Outdoor Handwashing Station

This project was designed for a K-6 charter school for the students to use after recess. They needed a place to wash there hands before coming inside. The challenge was that there was no obvious location for the greywater to drain. This hand washing station is designed to be durable and handle the elements.

Materials

• PVC primer and cement
• Plumbing putty
• Clear polyurethane wood sealer
• Wood glue
• 3" T25 construction screws
• 1 1/4" T25 construction screws
• 2 1/2" pocket hole screws
• Wood filler
• 1 x 1/2" PVC pipe, 10'
• 1 x 1/2" PVC ball valve
• 1 x 1/2" PVC 90° elbow
• 1 x 1/2" PVC end cap
• 5 x Galvanized 1/2" tube strap
• 1 x 1/2" PVC hose connection
• 4 x Plastic Buss Box, 21 3/4" x 15 5/8"
• 4 x Stainless Steel drain assembly with strainer basket stopper
• 4 x Quarter circle spray drip irrigation micro spray heads
• 2 x 1 1/2" End Outlet Waste plumbing drain kit
• 1 x Plastic pool skimmer basket
• 1 x Brass water ball valve with bulk head
• 8 x Pressure Treated 2x4x8
• 1 x 1/2" Plywood 4x8
• 1 x 55 gallon plastic drum w/lid

Tools

• Tape
• Impact Driver with T25 bit and Pocket hole bit.
• Drill with counter sink bit
• Chop saw
• Skill saw
• Oscillating tool
• Jig saw
• 1 1/2" Hole saw
• 3 1/2" Hole saw
• 10-24 tap
• Orbital sander
• Pocket hole jig
• Router with round over bit
• Ratcheting PVC pipe cutter

1. Using chop saw, measure and cut all of your 2x4s
   • 3 x 65"
   • 7 x 21"
   • 4 x 36"
   • 4 x 30"
   • 1 x 11"
   • 1 x 32
2. On a flat surface, using two 65" boards and two 21" boards. Screw together a square frame using the 3" construction screws (you may want to predrill holes to prevent splitting). Be sure that the 21" boards are in between the 65" boards, not on the ends.
3. Inside the square frame, screw in three of the 21" boards spaced 14 1/4" apart.
4. Using the pocket hole jig, drill two pocket holes on one end of each of the 36" boards.
5. Fasten the 36" legs to the four corners of the square table top frame using the 2 1/2" pocket hole screws. Be sure to fasten the legs flush to the 65" board. Use wood glue between each of the joints.
6. Using chop saw make 45° cuts on the ends of the 30" boards, These will be used as diagonal supports to give the structure horizontal rigidity.
7. Drill pocket holes in the ends of the diagonal boards and screw in place (see picture).
8. Fasten the two remaining 21" boards between each of the legs using pocket holes and screws.
9. With the base complete, place the 1/2" plywood on top of the base. make one corner of the plywood flush with a corner of the base, then and using a pencil draw your cut lines.
10. Use a skill saw to cut out the plywood top for the wash station.
11. The easiest way to mark out the holes for the sinks is to trace the squares on the underside of the plywood while it is in place on the base with a sharpie, then flip the plywood over and mark out the holes for the bins in the center of the squares.
12. Using a jigsaw, cut out each of the four sink holes.
13. Using the 1 1/4" construction screws, fasten down the plywood top to the base of the wash station. You may want to predrill and countersink the holes.
14. With the plywood top fastened down and all the screw heads flush to the surface. Using the router and a round over bit Round over the outside edge of the plywood top.
15. At this point if you have any tear out or cracks in the plywood, you can fix using the wood filler if you wish. After it dries, use an orbital sander to sand surface smooth.
16. Apply the polyurethane wood sealer to the plywood top.

1. Place the bus bins into each of the sink holes.
2. Dry fit the drains and the plumbing together. Hold drain assembly to the bottom of the bins and mark out the location to drill the hole for the drain. Be sure that the end of the drains are close enough that they will both drain into the skimmer basket (See picture).
3. Flip the bins over, mark the center, and using a 3 1/2" hole saw, cut the hole for the drain.
4. Using a generous amount of plumbers putty, create a bead around the flange of the sink drain. Insert the drain into the hole. Make sure the gasket for the drain is on the bottom side of the sink, then screw on the fastening nut to tighten down the drain. Remove any plumbers putty that squeezes out.
5. Attach the 1 1/2" drain plumbing.
6. For the spray bar, take the 32" board and on whichever side you want to attach the hose, fasten the board in the middle of the table with 7" sticking up from the surface of the plywood. Use four of the 3" construction screws to fasten to the frame, and another four to fasten to the lower cross member.
7. On the opposite side, use the 11" board and fasten to the frame with 7" sticking up from the surface of the plywood.
8. Using the last 65" board, span the length of the wash station and mount flush with the top of the boards on each side of the wash station (predrill to prevent splitting).
9. On the side you will be connecting to the hose, drill a 1 1/2" hole in the riser. The top of the hole needs to be flush with the bottom of the 65" board that spans the top of the wash station.
10. Take the 1/2" PVC pipe and thread pipe through the hole you just drilled until it reaches just past the center of the last sink then make your cut using the PVC pipe cutter.
11. Using the PVC primer and cement, glue on the 1/2" end cap on one end of the pipe and the 90° elbow on the other.
12. With the pipe laying on a flat surface, draw a straight line down the length of it, perpendicular to the 90° elbow.
13. Thread the pipe back through the hole and make four marks on the pipe at the center of each sink.
14. Using a 10-24 tap drill, the four holes in the 1/2" PVC pipe for the spray heads.
15. Thread the pipe back through the hole and then fasten to the underside of the 65" 2x4 using three of the galvanized 1/2" straps and the 1 1/4" construction screws.
16. Screw in the micro spray heads, making sure they point down towards the sinks.
17. Take the remaining 1/2" PVC pipe and measure from the 90° elbow down to about an 1" below the bottom of the 32" board. Cut your PVC and glue one end to the 90 ° elbow and to the bottom end, glue the hose adapter (see picture).

1. Take the 55 gallon drum, on the side that has no lid, mark the placement for the brass ball valve bulk head. It needs to be as low as possible, but taking into account that the rubber o-ring needs to lay flat.
2. Use the 1 1/2" hole saw and cut the hole.
3. Install the brass ball valve bulk head, making sure the area is clean and the seal is tight.
4. Using the remaining 2x4 pieces, cut two 24" boards and two 18" boards. these will be used as a stand for the greywater tank (see picture).
5. On each of the 18" boards you will need to cut curves in the board that match the curve of the tank. The bottom of the curve should leave about 1 1/2" of board. Cut these out with the jigsaw. Make sure to predrill holes to prevent splitting.
6. Determine the placement of the grey water tank below the drain system before cutting the hole for the skimmer basket. Mark the placement of the placement of the skimmer basket making sure the brass bulk head (drain) is pointed down.
7. After marking the hole for the basket, use the oscillating tool to cut the hole. Make sure you have tight fit to the skimmer basket, make adjustments if necessary.
8. With everything in place, it is time to adjust the height of the wash station. Measure the distance from the top of the skimmer basket to the lowest point of the drain system. (With our station it measured 5"). Subtract 1/2" and that is how much you will be cutting off of the legs of the wash station.
9. Measure up from the ground and mark your cut lines. Using a skill saw cut the legs to the correct length.
10. Hook up the hose and enjoy your hand washing station!