Small bathrooms and types of bathrooms

Outdoor shower and sink in the garden: solar, with connection or wall-mounted

An outdoor shower is perfect for the pool, after working in the garden, or at the cottage. It can be solar-powered with its own tank, connected to both cold and hot water from the house, or simply attached to a hose. The same questions apply to each: where the water will come from, where it will drain, and how to protect the shower from frost. The same considerations apply to a wall-mounted sink.

Prepared by: the TGB Kúpeľne team, bathroom showroom in Senec since 1991updated 9th November 20267 min read

Illustrative image: solar shower in the garden on a wooden deck by the pool

An outdoor shower is one of the most enjoyable things in the garden during summer. To avoid ending up with a puddle by the house or a burst tank after the first frost, it’s worth planning it similarly to a bathroom: water supply, drainage, base, and winterization. If you are addressing a whole bathroom or WC at the cottage, also check the articles Bathroom at the cottage and summer house and WC at the cottage and in the garden.

Three types of outdoor shower

Simple and solar showers can be installed without any intervention in the house. A shower connected to the hot water supply requires a plumber and careful winter drainage planning.

Solar shower: what to look for

A solar shower has a body made from a column that serves as both a tank and a solar collector. The water heats up in it within a few hours of sunlight. Here’s an overview based on manufacturer instructions:

• Tank volume – typically 20 to 40 litres, for example, Marimex produces UNO showers with 20 and 35-litre tanks. This is not sufficient for full showering for multiple people, but is adequate for rinsing off after the pool.
• Temperature – water in the tank can reach around 60 °C in summer. Therefore, the shower has a mixing tap: start with cold water and gradually add hot. Manufacturers warn that temperatures are indicative and depend on the weather.
• Water pressure – Albixon states operation at pressures up to 3 bars; otherwise, a pressure-reducing valve is needed. Takács prescribes it for all his showers and recommends a setting of 2.8 bars – the pressure-reducing valve is not included.
• Water supply protection – the connection must prevent backflow into the mains water system; do not change or modify it according to the instructions.
• Anchoring – install the shower vertically on a solid and level base and secure it with screws; for example, Takács prescribes four screws.
• Location – the tank should be in the sun for most of the day, preferably on the south side. In the shade of trees, the water will remain cold.

After filling the tank, close the tap and wait for the water to heat up. Cold water is available immediately.

Where to place the shower and what to place it on

Under the shower, it will always be wet, even with sand and grass from your feet. Therefore, choose the base as you would for a terrace by the pool:

• Floor tiles – frost-resistant and anti-slip for wet bare feet, with a fall towards the drain. What to look for in them is described in the article Tiles around the pool and outdoor stairs.
• Wooden or composite decking over a gravel bed – water will drain through, the decking dries quickly, and can be lifted and cleaned.
• Distance from the facade – a shower placed close to the wall will constantly wet it. If you are placing it next to the house, protect the wall with tiles or a screen.
• Privacy and wind – a screen made of wood, composite, or greenery that will also catch water carried by the wind.

Where the water will drain

Clean water from rinsing off after the pool can drain into a gravel bed with a small shower. However, if you are showering with soap or shampoo, wastewater is created, which should not drain freely into the garden, stream, or pond. Where it can be directed – to the sewer, to a septic tank, or to a soakaway – check with the local authority. When using a septic tank, consider the volume: each shower fills it, and emptying is your responsibility. What the law says about septic tanks is summarised in the article WC at the cottage and in the garden.

A drainage channel or inlet with a trap is installed by a plumber. Outdoors, remember that water in the trap will freeze in winter – drain it before frost or choose a solution that the manufacturer specifies for outdoor use.

Shower connected to hot water from the house

• Shut-off valve in warmth – the supply of cold and hot water outside should have its own shut-off inside the house, where it won't freeze.
• Drainage – behind the shut-off, there should be a drain valve and pipes laid with a fall so that they can be completely emptied.
• Faucet – outside, a thermostatic mixer with a stop at 38 °C protects against scalding, more in the article Shower mixer.
• Materials – stainless steel, brass, and UV-resistant plastics. Remove the faucet and head not designated by the manufacturer for outdoor use before winter.

Sink on the outside wall

A sink by the entrance to the house, by the grill, or in the summer kitchen saves a lot of walking with mud on your shoes. What to plan for it:

• Water – the simplest is cold from the garden tap. For example, on vkupelni.sk, there is a garden tap ARCO Nano 1/2″ × 3/4″ for €11.00 (as of November 2026) in the category Water treatment and garden taps.
• Hot water – in a covered summer kitchen, a small non-pressure heater can be placed above the sink. However, it requires a special faucet, more in the article Non-pressure faucet, and it must be protected from frost according to the instructions.
• Sink – made from materials that the manufacturer allows for outdoor use, such as stone, concrete, or stainless steel. For ceramics, ask the seller.
• Drain – the same rules as for the shower. Empty or remove the waste trap for winter, otherwise, frozen water will break it.
• Height – the same as for the sink in the bathroom, an overview can be found in the chapter Installation heights.

Winterizing step by step

Albixon and Takács warn that at temperatures below 3 °C, the shower should be drained. Albixon adds that the warranty does not cover frost damage. The usual procedure:

1. Close the water supply inside the house or disconnect the hose.
2. Open the faucet and the foot wash valve to allow air to enter the pipes.
3. Drain the tank of the solar shower – unscrew the drain valve or plug according to the instructions. Some models have two.
4. Drain the pipes and waste trap of the sink and shower drain.
5. Protect the faucet and head – keep them dry according to the instructions and wrap them against moisture. Marimex recommends storing the shower indoors where it won't freeze for winter, while Takács allows it to be left outside after wrapping, but also recommends dry storage.

In spring, before the first use, check the tightness of the connections and let the water run for a while until it runs clear. How to winterize the entire bathroom at the cottage is described in the article Bathroom at the cottage and summer house.

Common mistakes

• Solar shower without a pressure-reducing valve at high water pressure.
• Shower in the shade – the tank won't heat up.
• Water with soap freely into the garden or into the pond.
• Supply without a shut-off in warmth – the pipe outside will freeze and burst even in the wall.
• Slippery surface – smooth floor tiles or wood without grooves.
• Forgotten waste trap – cracked after winter and flooded cupboard in the summer kitchen.

Sources: instructions for solar showers from Albixon (Big Happy, Spring, Jolly – pressure up to 3 bars, drainage below 3 °C, warranty and frost), Takács (pressure-reducing valve 2.8 bars, anchoring, backflow protection, winterizing), Marimex (UNO 20 and 35 l, winter storage); overviews of solar showers (tank volumes, water temperature); offer on vkupelni.sk; our articles on WC at the cottage and in the garden and Bathroom at the cottage and summer house.

Terms in the dictionary: Slip resistance R9 to R13 · Slip resistance A, B, C · Fall · Overflow · Linear shower drain · Floor drain (point drain)