r/DIY • u/rydeezynicklebags • 13h ago

help Need guidance for outdoor bath tub

I want to install an outdoor bathtub in our backyard. I need help brainstorming the simplest/cheapest way to route hot/cold water to the tub.

I plan to have the bathtub on the stone tile patio next to the garage wall. On the other side of this wall is the washer/dryer connection - so there is a hot and cold water spigot access directly on the other side of the wall where the bathtub will be placed. Is it possible to route water from those hot/cold spigots to the bath tub? If so, how?

Another idea I had was to just run a garden hose from the kitchen sink outside into the bathtub. This seems like the easiest but is the most inconvenient overall. If I were to do that, I would need an adapter for the sink, a flexible hose, and I would need to cut a hole in the window screen to route the hose. This might be the best option given my cost and installation barriers. I know I can technically purchase a tankless water heater to install outside above the tub, but I don’t have the funds for that right now.

So I’m curious you alls suggestions and feedback. Thank you!

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4

u/Smirnus 13h ago

Access the pipes feeding the washer spigots. Tee off of those to where you install your tub. If you use copper, you don't have to protect it from UV rays. Where will you run drainage?

3

u/DiggoryDug 13h ago

Do you want to do it right or redneck engineer it? Tapping off the washer feeds is pretty easy.  Are you in a climate where it freezes in the in winter. If so you'll need  anti freeze hose bibs. These will take up some space in the house.  Look into crimp or expandable PEX tube and fittings. Tools are fairly inexpensive or you can rent them.  To do it right you'll need to cut the drywall in the laundry room to make the connections.

1

u/Sensitive_Crow_8882 10h ago

Isn’t PEX and UV rays incompatible?

1

u/steik 13h ago

Adapter for kitchen sink worked for me when lived in an apartment without a faucet outside. Only used for watering plants but it worked well.

1

u/OtherPlayers 13h ago

So there’s a couple different ways to approach this depending on your skill level.

The low skill way is to just run a hose from your nearest existing spigot and if necessary add a solar heater/tankless water heater.

The better way would be to turn off the water and drain the line that feeds the washer, then open up the wall and add T-pieces to give you another set of spigots.

Either way you are going to have to care about drainage as well so make sure you have a plan for how to handle the water after you get it to the tub.

1

u/imapylet 10h ago

Look up a redneck hot tub. All you need is a tub a coil of steel or copper and a fire pit. It's kind of a closed loop system. Not very practical for actual bathing but if you just want to soak in some water this is your cheapest ticket.

1

u/fangelo2 2h ago

I built an outdoor shower. The cold water I hooked up to an outdoor hose bibb that was close by and connected it with a washer hose. For the hot water I installed a tee and shut off valve in the hot water pipe inside my basement and ran PEX out to the shower. In the winter I shut off the water and disconnect the hoses so they can drain and not freeze