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Wash, sweat and plunge under the sky.
An outdoor shower is the cheapest luxury in a backyard, and a sauna and cold plunge turn it into a spa. These designs range from a simple showerhead on a cedar wall to full outdoor bathrooms, barrel and cabin saunas, plunge tubs and the slatted screens and planting that give them privacy.
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About outdoor shower design
What makes a great outdoor shower.
An outdoor shower is the cheapest luxury in a backyard, and a sauna and cold plunge turn it into a spa. These designs range from a simple showerhead on a cedar wall to full outdoor bathrooms, barrel and cabin saunas, plunge tubs and the slatted screens and planting that give them privacy.
Notice drainage, privacy and the walk from the pool or the back door — the best ones are two steps from where you get wet. Save the setups that fit your climate and your plumbing.
What to look for as you browse
- Where the water goes — drain, soakaway or the pool deck
- Privacy height and sightlines from next door's windows
- How many barefoot steps from the pool or the back door
Good to know
Common questions
Does an outdoor shower need hot water?
Cold-only works by a pool in summer; a hot-and-cold mixer makes it usable most of the year. Either way, plan a drain or a gravel soakaway and a frost-proof shut-off.
How much space does a sauna need?
A two-person barrel or cabin sauna fits in about six by eight feet; add room for a bench outside and a plunge tub if you want the full routine.
How private does it have to be?
A slatted screen or planting to shoulder height is enough for most yards; check sightlines from upstairs windows next door before you build.
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