Creating an Outdoor Shower Area

Full disclosure…My kids like to get dirty….a lot. So creating an outdoor shower area was a must around Duke Manor Farm.

The kids moto……The dirtier the better. Which, I absolutely have no problem with…until they start tromping through the house to get to the shower, leaving a path of red Georgia clay throughout the house. That’s the part I have a small problem with.

See what I mean? They even smile and wave as to know how I will feel.

So, last year we started an outdoor shower here which basically was a shower head on the wall….and then it turned cold, and  I didn’t want to feel like a mean mom having the kids shower in 20 degree weather. So it sat…. until this summer. Until the clay reemerged, and the kids began to wave and smile again, while wading through mud puddles.

The Process for creating an outdoor shower area….

First thing we did was put in an appropriate floor. Since mulch would just make a mess with the running water, we decided to install pea gravel to this area and use 6×6 wood beams to enclose it in.  We purchased about 25 bags of pea gravel (although after some research, getting a bulk load delivered would have been cheaper) for a 3 inch deep base. This is a tough area to get into with the tractor, so bags made it much easier to move and install.

Since we already had water run to the area for the shower we decided to run another line and install a sink and secure it to the wall. I had this sink and faucet up  in the shop. It is ceramic so it will hold up in the outdoors. It use to be in my laundry room when I first moved in and will be perfect in this area for quick wash ups.

I added a few little extras to the place like some hooks on the wall, my DIY  towel rack and an an old garden bench. I used some exterior paint to freshen it up the bench. I also put a coat of sealer on it, using the same process as I did here for the stone on the front porch. I was probably nuts choosing white, so will see how long it will lasts.

And the best part of all with this outdoor shower area, is when the kids are waving at me as they wash up outside, I can wave back……

and smile.

grateful

for mud, messes and kids