For this Portsmouth homeowner, we built a custom outdoor shower designed for everyday use through the full coastal Rhode Island season, not just an occasional rinse-off. The structure combines pressure-treated wood framing with knotty cedar cladding, a practical pairing that keeps the structure durable while giving it a warm, natural look.
Inside, the shower is plumbed with copper piping, a longer-lasting choice than plastic supply lines for a fixture that lives outdoors year-round. We built in a bench and added a composite seat that won't rot or splinter the way a wood seat can with constant moisture exposure, and set the whole structure on a paver patio base for solid, stable footing.
This project shows the kind of detail-level decision-making that goes into a good outdoor shower build: material choices for the frame, the plumbing, and the seating all had to hold up to daily outdoor use through humid summers and freezing winters. It's a functional, low-maintenance addition built to last.
Homeowners considering a cedar outdoor shower often weigh a few material decisions up front: knotty versus clear cedar for the cladding character, whether to let the wood weather naturally to a silvery-gray patina or apply a semi-transparent stain to preserve its original tone, and how to detail the base and drainage so standing water doesn't shorten the wood's lifespan. On this Portsmouth project, we used knotty cedar for a warm, natural look and set the structure on a paver base that sheds water away from the framing, helping extend the life of both the wood and the copper plumbing inside.
Curious about materials, pricing, and what the process looks like for your own home? Visit our custom outdoor shower installation page for full details.
