A Typical Campsite Washroom Specification

Campsite washrooms aren’t like your average commercial wash space. Few public washrooms are designed for all users to use for all their washing needs, and so when planning campsite washroom renovation works, there are a few key things to bear in mind.

You’ll need more washing facilities compared to the average washroom
At peak times, the washroom could be used by a large number of people doing everything from shaving, brushing teeth and showering, not to mention using the loo. Therefore, unlike normal washrooms, where users at the bank of sinks are washing hands and heading out, users may be stood in front of them for some time.

In light of this, you’ll want to make sure you have several shaver sockets, shelves near to the wash basins and well lit mirrors above them. For many campsite washrooms we recommend purpose built vanity units. These can be custom made from solid grade laminate (SGL) which is completely impervious to water and incredibly hard wearing. By incorporating shelves or a vanity unit, you give users space to put their wash bags while freshening up.

Do your users have space to change?
It’s all well and good having plenty of showers, wash basins and toilets, but your users need space to change too, and ideally somewhere off the floor to store their dry clothes and towels.

Look to leave ample room for manouvering and changing near to the showers. Towel hooks should be within close reach of the shower area or shower cubicles. Benches are a wise choice as they also give those using the facilities somewhere to sit while changing, as well as off the floor space to leave clothes or changing bags.

Give serious thought to installing a bath
A bath in a campsite washroom might sound a little odd, but can be a powerful asset to your campsite, particularly if your campsite’s popular with families. We highly recommend the installation of at least one bath in an enclosed area. This is not only a welcome addition to some users who want to have a late night soak, but allows parents to bathe young children. If you’ve ever had to struggle with a small toddler in a shower, you’ll appreciate just how life-saving a bath can be!

Is your waste adequate for the volume of users?
If you are building a brand new washroom complex, or converting an existing building, make sure to consider the waste. With showers, sinks and toilets all in use at the same time, you’ll need to ensure that water moves away rapidly to prevent water backing up and potential flooding.

Invest in your floor
The floor in a campsite washroom gets a lot of traffic from boots, shoes and flip-flops, often traipsing mud and abrassive dirt. A tough non-slip safety floor covering is probably going to be your best bet for two main reasons:

1. Your washroom is likely to have a wet floor from shower users and occasional wet weather, where users walking in with wet shoes.
2. Campsite washrooms are usually unattended, only being checked on at set intervals, so safety is paramount.

For ease of cleaning, we recommend putting in at least one floor drain so that you can hose down the floor when necessary, and also for spilt water to drain to. This makes your facilities safer, but also easier to clean and maintain.

Of course, floor tiles with anti-slip properties can also be used and washed down in a similar fashion, but over time may prove more difficult to maintain and deep clean, as bacteria can harbour in the grout lines.

Good lighting is essential
Your washroom and shower block is most likely going to be open 24 hours in peak season and so lighting needs to be considered properly. Outside lighting should be constant in hours of darkness, but internal lighting can be activated in timer with a push button switch, or even sensor activated. Both options mean the lights are only ever on when a user is in the facilities, which can cut electricity bills significantly and reduces the risk of lights accidentally being left on all night.

Ventilation is your friend
This is going to be a very humid environment and to protect your new washroom against damp, mould and mildew, good air circulation is going to be vital. The installation of extractors and recirculators can help significantly, but high, slimline open windows are also a good option.

Durability and security
Of course, one of the most important areas of a campsite washroom, and one that is most often very high on a caretakers list of requirements, is durability. As with any public wash space, accidental damage and vandalism is a cause for concern and one that needs to be addressed.

Stainless steel is an incredibly durable material and one used in many campsites. This is most often selected for urinal troughs toilets and in some cases basins, however, many composite and porcelain fittings are also of incredibly durable construction. The pipework for showers can also be integrated in units like the Inta Stainless Steel Shower Panel, protecting it completely from vandalism.

Solid grade laminate (SGL) is an incredibly hard wearing and versatile material most often used for cubicles and wall cladding. What makes SGL such a great choice, is that it is completely waterproof and can be made to exacting specifications. This means you can work to any niggly dimensions you might have. Another bonus of SGL is that is comes in a huge range of colours, meaning you can tie your washroom design in with your campsite logo, or simply add some colour and dimension into the washroom - and make it easy to clean at the same time.

Finally, you’re going to want to rule out any risk of flood or wasted water and so push taps, or sensor taps are going to be an excellent choice. Both these options only allow water to flow through the fixture for a set period of time, meaning they cant be left on accidentally.

As always, our team are at the end of the telephone for all your queries and questions and have a wealth of knowledge they’re happy to share with you. So if you need some guidance, or would like to talk over your options, you can give them a call on 01202 650900.