Compact Collapsible SHOWER In A Van - Part 1 of 2 

I want to thank you for something you did near the beginning of this video that almost no one ever does, but really should; you told us your height. This gives the viewer a valuable context while watching a build, and if it is feasible or practical for them to try. I've watched a LOT of build videos- for vans, trailers, shuttles, buses, etc., and 99.9% of them give no spatial relationship between the vehicle and the person(s) seen onscreen. So, thank you from all of us plus-sized and/or very tall viewers. It's important.

I breathed a sigh of relief when you added the rubber edging 😂

For the shower curtain you could use a circle template rather than a square (for example a hula hoop) , attach it to the ceiling of the van with one magnet or one hook rather than 4. The shower head would be at the centre of your curtain in that way.

DONT DRILL for your shower curtain. Place decreative metal plates on the wall & ceiling and use the welders magnets

I love a guy who can build things and figure out problems! And so young too. You are going to be very successful in your life. I would be so proud of you if you were my grandson! (yes,I am that old)

Seven, it's great to watch your "thought processes." There's a word for it... when learning "one" particular thing leads to the ability for future problem solving. Thanks for a perfect shower for a van. Max

Wow! 😍 nice. Just be safe once the metal gets wet it becomes extremely sleeper with the soap. Maybe some teak wool mat will work. God Bless from SF 😎

Being an RVer for probably 20 years I would hang 4 clips from ceiling that you can pop you shower frame into.

Your man did a nice job of fabricating the pan. For those who can not find a reasonably priced fabricator, you could make the pan out of plywood and then fiberglass the inside of the plywood. I did that 20 years ago for a 24" 30: shower pan that I made for a semi trailer to home conversion. there should be a picture on my page. It will be title "kitchen shower video" 4 years ago. I doesn't show much detail, but it may give you an idea.

You're the first van lifer I've found in my area. You talk about places I know. Also I really like you talking out your train of thought.

Very much like a magnet based mounting. I’m also glad you added that rubber edging on the pan ...beautiful design for the collapsible pan and I appreciate how you are conscious about protecting your vehicle from rust.

I'm enjoying watching the build and your process. I'm 6'4" and was going to do approximately the same build but I wanted more headroom and square walls. So I special ordered a E350 cutaway van with a 6'10 ceiling with a 14' box that is 80" wide. A thumbs up video 👍

You got one of the nicest ocean in front of your door. The image of paradise to me compared to where Im living. Never needs a shower in a camper.

Love just watching you put it all together and saying ,"Please, please,please," really works 😂😂😂😂😂

I’m going to do a similar shower idea in my conversion and I’m planning on mounting 4 round 2 inch anchor point tie downs to my ceiling and use them to hold my shower curtain. I’ve seen this done before in a Van and it’s nice, simple and clean approach. To me much better than the pvc pipe route.

Great videos as always I just got back from a cross country trip living out of a Volkswagen Jetta for a month. Make sure you have some pitch on your drain pipes. If you plan on doing any winter traveling you don’t want it to freeze under the truck.

I really really admire your patience and persistence. Problem-solving is one of my passions as well, except with way more obscenities. Your doing a great job

Caulking the floors to seal them is a GENIUS idea! I will definitely have to copy you on that, so thanks! :) Great job and it's so nice to see you working through issues and problem solving rather than everything just going perfect. Awesome job!

creative thinking, active doing, is all element of the DIY spirit.

Frank knows how to quote and produce!

Great project! You could build a strong square frame and mount it vertically on the wall above the shower with 2 lockable shelf hinges. (Amazon example: Sumnacon Sturdy Folding Shelf Brackets). Fold out the frame horizontally when attaching the shower curtain. Unlock and fold the frame vertically when not in use. Camouflage the frame with a picture mounted to the frame or attached to the wall within the frame. The frame and picture would look like a work of art.

Here’s an idea for your shower system. Step 1. mount the pvc shower rod to the underside of the handy dandy lid. Step 2. Mount a 1/2" x 1-1/2" Forged Steel Machine Bolt to the center of the lid. Make sure it’s balanced. Step 3. Secure a pulley to your ceiling and another pulley to the van wall. Step 4. Tie braided nylon rope to the machine bolt then thread the rope through the ceiling pulley and then the wall pulley. Step 5. Attach a pulley anchor so that when the shower curtain is up you can secure the rope in place to take your shower. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!!

If possible, make the shower curtain really wide at the top so when wet, it doesn't stick to your body while you're trying to shower.

Still watching .... I love TAP plastic My dad also showed there and made many projects... I’ve been to all their Portland locations for the last 40 years. Excellent store for the creative mind of acrylics and such. Even the professionals run into a wall to think through problem solving.... then there’s me... the non professional that sometimes because the way I think creatively- I can think outside the “Profesional” box. I amaze myself all the time when I see a different use.

Mock up is very cleaver. I will now do this with cupboards I want to add across the back of my small motor home. Neat and clean manufacturing

I would wrap the side of the shower pan with foam to avoid toe crunches. Great job.

A pull up wall coming out from the bottom is a heck of an idea!

Nothing like experiential learning to help one really gain knowledge pragmatically!👍

Thanks for this truly comprehensive presentation of your design and experience. Invaluable for all of us. Keep up the great work, and good luck!

Thank you for sharing your positive outlook on struggling with remodeling. You are inspiring to me.😌

I really appreciate the care you have taken with this video, and for sharing all the steps. I think, snap in brackets like those that a broom snaps into for the curtain rod. And a hinged fold down bracket with a snap in bracket for the shower head. Use some of the ceiling material to frame and form the ceiling mount, you have done such a beautiful job, I know you want it to look as good as it works. Wish I could send you a sketch, but think top down, not bottom up. The framed box could have an led light tape all round to give a nice lite look when in the shower. Good luck, and thanks for giving me some ideas for my shower build. 🇨🇦👏🏽🙏🏼🚌🙏🏼👏🏽🇨🇦, safe travels.

If you have not had it made yet, I would have that wheel well pitch inward toward the shower so that the water will not sit on top of that flat area. Otherwise, you may have to dry it off each time. ( just heard that it took 3 months...) My comment still stands for anyone reading the comments and thinking of doing this. Some sort of soundproofing on the outside of the pan so when traveling, you will not hear it and it will dampen the sound during the shower. They put soundproofing on the high end stainless steel kitchen sinks to dampen the sound of the water. I would make it simple for the shower curtain and just support it 4 ways on the ceiling (magnets) and add a metal coupler or something in 4 places on the plastic pipes and then secure that way. You know the rare earth magnets are very strong and should hold that up. (just countersink in the ceiling like you did when you installed the ceiling) only you would see them for this application. You could probably get a colored sharpie and color them so not so obvious. The shower head needs to be low flow or aerated or you will use all your water quickly. People like the Oyxgenics brand because it saves on water and has great pressure. You could just fashion a hanging bracket for it.

Very nice. You have incredible skills and you're so damn young! Can't wait to see Part II.

Good going! Thanks for sharing the process with us, it makes a big difference to see how you overcome the challenges.

So true on install issues! I think my plumbing issues for my sink was more work than electrical. Subbed and will watch grey water tank.

I love this shower video. You are the only person I have found that is doing indoor shower in the van.

The cardboard mock-up is such a good idea!

You are a genius. Very admirable your clever work in your van palace. Have fun.

I really appreciate you being detailed oriented and showing each step. 🙂🙏

I don’t care thank you very much for the people that put this together for him

Talented, creative, patient, organized .....You got them all. 👍

You might want to consider a nylon shower curtain, It can be thrown in a washing machine and dries very well.

Nice to have you back, another impressive vlog..

Long time RV shop guy here. First of all great job on the shower arrangement. The best idea I've seen. I have to say when you made those blocks l was saying, gotta line up the wall base. As for the curtain rod. The simplest, least expensive and most stowable will be a couple of hooks to secure the rod on the side of the van at the top. Then you will just need two knee braces, which rest against the side of the van, to support the square curtain rod frame. You can make the knee connections swivel on the rod to collapse inside the square when stowed. It could all be PVC or you might look around for materials that would suit your look better. I have to say as a 69 year old contractor l really enjoy you young guys proving American ingenuity and self sufficiency is still alive and well. Good job. Oh this is the first time l've seen your channel and l subscribed.

Good job hard worker excellent installation you can learn from this Because you never know if you’re going to install the shower in the van.

Glad you figured it out. Been there. I was lucky tho. I was so hesitant that I saw the difference in fittings while trying to explore how it would be done. Option 3 on the curtain.

Great shower system you've created there; thanks for taking us with you on the journey of your van build out! Your fabricator did an excellent job on the shower pan. This is a well done video; and, I'm sure viewers will find many excellent tips and ideas here! Really nice van there!

Wow...great design! There will be many copying this for their owns van. Very impressive!

I enjoy your discussion of he design process involved in creating the shower. I feel too many RU-vid creators skip over that part and simply waive their hands and like magic the shower appears. U will be subscribing.

I have done a bunch of home plumbing but I wasn’t aware of the problem you ran into glad it all worked out you will figure out how to set your curtain I like your idea so just go with it

Wow this is awesome 👏🏽 the d ring guys idea sounds simple enough. I really wanted to see a van with a better shower system than the rest, you did it!

Magnets on ceiling. Four of them to be exact.

Amazing video with clear =, well sometimes clear but shows your mindset of thinking of how to work out a problem without getting too angry with the issue. Thanks for sharing, I have made notes of this idea and will slight tweak it to fit my van fit out.

All you need for the shower curtain are 4 “D”rings or hooks screwed to the ceiling. You can use 4 caribeaners or shower curtain hooks to attach the square rod to the 4 hooks. For the shower head find a goose neck that can be mounted on the wall or ceiling with the shower head mount on it. Since the shower head is not really heavy you may be able to mount the shower head bracket by magnets then the only thing that is permanently affixed is the magnet.

😘 thank you, thank you. I've been racking my brain trying to figure out where to put a shower in my rig. Never thought under the bed, mine is movable too, and there's the bottom part of a closet right behind the bed to store all the stuff, even a hole all ready handy for a drain. Just measured the space and I can get 32"sq. Shwr pan in there.🎉🌟🤸

You are a great teacher. I learned a lot. You go into details and mention every item name and where you got it and why. Fantastic

dude i am thinking about converting a shuttle bus and ur build has given me some tips on hardware and ideas thanks for sharing this build

I love your attitude toward your fails and explaining the critical thinking process, pipe fittings for water, air, and hydraulics are crazy! I do a lot of plumbing and the straight pipe threads (NPS) may be an equivalent to the British Standard Pipe (BSP) as opposed to USA's National Standard Pipe (NPT). The popping of the shower bottom it due to heat stresses from welding. You can get a sheet of one side adhesive rubber backing that you find on the bottoms of kitchen sinks that will dampen the sound. Great job on the idea for drilling the hole!

My biggest concern with storing the shower curtain in that pan is that it won't dry, and will lead to mold and mildew. If you do store it in the pan, be sure you lay out in the sun/wind before you store it (which implies earlier showers rather than later ones).

Another great detailed vid, ty again for sharing x

Thanks for sharing! You are awesome for taking the time to share your failures and accomplishments!!!!

Im surprised that it was that difficult to find a fabrication shop that would build the shower pan. I used to work in a machine shop and we built all kinds of enteresting things. Some complicated, some easy. The shower pan just doesnt seem like a complicated build. To me it would have been fun to do

Wow you are sooooo inspiring and patient, you have given me so much info & confidence to tackle my van shower :)

Looks awesome. Great design. Usually local Community Colleges who teach welding will take on projects like your shower pan. Possible idea for the next van.....on sailboats, it is common to build a plywood enclosed, then fiberglass it, and finish it with gel Coat. Your projects and teaching and sharing is a cherished gift. I am inspired to do my own build thanks to you. Hugs and light...keep these videos coming.

I really appreciate your attention to detail and innovations thank you for sharing. Great videos!

Instant subscribe when you say you're 6'5".

Cool shower idea!!! Looking forward to seeing final results.🌍🚍

Wow! thanks for this pumbing 101 crash course! For the shower floor, I'll position the aluminium floor atop of a 10 deg. slanted 1.5 in rubber mat. then a teak cleat with the reverse inclined base will complete the floor to prevent remaining water requiring a squeegee pass after use. I also plan to keep a leaf blower charged in my garage to dry it off (and blow off snow on the solar ;-)

Love your problem / solution style in your videos.

VHB tape would have been a good use between shower pan bottom and ABS shim. Further, perhaps under the ABS as well. Your ingenuity throughout your entire build reveals many great best practices to follow!

I'm planning a similar idea in my next build - it will be a "squat shower" - I got the idea from the Exploration Brothers (here on RU-vid). Why do you need to stand up in your shower, particularly since you still need to "army shower" to save precious water? Thinking practically, if you adopt a squatting position it actually allows easy access to all the most important bits that need cleaning, right ;-)? So, for your setup (brilliantly done btw), you just need a fixed rail on the two sides and the back, and a hinged or clip-on front rail. Fortuitously, you have 8020 and the side panel of the adjacent cabinet to make it really easy! Less shower curtain to dry off, too.

Never mind last question, found the links! Great channel, looking forward to your next build. $92K for your van is a deal with all that quality work.

For your curtain rods use the same diameter PVC as a standard broom handle. then just buy some broom storage clips. The kind that clamps your broom to the wall. I've seen others do this for collapsible showers in campers.

There is no way I'd full time and not have a shower. Great job

That's right it's going to take as many times as it takes. Quite an undertaking but another interesting idea for doing more things in a smaller area.

Magnets from the ceiling. Seems that would work very well and could look great where the magnets connect.

Well done on the shower pan!

Love the video man, very well explained and detail

Excellent job, dude!

Thank you for the news and updates.

Amazing design!!! for a small van, you have more complete van built than most others. A home without a shower is just not a complete home. And you did it in a small van. Great job. Now if you add a couple filters and a tiny hot water heater to make it an endless shower, instead of the quick 2 min 3 gal water shower, that would be perfect. i particularly like the long bench you sit to work, it makes your van look much bigger.

Putting the pan on stilts mostly worked out. I was shouting at you to just make a cardboard template of the pan and transfer it to the floor. I really like all the thought you're putting into each step. I'll be watching more of your build.

Great video👍👍. Like the saying goes the scary is the fly in the ointment. Here’s The fly.1) don’t trip and fall because that corner or top of that pan can do you some real flesh damage.2)The humidity that you’re going to add taking a hot shower to the van capsule in a year.How much rust and potential black mold practically under your mattress will result. Having dry heat should help the problem but better get yourself an turbo exhaust fan. Since you have the plumbing you might consider having an external shower capability Under under the vehicle. Besides plugging in an external shower you can use it to wash the van, surfboard,etc. make a simple with just cold water.

Good call on the one way valve, yes the sink could drain into the bathtub

Very well done on this technique.

Great build and video. Thank you!

"Plus nuts" for mounting. Welders magnet.

Everything he does I think "Hey, he should do that. And then he does it. And I cheers my monitor."

Wish we'd known of your fabricator buddy before.... we were looking for someone to fabricate a galvanized steel shower surround for our van build. Nobody was interested because the job was too small. Oh well, maybe next time. Great videos! Thanks!

Thanks you. You're right. There video it's for us to learn when we are able to ask some knowledgeable person. This is that video you search for that has exactly what you needed to know and additional information or ideas.

Love it! Can’t wait to see the results 🙌🏻💙💪🏼

Thanks for teaching us what not to do! I love your style and brutal honesty! I have learned a lot! Great van build!

Very Nice Bro.. Im a GC in Cali, with a stealth enclosed 8.5x16 cargo trailer I built with tons of solar power, but anyway, I wanna say.. I dont impress easily because I am super meticulous and perfectionist in all I do, but you get props.. for your process, ideas, all of it. No corner cutting, well thought out, built to last.. Impressive man! Nice job! I would build a trailer with you for sure! You might be the only one I'd build one with too, haha, I'm too picky about everything being done right. Bravo! 👏

I like the last idea that you have clapsble shower rods

I would also make a stand-in wooden draining platform for underneath (instead of the ABS cover) that way you can use the pan as a wet storage area, and leave it in there for less cold contact with your feet on the floor ;)

I have seen alot of van and motorhomes video the last 2 years. And I can safely say that, that shower system is exactly the same one all motorhomes or van lifers junk out in the end!

For your shower curtain. Use the same aluminum profile you used for your bed and create a system that slides up with quick lock/unlock points. And make a simple square from the same material and use the channels in the profile to hold the shower curtain. This could also house the holding bracket for the shower head.

I really like your idea to create a cardboard mock up. I will definitely do that for my future van build designs

Amazing stealth shower 🚿

Awesome shower pan. Next iteration: minimum shower drain is 2 1/2” diameter pipe.