Outdoor Shower Ideas
From a simple pool rinse station to a fully tiled tropical spa shower, here are 35 outdoor shower designs with costs, privacy solutions, drainage tips, and the best plants to grow around them.
Simple Pool Rinse Stations
The most common outdoor shower: a simple cold-water rinse at pool-side. Functional, fast to install, inexpensive. Most homeowners start here.
Hose Bibb Rinse Station
The simplest install: a hose bibb (outdoor faucet) at 6' height with a toggle valve and basic showerhead. Attach to existing hose supply line. Add a rubber mat or pea gravel pad below. Entire install under $200.
Solar Heated Pool Shower
A black 5-gallon or 10-gallon solar shower bag ($15–$40) hung on a T-post or fence. Sun heats the water — often reaches 80–90°F on a warm day. Add a privacy screen for a minimal-cost warm rinse.
Freestanding Shower Post
A prefabricated stainless or powder-coated steel post shower (4'–6' tall) with a foot rinse pedal and overhead rinse bar. Plumb to a hose bibb or cold supply line. Classic coastal/beach house look.
PVC Frame + Curtain Rinse
DIY shower frame from 1.5" PVC pipe and fittings, wrapped with outdoor fabric or bamboo roll for privacy, with a garden hose showerhead at top. Portable — can move seasonally. Good for renters.
Wood & Privacy Outdoor Showers
Cedar and teak outdoor showers with built-in privacy walls are the most popular mid-range design. Natural, warm, durable — and you can add hot water supply.
Cedar Slat Enclosure Shower
A 3-sided cedar slat enclosure (6' tall) with a teak or cedar grate floor and rainfall showerhead. Hot + cold supply from outdoor plumbing. Natural oils in cedar resist rot and insects. Pairs with tropical plants around the perimeter.
Open-Air Teak Shower
A sleek open-air design with a 4'×4' teak deck, single vertical supply pipe, and body jets + overhead rainhead. No walls — open sides with strategically placed bamboo or tall plants for privacy. Hotel-luxury feel.
Horizontal Cedar Privacy Wall
A single horizontal-slat cedar wall (8'–12' wide, 7' tall) with a shower on the interior face. Mount a rainfall head on a black iron pipe arm. Plant tall Clumping bamboo or arborvitae behind the wall for additional screen.
L-Shaped Cedar Enclosure
Two walls of cedar boards (one solid, one slatted) forming an L-shape — provides privacy on 2 sides while keeping the shower open to sky and garden views. Good for corner locations.
Reclaimed Wood Shower House
A full 3-sided enclosure built from reclaimed barn wood or weathered boards. Add a shiplap interior wall, a rain chain instead of a traditional drain, and a galvanized steel showerhead. Rustic perfection.
Bamboo Privacy Screen Shower
A freestanding rolled bamboo panel (8' tall, 6'–8' wide) as a privacy backdrop for an outdoor shower. Add a simple floor drain and a ceiling-mounted rainfall head in a roof extension. Very quick to install — no permits typically needed.
Luxury & Spa Outdoor Showers
Full spa experience outdoors — tile, stone, rainfall heads, body jets, hot water, and lush plant surrounds.
Tiled Outdoor Spa Shower
A fully tiled outdoor shower (12"×24" or larger porcelain tile) with built-in niche, bench, rainfall head, and body jets. A full plumbing connection with hot + cold water. Often built into or adjacent to the outdoor kitchen or cabana.
Natural Stone Grotto Shower
Natural fieldstone or stacked slate walls (6'–8' high) with a recessed niche, copper rainhead, and slate floor. Water runs through a floor drain to a dry well. A destination feature — feels like a mountain spring.
Pool Cabana Integrated Shower
A shower built into a full pool cabana — combining changing area, outdoor shower, storage, and sometimes a wet bar. Adds significant resale value ($15K–$50K+). Often requires a permit.
Japanese Hinoki Shower
Hinoki cypress (Japanese bath wood) slat walls and floor with a traditional Japanese rain-chain drain and a minimal copper or stainless showerhead. Add a small stone tsukubai (water basin) and raked pebbles. Extraordinarily serene.
Best Plants for Around an Outdoor Shower
Plants that thrive in the wet, humid microclimate near an outdoor shower — and provide additional natural privacy.
Clumping Bamboo Screen
Fargesia robusta or Fargesia nitida — non-invasive, reaches 12'–15' tall, tolerates wet conditions perfectly. Creates an instant tropical screen. Zones 4–9.
Tree Ferns (Dicksonia)
In zones 8–10, giant tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica) near an outdoor shower create a primeval, rainforest feel. They love consistent moisture. In colder zones, use large Osmunda (cinnamon fern) instead.
Hardy Ginger (Hedychium spp.)
Butterfly ginger, white ginger, and yellow ginger tolerate wet soil and provide tropical foliage + fragrant flowers. Zones 7–10 in ground; overwinter rhizomes in colder zones.
Elephant Ears (Colocasia)
Giant heart-shaped leaves create instant tropical drama. Colocasia esculenta tolerates wet-to-standing water. Hardy to zone 7 in the ground; overwinter tubers in colder climates.
Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora)
Plant near the shower for fragrant lemon-scented leaves every time you brush past. Zones 8–11 (treat as annual in colder zones). Harvest for herbal tea while you shower.
Climbing Jasmine
Confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) or star jasmine trained on the shower wall or frame. Incredible fragrance. Zones 7–10. Low maintenance once established.
Outdoor Shower Cost Guide
| Type | Cost Range | Hot Water? | Permit Needed? | DIY Feasible? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hose bibb / solar bag | $50–$300 | ❌ Cold only | No | ✅ Yes |
| Freestanding post shower | $300–$1,000 | ❌ Cold only | No | ✅ Yes |
| DIY cedar enclosure | $800–$2,500 | ⚠️ Cold or add | Sometimes | ⚠️ Moderate |
| Cedar/teak enclosure with hot water | $2,000–$5,000 | ✅ Yes | Yes (plumbing) | ❌ Hire plumber |
| Tiled luxury shower | $4,000–$10,000 | ✅ Yes | Yes | ❌ Pro only |
| Cabana-integrated shower | $10,000–$50,000+ | ✅ Yes | Yes | ❌ Pro only |
Outdoor Shower FAQs
Do I need a permit for an outdoor shower?
Cold-water showers connected to a hose bibb usually don't require a permit. Hot water connections, floor drains connected to sewage, and any permanent plumbing typically require a plumbing permit. Structural enclosures (wood walls) may need a building permit if over 200 sq ft. Check with your local building department before starting.
Where should the water drain?
Options: (1) Dry well — a rock-filled pit 3'–4' deep that allows water to percolate into the soil. Works in most soils. (2) Direct to lawn — pipe water to an area that can absorb it (if not using soaps). (3) Connect to sanitary sewer — required for soapy water in many jurisdictions. (4) Gray water system — some states allow outdoor shower water to be routed to irrigation. Check local codes.
What's the best flooring for an outdoor shower?
Teak grates are the most popular — beautiful, durable, slip-resistant, and naturally rot-resistant. Cedar grates are similar and less expensive. Large pebble floors (embedded in mortar or in a drain grate frame) feel great underfoot. Flagstone is affordable and natural. Avoid smooth tile without a slip rating (R10 minimum) as it becomes dangerously slippery when wet.
How do I add hot water to an outdoor shower?
Three options: (1) Extend your home's hot water line outdoors — requires a plumber, insulate the line to prevent heat loss. (2) Install a tankless point-of-use water heater (indoor electric unit near the back of the house). (3) Solar hot water bag — free heat on sunny days. Drain and winterize any pipes in freezing climates before first freeze.
What privacy screen works best for an outdoor shower?
Fastest solution: bamboo roll panels ($50–$150) on a simple post frame. Best long-term: clumping bamboo plants (6'+ in 2 years, non-invasive). Most elegant: cedar slat wall. Most flexible: horizontal slat cedar panels (can double as a decorative fence). If you want plants, combine a solid cedar wall on the street-facing side with lush planting on other sides.
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