Polycarbonate sheets allow you to create durable, reliable and lightweight structures for various purposes. Manufacturers offer several types of polycarbonate, differing in color, size and number of honeycombs, wall thickness and linear parameters. Such a wide range allows developers to choose an acceptable material option, taking into account their own needs and design features. Polycarbonate shower – optimal solution for most summer cottages.
Why is polycarbonate considered the best building material for shower construction?
| Properties | Short description |
|---|---|
| In terms of strength/ specific gravity the material occupies a leading position. Such physical characteristics are achieved not only due to the characteristics of the plastic, but also due to the special structure of the honeycomb. The low specific gravity simplifies the construction of the foundation and frame of the structure. | |
| Polycarbonate sheets are easy to cut and can be bent to create various forms. When covering structures, there is no need to purchase special tools and equipment. | |
| The material is used in the manufacture of partitions for various purposes, and can be used as roofing. | |
| The initial physical and mechanical properties do not change over a wide temperature range. Depending on the specific brand, the sheets can be used at temperatures from -40°C to +120°C. | |
| The outer layer of the sheets has innovative coatings that do not allow ultra-violet rays. As a result, intermolecular bonds are not broken, and plasticity is maintained for a long time. | |
| Thanks to the presence of air honeycombs, heat losses in interior spaces are significantly reduced. |
polycarbonate cellular
For the construction of a polycarbonate shower, 4 mm thick sheets are used, the color is selected taking into account the customer’s preferences.
There are a huge number of options for polycarbonate shower cabins; each master makes his own changes to the project depending on specific conditions and capabilities. We will give instructions for building a polycarbonate shower on a wooden frame and with a plastic tray. This option is suitable for all summer cottages and allows you to use the shower for an extended period of time. In addition, if desired, the structure can be insulated and used even in late autumn or early spring.
Regardless of the type of shower stall, the construction of the structure must be done in several stages.
- Choosing a location. The shower room should be located in a lighted space. The more sunlight, the faster the water in the container will heat up, the more comfortable it is to shower. If the cabin small sizes and does not have a dressing room, it is advisable to locate it as close as possible to the entrance to the house. Another requirement is that, if possible, place the structure on a hill; this location will help solve problems with water drainage.
- Creating a sketch. Very important stage construction. The sketch will help you determine the size and shape of the booth, architectural features and construction technology. Decide what the frame will be made of, what and how many materials should be purchased for this. Estimate the size of the cabin and the parameters of the water tank, what the foundation will be like, how water is drained, etc. The more issues are resolved before construction, the less problems arises during the execution of work. This is an axiom, do not rush to start construction right away.
Shower drawing, example
- Preparing tools. The final list depends on the materials used to make the frame. For metal, you will need a grinder, welding, a drill with a set of metal drills, and paint to protect surfaces from corrosive processes.
If the frame is wooden, then you need to prepare a manual electric saw, metal corners for fastening individual elements, self-tapping screws.
Check the serviceability of the tools, sharpen cutting elements. Working with faulty or unregulated tools is not only dangerous, but also causes a significant deterioration in the quality of the structure. In addition, construction time increases, and this always negatively affects the cost of the structure.
Lumber is coated with varnishes or paints, and antibacterial impregnations are used to protect against rotting.
In all cases, we recommend using polycarbonate for cladding, but other building cladding materials can also be used. To facilitate construction work, we will provide step by step instructions manufacturing shower with wooden frame and a plastic shower tray. You can buy a water tank or make it yourself.
Step-by-step instructions for building a polycarbonate shower
After all the preliminary stages have been completed, you can begin the actual construction. You should start with arranging the foundation and septic tank. The foundation will be of a pile type, this will make it possible to increase the stability of the structure and raise it above the ground.
Step 1. Remove the top fertile layer from the area under the shower. To prevent plant germination, it is recommended to treat the soil with special weed control agents. After completing work with the foundations and septic tank, it is advisable to sprinkle the soil on top with sand or gravel and compact it well.
Step 2. Draw the contours of the future shower on the site according to size. Make sure the lines are at right angles. To do this, check the length of the diagonals of the rectangle or square, they must be the same. If there are discrepancies, then adjust the foundation layout plan. There is no need to achieve special accuracy; an error of ± 1–2 cm can easily be eliminated by using the lower trim. It will be made from 50x100 mm timber; the width is enough to correct the spread.
Step 3. Dig or drill four holes in the corners, approximately 40–50 cm deep and approximately 20 cm in diameter.
At the bottom of each hole, make a cushion of sand or crushed stone 15–20 cm thick and compact it. The pillow will level out the swelling of the earth during freezing, due to this the geometry of the shower stall is not disturbed.
Important. Many builders do not make a cushion due to misunderstanding of its importance. As a result, the frame cannot withstand the resulting forces during soil heaving and is deformed. The shower doors either do not close or open. In addition, the reliability of fixation of the load-bearing units is impaired, which can cause the water container to fall. Its weight sometimes exceeds 200 kg, which is quite a lot for a wooden frame.
Step 4. Install pieces of plastic sewer pipes into the pits; you can also use other metal or concrete ones. Pipe diameter within 100 mm. The height should be such that it protrudes approximately 15 cm above the surface.
Fill the holes with concrete. Prepare a high-quality solution based on one part cement, one part sand and two parts gravel. During pouring, constantly monitor the vertical position of the pipes using a level.
Step 5. The next day, the concrete will harden a little and will hold the pipes; now you can cut them to height. For alignment you need to use laser level, if you don’t have one, then a water one will do just fine. How is it made if there is no store-bought one?
- Fill a thin, clear plastic hose with water, making sure there are no air bubbles.
- Mark the desired height on any pipe.
- Attach one end of the plastic hose to this mark, and attach the other end to the other pipe. Raise the end of the hose until the water level is in line with the mark you made.
- On the second pipe, draw marks according to the water level in the hose.
The same steps must be performed on all remaining pipes. Now their ends are positioned strictly horizontally; the excess can be cut off with a grinder.
Step 6. Fill the internal cavities of the pipes with concrete, insert into the mass anchor bolts. You can buy them or make them yourself. Check that the bolts are in a vertical position.
Practical advice. The anchors can not be concreted, but installed after the concrete has hardened. To do this, holes of a suitable diameter are drilled in concrete and plastic elements of large store anchors are inserted into them. The metal parts are screwed through the holes in the harness.
The concrete must stand for approximately 14 days, during which time it gains 50% of its maximum strength, which allows construction work to continue.
While the concrete is curing, start making septic tank for waste water . There are many options for draining water from the shower; we offer the most successful of them into a special pit. She digs around in any convenient place, preferably not very far from the shower stall. The dimensions of the pit are approximately 50x50 cm, depth up to 40 cm. Specific parameters depend on the physical characteristics of the earth. If the area at your dacha is sandy or sandy loam, then the hole can be made smaller; if the soil is clayey, then the size of the septic tank must be increased. The fact is that clay absorbs water very poorly; it requires increasing the surface area for water absorption.
The pit is filled with coarse gravel or any solid construction waste. Do not pour gravel to the entire depth of the septic tank, leave about 10 cm to the surface.
Cover the pit plastic film or other waterproofing material, and level the top with ordinary soil. Professional builders It is recommended to lay previously removed turf on it. Over time, the grass will completely hide the location of the septic tank, and you can walk on it without fear. This simple device has been working for many decades. Water enters the septic tank from a drain pipe, which is first laid in gravel.
Eat a simpler option for draining water. Such a hole can be dug under the shower stall between the posts. Before filling with gravel, a piece of plastic pipe is installed vertically in the center. On the walls of the pipe, you should first drill holes in a checkerboard pattern along the entire length; through the holes, water will flow into the drainage hole. Subsequently, the corrugated shower tray drain is connected to the pipe. You can choose any option, both function perfectly.
After foundation work and drainage hole finished, we can start assemble the bottom trim of the shower stall. This is very responsible and most difficult work.
Step 1. Accurately take measurements for the bottom trim. We recommend assembling the harness from 50×100 mm timber; corner joints can be made in quarters or joined metal corners. The second option is much simpler, and in terms of strength it is in no way inferior to the more complex traditional one. If there are concerns about the reliability of the design, then the corners can be fixed not only along the internal ones, but also along the external corners strapping. Make sure that all angles are exactly 90° and do not allow distortions.
Step 2. Install the frame on the columnar foundations and secure it with anchors. If you have not concreted the anchors into the posts, then first you should drill holes in the strapping, place it on the posts, level the position and drill concrete through the existing holes in the wood. This technology is not only simpler, but also completely eliminates the possibility of errors when marking drilling sites for concrete anchors.
Step 3. Install the central jumper of the trim; the shower tray and cabin flooring will rest on it. The specific location of the element depends on the size of the plastic pallet. We strongly recommend using such a pallet, it is inexpensive, and the comfort of acceptance water procedures increases significantly.
Step 4. At the bottom of the trim, prepare a frame for attaching the pallet. For manufacturing, use bars approximately 50x50 mm; fixation to the harness can be done with metal corners. The height of the frame should be such that the top edge of the pallet and the booth flooring are at the same level.
Step 5. Nail boards approximately 20 mm thick along the outer perimeter of the trim. The top edge of the boards should be higher than the plane of the trim by the thickness of the floor. In our case, the floor is laid with planed edged boards 20 mm thick; accordingly, the edge of the boards should be located at this height.
Step 6. Start laying the floor. It can be made into a lattice of slats, but we recommend laying it solid. Due to this, the possibility of drafts in the shower is eliminated; if desired, the structure can be covered with polycarbonate in addition with inside and make it insulated. Such a shower can be used not only in summer period. It is equipped with an electric heating radiator and you can take a shower during cold weather.
Once the base for the shower with the tray is prepared, you can begin making the frame.
Frame making
The work is much faster, safer and easier to do together. For the frame, 50x50 mm bars are sufficient. All fastenings are made with metal corners on self-tapping screws.
Step 1. Prepare corner vertical posts of equal length. Install them on the bottom trim and temporarily secure them with any pieces of lumber. Constantly check the vertical position.
Step 2. Prepare the parts for the upper strut trim. Fasten them to the racks using metal corners, and make the same fasteners between the elements of the upper trim. These jobs are the most difficult; you need to work at height and at the same time hold the bars. During work, strictly adhere to safety regulations; the stepladder should be installed only on a flat, hard and horizontal surface.
Step 3. Install a doorway for the booth; the location should be determined at the sketching stage.
Step 4. To increase the stability of the structure, use jibs. They're in mandatory installed at four corners. Test the structure for stability, try shaking the frame with considerable force. If there are doubts about the strength, then the number of different spacers should be increased. For spacers, pieces of 50×50 mm timber are used.
Step 5. Taking into account the size of the water tank, make jumpers on the top trim; the container will rest on them.
The frame is ready, now it’s time for the roof; we recommend making it gable. Why? Firstly, there will be a water tank under it, and the roof of the roof will significantly slow down the cooling of the water. Secondly, such a roof can withstand significant snow loads, and this is very important for covering with polycarbonate sheets. Third, gable roof gives the shower stall a presentable look. There is no desire to make a rafter system - install a flat roof on the cabin or do without it altogether.
The rafters are easy to assemble due to their relatively small size. The elements can be made from 50×50 mm timber; the individual parts are fixed into a single structure using metal corners and flat strips.
Place the rafters on the roof and nail the sheathing under the roof. The distance between the slats for polycarbonate covering is approximately 50–60 cm, specific values depend on the thickness of the sheets. For a soft roof you need to do continuous sheathing. Cover the sides of the roof with windshields or polycarbonate sheets.
At this point, the main construction work is completed, the frame is almost completely ready for sheathing.
Final works
To increase service life, everything wooden structures need to be soaked with antiseptics, the lower trim preferably twice, to improve appearance wood can be covered with stain.
It is not recommended to use varnishes and paints; they will begin to peel off in any case - lumber has too frequent and prolonged contact with water. They will inevitably change linear indicators due to wetting/drying; no paint can withstand such harsh operating conditions. The only stable coating is yacht varnish. But it is very expensive; not all developers can afford such materials.
When the frame is completely dry, you can start attach polycarbonate sheets.
Step 1. Buy special thermal washers. Their advantage is that the fasteners compensate for the thermal expansion of the sheets; they do not deform or crack. Due to this, the service life of the casing is significantly increased.
Step 2. Cut the sheets to the required sizes. Can be cut with ordinary sharp knife. Lay the sheet on a flat place, set an even ruler along the marks and press firmly with the tip of the knife.
Important! The angle of inclination of the knife should be no more than 30°, otherwise the polycarbonate will not be cut, but rather torn.
In the summer, it’s nice to take a refreshing shower at the dacha. Therefore, many summer residents build a light structure and place a container on top of it, which is filled with water. Materials used for construction summer shower, are presented on the market with a huge assortment. But this article will talk about a polycarbonate shower for a summer house. We will definitely discuss polycarbonate itself, outline its positive and negative characteristics, and also tell you the technology for constructing a shower from this polymer material.
What is polycarbonate
This material belongs to the category of thermoplastics. Manufacturers today offer two types of it: monolithic and cellular. Usually in private housing construction the second option is used. It is cheaper, plus it has higher thermal insulation qualities, because purely structurally it is two monolithic sheets, between which stiffeners are installed. Accordingly, there is air between the sheets, which acts as thermal protection.
Polycarbonate is available in two sizes on the market:
6x2.1 m;
12x2.1 m.
The thickness of the proposed material is from 4 to 25 mm, which is very beneficial when the task is to make an accurate choice for assembling a structure for a specific purpose.
As for the positive and negative characteristics of polycarbonate. Let's start with the pros:
Fairly high impact resistance. That is, sheets of laid polycarbonate can easily withstand mechanical and natural loads. Of course, nothing can save him from being hit with a hammer.
Excellent manufacturability of the material. For example, polycarbonate is much lighter than glass. Polycarbonate sheet is very flexible. It can be easily cut to the required size with a regular hacksaw. Easy to install and fasten using simple self-tapping screws.
Operating temperature range from -40C to +100C.
Let's add that the manufacturer covers sheet material special film, which protects the product from negative influences sun rays.
Lifetime structures covered with polycarbonate – up to 10 years.
And literally two positions that relate to disadvantages:
Plastic coating twitches easily abrasive effects. That is, polycarbonate can be easily scratched.
High thermal expansion. This problem is being solved the right technology fastening polycarbonate sheets. That is, the fasteners are not screwed in tightly, without pressing the sheet to the frame. This creates conditions for displacement of the material relative to the fasteners. The same applies to the use of special connecting elements.
Place for a summer shower
Before proceeding directly to the analysis of the technology for constructing a summer shower for a summer cottage made of polycarbonate, it is necessary to correctly select the place where this lightweight structure will be erected. Here are three factors to consider when choosing a site:
Since the water in a summer shower is most often not heated, it is very important to install a shower structure in the open area to heat water with the sun's rays.
It is necessary to select the installation location so that easy construction was close to communication networks: sewerage and water supply. Often a cesspool is dug under the shower; it’s easier and cheaper. Can be built sewage pit- This is a dug hole that is filled with fine crushed stone or gravel.
Don't forget about the terrain suburban area. It’s better to build a shower at the highest point.
On our website you can find contacts construction companies, which offer construction services for small architectural forms. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.
Design features of a summer shower
It should be noted that there are no strict sizes. That is, a summer shower made of polycarbonate sheets has a variety of shapes and parameters. You just need to consider the ease of use of a lightweight building. Therefore, height is determined by a person’s height, which means minimum size– 2 m. As for the width, the minimum figure here is 1 m. It is necessary to take into account if there are small children in the family who will only take a shower with an adult.
It is also necessary to take into account such a position - a locker room, which increases the convenience of using a summer shower. And other recommendations regarding design features:
Must have a shower inside organize lighting. For this purpose, lighting devices with high moisture protection are used.
Between the washing room and the locker room you need build a threshold so that water does not flood the dry floor of the locker room.
You definitely need to think about it storage areas used bath accessories. Here huge selection both in design and size, and in price.
If a polycarbonate dacha shower with a dressing room is an expensive structure for you, you can assemble only shower, and make the locker room in the form of a curtain.
Choosing material for the shower frame
There are two materials here: profiled pipe and wooden blocks. The first has a longer service life, but is more expensive and more difficult way connections where electric welding is used (it turns out non-demountable design) or bolted connection(demountable design). The second option is cheap, but with low performance characteristics. Wood quickly deteriorates when exposed to water.
Choosing a water tank
There are also two positions here: metal and plastic. Metal tanks for summer showers on the market are presented in three models in terms of the material from which they are made. These are regular black steel, galvanized and stainless steel. The last two are preferable because they do not rust when exposed to water. But they are also more expensive.
Many summer residents give their preference to plastic tanks because they:
light in weight, which means they do not create loads on the structure of the summer shower frame;
chemically neutral to water;
high security, if a heating element is installed in the structure;
low price.
True, there is plastic containers and one drawback - they are afraid low temperatures, in which they crack. Therefore, plastic shower tanks are either preserved for the winter, covered with thermal materials, or put away in heated rooms.
It should be noted that barrels for summer showers come in a wide range in terms of shape and size (capacity). Experienced summer residents, who have been using summer shower buildings for a long time, recommend choosing a tank volume based on 40 liters per person. But this is just a recommendation. It is believed that a tank with a volume of more than 200 liters should not be installed.
And the last selection criterion is the method of heating water. There are two positions here: without heating element and with that. More often they choose the first option, because only solar energy. There is no need to deal with power supply connections. Although all this is not difficult to do. In addition, constantly warm water in the shower, regardless of the weather, is a big plus.
Technology for constructing a summer shower made of polycarbonate
After determining the installation location for a polycarbonate garden shower and selecting the required dimensions, you need to start building a foundation and sewer system.
For this purpose on the site apply markings under the dimensions of the shower, on which they dig a pit 30 cm deep.
In the corners drive in profile pipes so that they protrude 10-20 cm above the ground surface.
into it fill up the sand layer 15 cm, it is leveled and compacted.
Laying a plastic pipe with a branch whose end will stick up right in the middle or from any edge of the site.
Filling with crushed stone 15 cm thick.
Installing formwork along the perimeter of the pit made of boards.
Poured concrete mortar sloping to the side installed drain. The hole of the installed outlet must be covered, for example, with a rag.
After two days the formwork is removed.
The sewer pipe can subsequently be connected to sewer system Houses. As mentioned above, there is the option of forming a drain into a sewer pit. Then, not a slab foundation is poured, but a strip (shallow) foundation. And between the foundation elements, they dig a hole at least 1 m deep, which is covered with crushed stone. Lay on top of the foundation wooden grate, it will serve as the shower floor.
Frame assembly
As mentioned above, the frame can be made from a profile pipe or wooden slats. Since we already use profile pipes in the construction of the foundation, we also frame construction will be metal. To do this, the same pipes of the same section are attached to the pipes installed around the perimeter of the foundation. Fastening method: electric welding.
Then the lower and upper trim are assembled. In fact, these are horizontally located elements connecting installed racks. Please note that the width of the polycarbonate sheet is standard - 2.1 m. And it is enough to cover the wall of the summer shower. If the structure is being built large, then the polycarbonate sheets must be joined on one frame element.
Do not forget that in the shower construction it is necessary to take into account front door. It will have to be formed by an installed vertical pipe, which is mounted between the upper and lower trim elements. The width of the doorway is at least 0.7 m.
There is one more point that must be taken into account when choosing the design of a summer shower. Will the building be with or without a roof? The first option is expensive, but it makes it possible to keep the building clean from leaves, dust and other small debris falling from above. The roof structure can be any: single-, gable, arched.
Sheathing the frame with polycarbonate
First of all, you need to choose the polycarbonate itself for the shower in the country. For summer construction, the best option is a cell phone. First of all, it is cheaper. And in terms of strength it is not much inferior to a monolithic one.
You need to start the sheathing by cutting out the polycarbonate sheets. That is, the dimensions of the shower structure are transferred to sheet material, after which cuts are made along the drawn lines. You can use a knife or a hacksaw.
Video description
The video shows how and with what you can cut polycarbonate sheets:
After that, the cut panels are installed where required and secured to the frame with self-tapping screws. The photo below shows how to install self-tapping screws and which ones additional elements are attached to it. This is a wide plastic washer and a retainer that holds the fastener, preventing it from compressing the polycarbonate sheet. Today on the market you can purchase special caps that cover the head of the fastener. With their help, first of all, they protect the self-tapping screw from moisture, and secondly, it is a decorative element.
Arranging a summer shower
So, if the frame is completely covered with polycarbonate, all that remains is to install a water tank and arrange interior space. As for the arrangement, this is:
install the pallet with its connection to the shower sewage system;
hang shelves or grates for bath accessories;
lay down mat in the locker room;
if necessary, hanging the curtain.
Video description
The video shows how you can quickly build an outdoor shower with polycarbonate lining:
Conclusion on the topic
Let us add that today on the market you can buy a ready-made summer shower lined with polycarbonate. There are many offers, both in size and shape. Many stores offer free delivery and installation services. And, as practice shows, such a shower can be assembled in literally an hour. The main thing is to solve the problem of draining water and filling the tank.
A shower in the country is an essential attribute of comfort and a great opportunity to freshen up after gardening work. However, not every owner of a house in the middle of nature can boast of a comfortable shower cabin that gives a powerful charge of vivacity and positive energy. However, if this problem is familiar to you first-hand, there is no need to despair - the matter can be fixed. And it will help with this modern material- polycarbonate and helpful information on this topic.
Polycarbonate shower: features
Before we talk about building a polycarbonate shower with your own hands, you need to figure out what kind of material it is and what are its features?
Polycarbonate is a polymer plastic with a unique structure. Polycarbonate sheets are made from granules through extrusion. This ensures thermoplasticity and the ability to restore their original properties when solidified (no matter how many times they are melted). But this is not the only advantage of the material. The list of advantages is more than impressive.
- ease. Cellular polycrabonate is 6 times lighter than glass, which allows you to create interesting designs, which weigh practically nothing;
- strength. The molecular structure guarantees high impact resistance. The sheets can withstand impressive weight and wind loads;
- sound and heat insulation. Thanks to the air filling the internal voids, sound and thermal insulation characteristics this synthetic polymer is at a high level;
- flexibility. The plasticity of the sheets makes it possible to erect structures of complex geometric shapes;
- wide temperature range. Polycarbonate withstands temperature regime from +120 to -40 degrees.
The list of advantages is completed by ease of installation, low maintenance requirements, resistance to chemicals and precipitation, and safety.
How to build a polycarbonate shower?
If you want to build country shower made of polycarbonate, then you can realize your dream in two ways. The first is a light summer shower with a small water tank. The second is a more solid structure with a foundation and heating.
The location of the booth is of no small importance. It should be reliably protected from the wind; it’s good if the area is warmed up by the sun’s rays - in the evening of a hot day you can swim in warm, pleasant water. To organize good drainage, choose a location on a hill.
We are developing a project
The first step towards realizing what you want, namely a polycarbonate shower for a summer house, is a project. Incredibly, even a basic schematic drawing can facilitate the construction of a building.
The shower stall should not be cramped. The best option- when even the tallest member of the family can freely bend over and raise their arms.
It is important!
Most often, the size of the washing room is 1 m2, the height is 2.5 meters. Whereas for a locker room a room of 1 x 0.6 m is sufficient.
The constituent elements of the structure are an individual moment. But the most popular option is a booth, drain and stationary water barrel. By the way, when developing a project, consider the water source and drainage location. Ideally, the drain is located near the drainage pit.
Setting up a shower stall
We mark the territory and install columnar foundation. We drive wooden pillars into the corners of the resulting rectangle. Pre-treat them with a moisture-repellent solution and antiseptic. We collect metal carcass, fastening the individual parts with long bolts. A dressing is made inside the frame, which will serve as the basis for the floor.
Between the supporting pillars, slopes are laid, and logs are placed on them. To ensure unhindered flow of water into the drainage, make the floor with holes - lay the logs at small intervals. The only thing is that taking a shower with such a floor in cool weather will not be entirely pleasant due to the air flow from below.
You can build the floor so that water passes through a special tube into the drainage. Don't forget about rational use water resources— You can water your garden with water after taking a shower.
If you choose a design with a dressing room, then to separate the two spaces you need to build a threshold. This will prevent water from getting into the locker room and getting your clothes wet. Please pay attention Special attention door designs. It should close quite tightly. Most the best option— a door with an overhead seal. The heat will be reliably retained inside the cabin, and the sash will not wedge due to moisture.
Summer shower: we use it not only in summer
If you insulate the cabin, then you can use a polycarbonate summer shower not only in the summer. Expanded polystyrene is used as insulation, which fills the frame compartments. The slabs are covered with a film that protects them from moisture and steam.
If desired, you can decorate the booth with PVC panels, washable wallpaper, linoleum, and oilcloth. The choice depends solely on your preferences and capabilities. The only condition is that the materials must be moisture resistant. A stapler is used for fastening.
It is important!
For construction, it is better to purchase polycarbonate with a thickness of 8-16 mm. The walls are made of matte, and the roof is made of cellular (transparent) polycarbonate.
A water tank is installed on the roof, heated by the sun's rays. Thanks to the sealed cabin, ensuring a constant temperature is not a problem.
Choosing a tank
As already noted, the tank is installed on the roof. Previously, water had to be collected by hand, but today this is not the case. Water is supplied directly from the water supply or pumped. The plumbing valve stops the flow when the tank is filled to capacity.
As for the material and shape, the barrel can be cylindrical, flat, made of either plastic or metal. Plastic flat tanks are especially convenient. They are easy to transport, install and remove. Only a shower stall with such a tank will have to be covered for the winter.
Metal barrels are bulky and heavy and require annual plumbing maintenance. The water in them heats up longer, but also cools down more slowly, which is also important.
How to heat water?
One sun for effective warming up water is often not enough. To increase the heating rate, a “greenhouse” is installed under the tank. The simple design of polyethylene and slats increases the water temperature by 10 degrees.
Increase this indicator A sheet of foil or a mirror installed on the north side also helps. Don't forget that warm water is always on top, so don't be lazy to equip the container with a float. Warm water will be used first, and cool water will rise and warm up.
If your plans include using the shower in winter, then drastic measures are necessary. A large boiler or heating element from washing machine. In the first case, the tank should be divided into 2 zones: for cold and hot water.
It is important!
To heat 50 liters it will take an hour and a half and a water heater with a capacity of at least 2 kW.
Follow safety precautions. Insulate the wiring and use the correct size wire.
Making a drain
A waste pit is, of course, convenient, but not practical. The water should go first into a small depression and then into the compost pit. Next to the drain there is a drainage and septic tank. It is prohibited to place them under the shower stall - water will flow into the septic tank and an unpleasant odor will appear. Please note that the volume compost pit should be twice the volume of the water tank.
Don't forget about the waterproof layer. This can be a concrete slope, hydroglass insulation, roofing felt, film.
What are the benefits of a polycarbonate shower?
The work is completed, and you are the happy owner of a comfortable shower stall, consisting of only advantages. A polycarbonate shower is not only durable, but also aesthetically pleasing, hygienic, and resistant to direct sunlight and temperature changes. In a word - a dream.
Execution options can be varied. Choose the one that matches your ideas about the ideal island of coolness and cheerfulness. Watch the presented video and enjoy country life and maximum comfort anytime, anywhere!
Summer shower made of polycrabonate: video
Many owners of apartments with small bathrooms prefer to install a more compact shower instead of a bathtub. There is nothing complicated in its design, so those who want to save some money can make such a product themselves. Of the materials suitable for this purpose, the most practical is polycarbonate.
The strengths of polycarbonate and its disadvantages
Polycarbonate is a type of plastic. Available in two versions:
The attractiveness of polycarbonate is due to the following advantages:
- Light weight. This property allows the use of even such low-strength material as polypropylene pipes for the manufacture of a supporting frame.
- Waterproof. For a shower cabin, this quality is especially important: the material will not be saturated with water, which means the drying time will be only a few minutes.
- Resistance to biological environment. As you know, in the vicinity of water, many materials begin to rot or become moldy. The owner of a polycarbonate shower can rest assured in this regard: no matter how high the humidity, not a single microorganism will be interested in plastic.
- Transparency. Of course, there is no need for absolute transparency in the walls of the shower stall, but for this application matte polycarbonate is produced, which partially transmits light and is invisible. Thanks to this, there is no need to place the light source directly in the cabin - it can be located outside, where there is no risk of contact of electricity with water. Another “plus” of this property appears when installing the cabin outdoors ( country option): in a translucent version, it will be well warmed up inside by the sun. Note that polycarbonate was originally developed as a material for covering greenhouses, therefore infrared radiation, which carries the bulk of solar heat, is retained by it to a very small extent.
- Flexibility. The ability to give a structure a rounded shape is valuable not only from a design point of view, but also for practical reasons. For example, a corner shower cabin will take up the least amount of space in a rounded form, that is, when in plan it looks like a quarter of a circle. It should be taken into account that when bent, the polycarbonate sheet turns into a pre-stressed structure, which makes it rigid. Thus, a cylindrical polycarbonate shower practically does not need a frame - you just need to make it from steel or polypropylene pipe two rings that will hold the plastic sheet folded (installed at the top and bottom). If the polymer is heated to the softening temperature, after cooling it will no longer strive to return to its original shape, so there will be no need for a frame at all.
- Ease of processing. Sheet cutting can be done with a hacksaw or jigsaw; no special equipment is needed for this.
- High aesthetic merits. Unlike many other materials, plastic can easily be colored throughout its entire volume, so that the colored layer cannot be scratched or peeled off. Also, any relief pattern can be reproduced on its surface without difficulty. Manufacturers actively use all this: the buyer has access to material of all imaginable colors and with a very interesting varied texture.
- Low thermal conductivity. All types of plastic do not conduct heat very well. U cellular polycarbonate this ability is especially pronounced due to the presence of an air gap.
- No harmful emissions. Unlike many other types of plastic, polycarbonate releases almost no dangerous volatile substances even when heated. Of course, if you heat food in a container made of this material, harmful impurities will appear in it; but in the form building material polycarbonate is harmless.
- Low cost. The quality inherent in all polymers, which explains their victorious march around the world.
Polycarbonate is a common material for making your own shower stall.
However, polycarbonate can disappoint in some ways:
- Strength, like any plastic, is relatively low. An accidental impact on the booth with a hard object can most likely lead to a crack in the wall. A light touch will also not go unnoticed: a scratch will remain on the surface of the sheet. Such defects accumulate quite quickly, so polycarbonate does not retain its presentation for long.
- Cellular polycarbonate is more fragile than monolithic polycarbonate.
- IN pure form polycarbonate, like all polymers, is destroyed when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Only a special one saves him protective film, but it can be easily scratched.
- The material changes greatly in size when the temperature changes (in such cases we speak of high coefficient thermal expansion). Taking this into account, the sheet is never screwed tightly (the diameter of the mounting hole must be larger than the diameter of the hardware) and a fairly wide gap is always left around it.
Photo gallery: polycarbonate shower cabins
Before you start making the booth, you need to purchase everything necessary materials.
Pallet
Of course, you can make a pallet yourself: build a low brick border, inside which you install drain device(ladder), pourable cement-sand mortar. But it would be much more rational to purchase a ready-made pallet, especially since today they sell very cheap models made of acrylic. Costs for self-construction, taking into account the need to apply high-quality waterproofing, may well turn out to be higher.
The shower tray can be built at the installation site from brick, concrete and other available materials
If you are not satisfied with an acrylic tray due to its low strength, you can purchase a steel or cast iron one with an enamel coating.
A steel or cast iron tray coated with enamel is stronger than acrylic
Shower trays can have the most different shapes, but if we are talking about a small bathroom, then it is better to purchase a corner option. At the same time, the consumption of polycarbonate will also be reduced, since the cabin will be fenced on both sides with solid walls.
The size of the pallet should be selected taking into account the height and build of the users: most often, products measuring 1x1 m are purchased.
Polycarbonate
Since the cabin will be installed in an apartment and not on the street, there is no need for thermal insulation properties. Therefore, instead of cellular polycarbonate, a less fragile monolithic one can be used. It is also convenient because the cut parts can be of any size, while the dimensions of parts made of cellular polycarbonate have to be made multiples of the size of the honeycomb.
It is easy to cut a part of any shape from a polycarbonate sheet
How much polycarbonate you will need is easy to calculate. We set the height of the cabin: the upper edge of the wall should not reach the ceiling by 10 - 15 cm. All that remains is to subtract the height of the pallet from this value and multiply the resulting value by the length of the edge of the pallet along which the fence must be installed.
To find out the amount of polycarbonate, you need a diagram of the shower stall with dimensions
It is best to buy plastic in sheets measuring 305x205 cm with a thickness of 0.8 to 1 cm. One square. m of such a sheet should weigh from 1.5 kg (with a thickness of 0.8 cm) to 1.7 kg (with a thickness of 1 cm).
Frame
As already mentioned, almost weightless polycarbonate can also be fixed to plastic pipes, but the metal frame will look much more aesthetically pleasing. The most preferred option is an aluminum profile. But it is also the most expensive. A more affordable alternative is galvanized steel. But it must be taken into account that a steel frame will be heavier compared to an aluminum one.
You will need several types of profiles:
- U-shaped. Those frame elements that are screwed to the wall are made from it.
U-shaped profile used to attach the shower frame to the wall
- H-shaped. Installed at the junction of two sheets of plastic. Inside the profile, the sheets have enough space for thermal expansion, and the joint is sealed.
H-shaped profile is suitable for creating joints between adjacent plastic parts
- Door. The design of this profile allows you to attach hinges to it if the door is swinging, or rollers if it is a sliding door. Note that a swing door is more convenient and if space allows, it is better to use this option. If the bathroom is very compact, you will have to equip the cabin with a sliding door (you can make a sliding door from two halves).
A swing door is more convenient
The profile must be selected so that the width of its groove matches the thickness of the polycarbonate sheet. Ideally, you need to take a piece of plastic to the store and try the profile on it directly.
Video: installing a shower frame
Other materials and tools
To build the cabin, you will need a seal - it is installed on the door so that it closes hermetically - and a door handle.
Also on preparatory stage You need to make sure that you have all the necessary tools:
- hammer drill or impact drill;
- hacksaw or jigsaw;
- tools and materials for installing plumbing: wrench or gas wrench, sealant (FUM tape or plumbing flax);
- roulette;
- level and plumb;
- something for marking: pencil, marker or chalk.
Creating a homemade cabin and its simultaneous installation proceeds as follows:
- Water supply and sewerage are supplied to the place where it will be located.
We determine the location of water supply and sewerage
- The pallet is installed. Usually he has adjustable legs, with the help of which you need to give the product a slight slope towards the drain hole.
- If the pallet is made of acrylic, it is very important to correctly assemble its frame. The fact is that this material is very fragile and if some element in the frame is missing, the pallet can easily be pressed through. If the manufacturer has clearly saved on wall thickness and frame, which is typical for the cheapest models, bricks can be placed under the pallet.
- After installation, you need to fix the drain grate with a siphon in the pan and connect the latter to the sewer.
- The gap between the pallet and the wall is filled with silicone sealant.
The gaps between the walls and the pallet are carefully sealed
- The frame is installed. Using a plumb line, vertical markings are applied to the wall, along which the U-shaped profile is then screwed in with dowels. Next, all other elements are connected to it. They need to be fastened together with short self-tapping screws, which are commonly referred to as “bugs.” In view of high humidity You should use hardware that has been subjected to phosphating or chemical oxidation - they can be recognized by their black color.
Phosphating or oxidation gives hardware a characteristic black color
- A sealant is inserted into the profiles, and then polycarbonate. The parts need to be cut out after the frame is mounted - according to its actual dimensions. Monolithic polycarbonate It bends well, so adjusting it into already fixed profiles is not difficult. As a last resort, you can dismantle one of the frame strips and return it to its place after installing the plastic sheets.
Polycarbonate sheets have good flexibility, which makes them easy to install in frame profiles
- The door is manufactured and installed. You cannot simply use a fragment of a polycarbonate sheet for this purpose, since such a door will not close tightly. It is necessary to make a frame in the form of a frame.
The shower door must be reinforced with its own frame
- Finally, the mixer is installed, and the holder for the watering can is screwed to the wall.
- The finished shower cabin must be checked for leaks. To do this, you should take a shower, moving quite actively along the tray, and then see if water is leaking somewhere. If cracks are identified, they must be sealed with silicone sealant.
If the quality of installation is considered satisfactory, it is installed in place decorative panel, covering the space under the pallet.
Video: do-it-yourself polycarbonate shower cabin
Making your own shower stall with polycarbonate walls is not at all difficult. And the benefit of such a solution is not only cost savings. By constructing the cabin on his own, a home craftsman can make it as convenient as possible for himself and at the same time choose his preferred design, whereas it is often not possible to find an ideally suitable copy among factory-made models.
An outdoor shower is an essential attribute of almost any summer cottage. It makes it possible to “wash off the dirt” after working on garden plot or just to cool off on a hot summer day. As a rule, summer shower designs are characterized by maximum simplicity and simplicity. For the walls of the shower stall, owners often use the material that, as they say, “was at hand.” This can be slate, plywood, thin sheet iron and even ordinary boards. But today, with the advent of new construction technologies there is no need to show unnecessary “construction ingenuity.” Construction supermarkets offer excellent, durable and, most importantly, inexpensive material for constructing a summer shower - polycarbonate. So, we are building a summer shower from polycarbonate.
A few words about polycarbonate
Before proceeding directly to the description of the technology for constructing a summer shower made of polycarbonate, we will briefly consider the main properties and characteristics of this material.
Polycarbonate is a polymer synthetic material, the sheets of which can be either solid or honeycomb (that is, containing voids).
Example of cellular polycarbonate sheets
Polycarbonate has high stability resistant to temperature changes, is sufficiently durable, but at the same time easily bends and cuts, does not need painting and requires minimal maintenance. In addition, polycarbonate sheets are very light, which makes it possible for even one person to work with them without any help. If we add to all of the above the fairly low cost of polycarbonate, it becomes clear that this is one of the best materials for building a summer shower today.
Choosing a place for a summer shower
First of all, you need to decide on the installation location of the future shower. When choosing it, you need to consider several points:
- The shower should be in a place where the sun shines most of the day, otherwise the water will not warm up to the desired temperature;
- It is better to build a shower on a hill or at least on the edge of a slope, so that the water used for washing flows out evenly and does not accumulate in one place;
- And finally, it is advisable to place the summer shower in a place protected from wind and drafts.
Having decided on the construction site, you can begin to create a project for your summer shower.
Project development
Today, it is not a problem to find a suitable summer shower project on the Internet. But, nevertheless, we will introduce you to the basics of developing a project for a summer shower.
The summer shower consists of a water tank, a shower stall and a tray. All other “bells and whistles”, such as a locker room or a water heating system, are optional and are done solely at the request of the owner.
Schematic representation of the frame of the future shower stall
The development of the project begins with the creation of even the most simple and schematic image of the frame of the future shower stall.
Since we make the shower out of polycarbonate, the best material for the frame there will be metal pipes with a diameter of 40-60 mm.
The plan must include horizontal jumpers between the corner posts, as well as supports for the water tank or barrel and pallet.
When the schematic plan is ready, it is necessary to calculate the required amount of materials. To do this, let's put the dimensions on our drawing. They, of course, can be anything, but based on practice, we recommend that you adhere to the following parameters:
- The height of the shower cabin is 2.5 meters;
- Width meter by meter;
- If you are planning to make a locker room, then its width can be 0.8 by 1 meter;
- The height of the corner posts is calculated using the formula “height of the shower stall plus 0.5 meters”;
- The width of the supports for the water tank and tray is calculated based on their design.
Once the dimensions have been plotted, armed with a calculator, you can calculate the required number of pipes to build the frame of the shower stall.
Please note that thicker pipes (60 mm) must be used for load-bearing posts and supports of the pallet and tank, while thinner pipes are suitable for horizontal jumpers.
Thanks to fittings you can forget about welding
In addition to determining the required number of pipes, the drawing makes it possible to calculate the number of fittings required for installing the frame.
These are special connecting elements with which you can assemble the shower frame without welding, which will undoubtedly greatly simplify the work.
When the project is ready and all the necessary materials have been purchased, you can proceed directly to the construction of the summer shower.
Frame installation
The first step is to cut the pipe into pieces of the required length in accordance with the drawing.
Installation of the frame begins with the installation of corner supporting posts or (in the case of using connecting fittings) their lower sections. To do this, in the ground in the corners future design four recesses with a diameter of 30-40 centimeters are made. After installing supports in them, they must be filled with a mixture of crushed stone and cement-based mortar. It is these “concrete foundations” that will become the foundation of the future shower.
Only after the cement has completely dried (at least 48 hours) can you begin installing the frame.
If you use connecting fittings, then the frame is mounted from the bottom up, according to the principle of simple children's construction set. If you use welding, then, on the contrary, you need to start from the upper perimeter, then install supports under the tank, then the lower perimeter, supports for the pallet and finally horizontal jumpers.
When the frame is ready, all that remains is to fasten the door hinges to one of the racks and hang the door frame on them, after which all that remains is to paint all the elements of the frame with waterproof paint.
Installation of polycarbonate sheets
The next stage in the construction of a summer shower is the installation of polycarbonate sheets on the frame. Do
it's quite simple.
First of all, you need to cut the polycarbonate into sheets of the required size.
For the shower walls and door, of course, you need to use opaque or matte polycarbonate.
You can cut polycarbonate with almost anything: a jigsaw, a hacksaw
or a regular knife for cutting linoleum.
To fasten the prepared sheets, you must use special self-tapping screws with plastic thermal washers.
A plastic thermal washer is ideal for attaching prepared sheets
Video about attaching polycarbonate to a metal profile
You can learn more about the technology of fastening polycarbonate with self-tapping screws from the following video:
It is better to attach hooks for clothes and shelves for shower accessories not to polycarbonate, but to the horizontal pipes of the supporting frame.
Installing a water tank
The water tank is installed on the roof of the cabin
The water tank is installed on the roof of the shower cabin. You can use regular plastic or metal barrel, but it is better to purchase a special plastic tank for a summer shower.
Such tanks are already equipped with all the necessary fittings for attaching a shower head and, in addition, as a rule, they are painted black, which helps to heat the water faster.
The tank is installed on pre-prepared supports and requires virtually no additional fastening. But to be on the safe side, you can throw one or two fixing clamps made of metal or plastic tape over it.
To make the water in the tank heat up faster and maintain its temperature longer, you can build a special cap over it - a greenhouse. For this you can use a sheet transparent polycarbonate, which can simply be bent along pre-installed guides so that it forms a kind of dome over the tank. The edges of the dome are attached to the upper jumpers of the frame using the same self-tapping screws with thermal washers.
After installing the tank, it is enough to attach the shower head to it and connect the hose to fill it with water.
After the tank is installed, all that remains is to attach a shower head with a shut-off valve to it and connect a hose to fill the tank with water.
Pallet installation
The final stage in the construction of a polycarbonate summer shower is the installation of a tray. You can use a ready-made metal or plastic pallet for this purpose, or you can use well-planed boards. Standing barefoot on such a pallet will be both useful and pleasant. Another advantage of a wooden pallet is that it can not be attached to a frame, but simply placed on the ground.
The finished summer shower looks something like this
If you make a pallet from boards, be sure to leave small gaps between them to allow used water to escape.
At this point, the construction of a summer polycarbonate shower can be considered complete. And if you have already filled the tank with water, you only have one thing left to do - enjoy a cool shower after a fruitful working day. Good luck with your repair and enjoy your steam!