get on the Home And Garden Network, don’t forget > the portable camping shower. Solar heated, hangs off most anything at any > height you like,and dirt cheap.>>> Nels Wow,this better than “This old House”.I can’t believe how the crew will jump in to help out a Bro. even if it is off the subject.I have been wanting to put a sink into my shop for years and you guys pretty much answered my questions.My plumber gave me bid on the work and then took off in his new Mercedes.Mahalo Guys.
Wow,this better than “This old House”.I can’t believe how the > crew will jump in to help out a Bro. even if it is off the subject.I have > been wanting to put a sink into my shop for years and you guys pretty much > answered my questions.My plumber gave me bid on the work and then took off > in his new Mercedes.Mahalo Guys. All Plumbers driver Mercedes didn’t you know. They have to so everybody thinks they’re rich. We all have our images don’t we. Try getting rich working with you hands sometime. Gone Surfin’, Rich
All Plumbers driver Mercedes didn’t you know. They have to so everybody > thinks they’re rich. We all have our images don’t we.>>> Try getting rich working with you hands sometime.>>> Gone Surfin’, Rich Well said Rich,actually the plumber is a good friend of mine and he earned that car by good old hard work and honesty.I apologize for offending any body that earns an honest dollar.I like kidding around but I guess I better watch what I say.Sorry.
Well said Rich,actually the plumber is a good friend of mine and he earned > that car by good old hard work and honesty.I apologize for offending any > body that earns an honest dollar.I like kidding around but I guess I > better watch what I say.Sorry. Hi Cleanlines, No Worries: No offense taken or intended. There are too many people out there (swaylocks excluded) that have no appreciation at all for what it takes to make a surfboard or install a plumbing fixture for that matter. Ask any finish carpenter how little he’s appreciated most of the time and how much time it take to do a first class job. The quality craftsman seems to becomes a little more scarce all the time. Good ole fashion hardwork indeed! I’ll second that one. How else can one learn anything? Gone Surfin’, Rich
Hi Cleanlines, No Worries:>>> No offense taken or intended. There are too many people out there > (swaylocks excluded) that have no appreciation at all for what it takes to > make a surfboard or install a plumbing fixture for that matter. Ask any > finish carpenter how little he’s appreciated most of the time and how much > time it take to do a first class job. The quality craftsman seems to > becomes a little more scarce all the time. Good ole fashion hardwork > indeed! I’ll second that one. How else can one learn anything?>>> Gone Surfin’, Rich Thanks Rich,I have been building boards for over 30 years and am still learning all about it.Let me tell you about the plumber…he and I first met about twenty years ago,I was framing houses and he was digging ditches.At this point he has over 50 employees,all by hard work.I still drive a an old truck and he has the Mercedes.We kid him about his car and tell him how it smells like a sewer pipe,all in fun,all about the love of surfing.I find surfing to be the great equalizer.We laugh, we screw with each other, and we all go home with a smile.Mahalo