Create a shower spa for a few bucks.

Create a pleasant, rain-like shower "head".
I have tried several different (and expensive!) shower heads, but none of them gave me the spread pattern and coverage I wanted. Doing some other projects with PVC pipe, I hit upon this idea.

Step 1: Parts

You will need:

1/2 inch PVC pipe (12 to 24 inches)
1/2 inch PVC end cap
1/2 inch PVC end connection
Shower hose (standard 1/2 inch connection)
1/8 inch drill bit
3M Command hooks and adhesive strips

Comments

[Rich_D]

I was thinking of doing the same exact thing, and, like many of the other folks, am trying to come up with all sorts of directions and patterns. Now that I've seen this build, I know my plans will work (within my available water pressure limits, of course!) Nice work!

[rollingstoner357]

What about copper if every ones worried about pvc is there anything wrong with copper other than the price

[tinker234]

you could also use steel

[qwerty90210]

it could corrode and turn green like how lady liberty did

[Doc Holliday]

Easy, let it corrode to the point you don't like it.

Then wait a bit. If you still have the green part, (you shouldn't), wipe it down with catchup. I do this with a LOT of copper, and it takes almost no time.

I get a nice antiqued look.

[tinker234]

wow i wonder if i could make one that wraps around all around the shower also could i paint it with a a sliver finsh

[dana-dxb]

Thats an awesome idea simple yet greet
Im looking who's the lucky one im going to gift im

[Petar92]

Great project!!! Now u can think of making a square out of pvc pipes :)

[Chanio]

Perhaps I might try to make thinner holes by burning them with a hot needle. And pointing their radius to an imaginary center (where I would be receiving all the water).
I love the water-spay showers! They are like clouds...

[Nelyan]

If I'd got this on my hands (or on my bathroom), I'd never leave the shower again!!! :D I already spend two hours just with a regular wash up (excluding the hair-wash) because I like standing in the hot, steamy shower.

I also found out recently that when your voice is too sore to sing, you can blow soap bubbles in the shower and watch how the hot air makes them swirl upwards.

"Hey, honeyy, there's something I you need to bring with you from the hardware store next time~! :)"

[KingSky]

2 hours? I hope that is a joke. If you have a normal 2.5 gallons per minute shower head you are using 300 gallons of water.

[da_fisher]

wow im impressed. i allways had an idea like this but didnt nkow how to connect it tothe shower or the wall. :p

[acosicris]

Nice!!! I will try to make one, but a rectangular shape 4-pvc pipe. Connected by elbows.

[skiddyfisk]

Another idea would be suspending it overhead by mounting an extra shower curtain rod up there and zip-tying the pipe to that. Plus you have gravity adding a bit of pressure that way.

[tego_01]

i have a question will the command sticky thing really work if you wash the shower/tub

[kyoumans]

I had 3M strips and hooks holding things to my shower walls all through college, and I never once had one fall down. Definitely follow the application instructions on the back of the box, but I wouldn't worry about them falling off.

[cchance]

my idea is to split this up into 3-4 pipes one in front side and then back and use very small holes and lots of them on all 3 so that it gets to be a fine mist from 3 directions... perhaps 4 if i can put one overhead as well... that would be wicked! In fact i juts got the idea to put a small tank before this with some peltier heaters to heat up the water before it hits the pipe since my main hot water tank isnt exactly the best.... hmmmmmmmm

[digitalmonkeyman]

you could add landscape misters to the pipe!

[espdp2]

FAVORITE! Genius, really. I'm going to make one with several hooks at different levels for myself and my kids!

[Parrhesia]

Very cool! I'm making one now. I'm going to look for the double shower head connection you've got here, too, as I think this could solve the shiver factor during shared showers. Maybe some LEDs for mood lighting...

There are no boring marriages, only boring people ;)

[Zorlack]

Beware! There are some important reasons that PVC is not generally used for suppling potable water. Not the least of which is that PVC leaches chemicals into the water when it is exposed to higher temperatures. To protect yourself against this you should use CPVC instead of PVC. CPVC (chlorinated poly vinyl chloride) is safe for use with hot or cold water. -Z

[dadoffour]

What about using PTEX?

[impulse94]

Well, I generally don't drink from the shower (potable water). And while PVC is not recommended at higher temps especially for high pressure applications, the water doesn't get that hot or you couldn't use it for a shower.

[Deightine]

This is a great introduction for people who have never thought of doing the same. I can only imagine what you could do with a shorter PVC tube (allowing higher pressure water), and a round PVC ball on the end... Heck, with enough work you might be able to take a current shower stall (usually crappy, and made of "space age plastics") and convert it with PVC into an older style shower... For example, some of the rich people in the early 1900s would put up 3 different sets of knobs with variable pressure on each side.

[theRIAA]

"I can only imagine what you could do with a shorter PVC tube (allowing higher pressure water), and a round PVC ball on the end..." ...wait what?

[Deightine]

Apparently that day I was very incoherent, and I don't pay enough attention to my responses ;) What I meant was a shorter tube (allowing fewer sideholes), and a round pvc globe (can't remember where I saw one last, but we used them back in highschool for electrical conduit work) with holes drilled all over it in sort of a pinhead type pattern. Allowing a ~300 degree spray effect from it. The Victorians would build brass shower hookups with 5-6 shower heads arranged all around you, so that when you turned the water on, it hit every part of your body all at once. This design, with some creativity, could probably do that. Only obstacle of course being water pressure reaching all of them without having to put bigger piping all through your water system to accommodate the extra flow.

[Oscelot]

wiffle ball?

[Deightine]

Basically a W(h)iffle ball, yes, but for this purpose with much smaller holes and all of them placed on 2/3rds of the ball facing into the showerer. Though I hadn't thought of comparing it to one. Entertaining suggestion.

[MindTorm]

*cough*

[SlothOnSpeed]

To remove the attractive lettering on the pipe, simply use a rag or cotton ball soaked in acetone. (I know you said that aesthetics didn't concern you, but you might want to try this) Where do you get acetone? Easy. Cheap nail polish remover. Check the label to make sure it's not the Earth-saving, anti-pollution type nail polish remover and there you go. You can get enough remover for many projects for about a dollar.

[Mr. Smart Kid]

mmmmmmmmmmm yum yum shower water

[ベン porkpie hat 伍]

I think it would be cool to make four of those and position them in a square around you, that would be amazing

[silentdeath]

that would be great! nice idea i may try it over the summer outside for a shower in the pool house great thing to mod maby some more holes some a little more wat can get on you? reply to this plz

[impulse94]

You can just drill as many holes as you want, and try covering up different numbers of them with waterproof tape to get the pattern and strength you want. Remember, the more holes, the lower the water pressure.

[silentdeath]

so what?i will remember that. reply to this please

[mrsayao]

Zorlak is right, PVC at high temperatures give off chemicals, vinyl chloride. PVC is never used in construction to carry water into a building or house, but only out.

[pascha]

Why not use a scrap piece of copper pipe? Sure would improve the aesthetics of the project...for a few extra bucks for the brass fittings, but I'd guess it would last virtually forever.

[impulse94]

I never really cared about what it looks like. But after a long run or a Marathon (or a night "on the town"!) it's really nice to have that variability to focus where it it needed most.

[Mz3FRS]

Good use of PVC. If you're interested in painting it at all, I have found Krylon Fusion plastic spray paint adheres to PVC very well. Comes in many colors, I got mine at Michaels.

[pluish]

very cool, but it looks kinda ghetto with all the white plastic ;)