Campervan with toilet and shower ideas: complete guide

Some campers are happy to rely on the bathroom facilities provided by campgrounds and holiday parks. However, many people are now choosing to convert a campervan with a toilet and shower. That’s because an onboard bathroom is particularly handy if you want to (a) camp off-grid or (b) you find yourself in desperate need of a loo or rinse whilst travelling.

In this DIY guide to setting up a campervan with a toilet and shower, you will find:

• Examples and pictures from 40 campervans with toilets and showers

• Things to consider before building a campervan bathroom

• The different kinds of campervan showers and how to install them

• The different kinds of campervan toilets and how to install them

• How to test drive a campervan with a bathroom

• How to make money from your DIY van conversion in Australia

By the time you’re done, you’ll have a campervan bathroom with a toilet and shower, so that your van is fully self-contained!

Earn up to $10,000 a year by hiring out your campervan - sign up to Camplify today.

40 campervans with toilets and showers

Camplify is host to a heap of privately-owned rental campervans with toilets and showers - all around Australia!

To help you source ideas and inspiration for your own camper van conversion, below are 40 of the best campervans with toilets and showers.

Want to source even more ideas for your campervan bathroom? Click here to see all of the campervans with toilets and showers on Camplify.

Mercedes Sprinter campervans with bathrooms

• V'Anne (Mercedes Sprinter with internal toilet and shower - East Devonport, TAS)

• Luxury Adventure Mobile (Mercedes Benz Sprinter with internal toilet and shower - St Kilda, VIC)

• Pepperberry 2 (Mercedes Sprinter with internal toilet and shower - Newstead, TAS)

• Savannah (Mercedes Sprinter with internal toilet and shower - Ballina, NSW)

• One and Only (Mercedes Sprinter with internal toilet and shower - Aveley, WA)

• Reba Vanentire (Mercedes Sprinter with internal toilet and shower - Port Melbourne, VIC)

• Van Adventures (Mercedes Benz Vito with tailgate shower - Gold Coast, QLD)

• Freddy Merc (Mercedes Sprinter with internal shower - Yamba, NSW)

• Winnebardo (Mercedes Sprinter with internal toilet and shower - Bulimba, QLD)

• Hermit (Mercedes Sprinter with internal toilet and shower - Wynnum, QLD)

• Vanderer (Mercedes Sprinter with internal toilet and shower - Southport, QLD)

Toyota campervans with bathrooms

• Vincent (Toyota Hiace with tailgate shower - Gold Coast, QLD)

• Samson - (Toyota Hiace with slide-out toilet and external shower - Brisbane)

• Ocean Coaster (Toyota Coaster with internal shower - Coffs Harbour, NSW)

Volkswagen campervans with bathrooms

• Glamper Camper (Volkswagen Crafter with internal shower - Marrickville, NSW)

• Fancy Apartment on Wheels (Volkswagen Crafter with internal shower - St Kilda, VIC)

• Oakley (Volkswagen Crafter with internal toilet and shower - Brisbane, QLD)

• Florence (Volkswagen Crafter with external shower - Craigie, WA)

• Wanda (Volkswagen Crafter with internal toilet and shower - Robertson, NSW)

• Marley (Volkswagen Crafter with internal toilet and shower and external shower - Brisbane, QLD)

Ford campervans with bathrooms

• Priscilla (Ford Transit with internal toilet and shower - Brisbane, QLD)

• Big Betty (Ford Transit with internal toilet and shower - East Gosford, NSW)

• FreeBird (Ford Transit with internal toilet and shower - Quakers Hill, NSW)

• Gypsy - (Ford Transit with external toilet and shower - Bushfield, VIC)

• Wander Van (Ford Transit with slide-out toilet and external shower - South Coogee, NSW)

• Chipo (Ford Transit with internal shower - Richmond, VIC)

Fiat campervans with bathrooms

• Wickster Campervan (Fiat Ducato with internal toilet and shower - Launceston, TAS)

• Vandan (Fiat Ducato with internal toilet and shower - Kensington, VIC)

• Off-Grid Cabin (Fiat Ducato with internal toilet and shower - Lennox Head, NSW)

• Vanuatu (Fiat Ducato with slide-out toilet - Margaret River, WA)

Renault campervans with bathrooms

• Nelly (Renault Master with internal toilet and shower - Canning, WA)

• Vanderlust IV (Renault Master with external shower - Tweed Heads, QLD)

• Dances with Kangaroos (Renault Master with internal toilet and shower - Sydney, NSW)

• Chill Out 2 (Renault Master with internal toilet and shower - Broadbeach, QLD)

• Vanderlust II (Renault Master with external shower - Tweed Heads, NSW)

• Sunseeka (Renault Master with external shower - Sydney, NSW)

• Freedom (Renault Master with external shower - Gold Coast, QLD)

Nissan campervans with bathrooms

• Bilbo (Nissan Urvan with external shower and slide-out toilet - Brisbane, QLD)

Iveco campervans with bathrooms

• Ivy (Iveco Daily with internal toilet and shower - Queens Park, NSW)

Mitsubishi campervans with bathrooms

• Amity (Mitsubishi Express with external solar shower - Maryland, NSW)

How to convert a campervan with a toilet and shower

Step 1. Considerations when building a campervan bathroom

If you want your campervan bathroom to include a toilet and shower, there are seven factors to consider during the design phase:

• Positioning: You can either install a permanent bathroom inside your campervan or a temporary pop-up bathroom on the exterior of your campervan. The benefit of an internal bathroom is that it is more comfortable to use year-round in winter conditions. However, an internal bathroom also uses up precious floor space. Most internal campervan bathrooms are positioned toward the front of the van.

• Framing: Most campervan conversions with a shower and toilet use two-by-four timber for the framing. Over the framing, you can build the bathroom walls out of marine plywood.

• Waterproofing: You will need to waterproof the bathroom walls to prevent leaks into the campervan. Many camper conversions use aluminium composite panels (ACP) or fibreglass reinforced panels (FRP), which is mounted to the timber framing.

• Shower drainage: If you want to install an internal campervan shower, you will likely have to mount a grey water tank underneath the van. This involves cutting a hole in the metal floor of your campervan, so that water can drain directly from the shower into the grey tank.

• Shower plumbing: Because campervan showers require a lot of water, you will likely need to install an inlet to which you can connect an external hose. It is unlikely that a detachable water tank will hold enough water for more than one shower. For more information, see our guide to setting up a DIY campervan water system.

• Heating: Your campervan shower can be heated through either solar, gas, the van’s engine or a combination of gas and battery. This is discussed in more detail below.

• Finish: Once the majority of your campervan bathroom has been built, you will have to finish it with trim, paint, tiles and a shower curtain or door.

If installing a campervan bathroom with a shower and toilet sounds too difficult or space-consuming, you may prefer to buy a portable camping bathroom that you can quickly and easily set up whenever you arrive at a new campsite. They can be packed down and stowed away to take up minimal space inside your campervan. However, it can get cold using the toilet or showering outdoors in winter.

Step 2. Choosing and installing a campervan shower

A campervan shower is great if you plan on camping at basic campsites that don’t provide bathroom facilities (i.e. off-grid camping for long periods).

However, an internal campervan shower will take up a lot of floor space and can be difficult to build. If you own a smaller van or don’t think you are capable of building an internal shower, you might be better off simply buying a portable camping bathroom and installing a simple hot water system in your campervan.

There are four main types of campervan showers:

• Solar

• Battery-powered

• Gas-powered

• Combination (gas and battery-powered)

Solar campervan showers

Solar showers are an affordable, simple and lightweight option if you want a hot shower setup for your campervan.

Direct sunlight is required to heat the water inside a solar, so most people use them outside. However, if you buy a portable solar shower, you could leave it outside to heat up before taking it into your internal campervan bathroom for a hot shower.

There are two main types of solar showers. Solar shower bags are made out of PVC material and can simply be hung in direct sunlight (e.g. off of a branch or pole) at your campsite. Roof-mounted solar showers are made out of powder-coated aluminium tubing and permanently fixed to the roof of your campervan, so that it is always exposed to direct sunlight and heats the water throughout the day.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to solar campervan showers:

• Perfect for those who just want a hot shower or rinse

• Easy to set up

• Some models are portable and take up little space internally

• More affordable than other campervan showers

• Can take several hours to heat water (requires decent sunshine)

• Low water pressure (but some models are compatible with water pumps)

• Limited water capacity only suitable for one or two people

Our pick of solar campervan showers: Companion Deluxe 20L Solar Bag or Yakima Roadshower.

Battery-powered campervan shower

Battery-powered showers are another affordable, simple and lightweight option for a campervan shower setup.

A battery-powered camping shower relies on replaceable or rechargeable batteries. Some models only pump the water, whilst others both pump and heat water at the same time.

This option can be used either inside or outside your campervan. Simply submerge the electric shower pump in a bucket of water and start showering. Its simple design means that it’s also easy to store away (coil it up like a hose).

Battery-powered showers are a good choice for those wanting a high-pressure shower without the need to carry around a gas tank (however, you will need to carry batteries or recharging equipment).

There are several advantages and disadvantages to battery-powered campervan showers:

• Consistent water pressure.

• Very simple set-up.

• Long-lasting battery life.

• More portable than other setups.

• Highly affordable.

• Heated models are more expensive.

• Not as durable as more expensive shower setups.

• Water capacity depends on bucket size.

Our pick of gas-powered campervan shower: Companion Rechargeable Camp Shower.

Gas-powered campervan shower

Gas-powered campervan showers provide better water pressure and faster heating but are more costly and slightly more complicated to set up (compared to solar and battery-powered camp showers).

Gas-powered hot water systems rely on LPG gas cylinders or canisters to heat the water inside via coils and burners. They can be installed internally in your campervan bathroom or sit as a portable unit at the rear of your van for external use.

However, many gas-powered hot water systems also require a constant supply of running water (e.g. from a tap). If you want hot showers when camping off-grid, make sure that the system is capable of running off of a fresh-water tank.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to gas-powered campervan showers:

• Heats water in seconds

• Good water pressure (if attached to a hose or electric pump)

• Can also be used for washing dishes

• More difficult to set up

• Requires LPG gas cylinder

• Less affordable than solar and battery-powered hot water systems

Our pick of gas-powered campervan shower: Joolca Portable Water Heater.

Combination (gas and battery-powered) campervan shower

Combination (gas and battery-powered) campervan showers also provide great water pressure and fast heating. However, again, they are more costly and slightly more complicated to set up (compared to solar and battery-powered camp showers).

Combination hot water systems are usually portable and powered by a rechargeable lithium battery. The water is heated by an LPG gas cylinder or cartridge. They can be installed internally in your campervan bathroom or sit as a portable unit at the rear of your van for external use.

Most combination hot water systems don’t require a running water source, as they have an inbuilt pump (powered by the battery). This makes them a good fit for campervan owners who want to camp off-grid.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to combination campervan showers:

• Good water pressure

• Heats water in seconds

• Rechargeable battery can provide 1 - 2 hours run time

• Easy to set up

• Portable

• Can also be used for washing dishes

• Requires LPG gas cylinder

• Less affordable than other hot water systems

• Need to recharge the battery

Our pick of combination campervan shower: Companion Aquaheat.

Step 3. Choosing and installing a campervan toilet

There are two key reasons why you rarely see a campervan with a flushing toilet:

• Drainage: If you want to install a flush toilet in your campervan, you will have to mount a black water tank underneath the van. This requires you to cut a drainage hole in the metal floor of your campervan. For this reason, many conversions instead choose a portable toilet that can be manually emptied.

• Plumbing: Because flush toilets require a lot of water, you would need to install an inlet to which you could connect an external hose. It is unlikely that a detachable water tank could hold enough water to support a flushing toilet.

When undertaking a DIY van conversion, our advice is to stay away from the complex and expensive installation of a built-in flush toilet and blackwater tank. Use a portable camping toilet instead.

There are three main types of campervan toilets:

• Porta-Potti

• Toilet chair with bucket

• Composting toilet

Porta-Potti campervan toilet

Porta-potties have two main sections that connect to create a nearly full-sized toilet. The seat section includes a bowl surrounded by a flush tank filled with water. The bottom section serves as a waste tank (this is kept sealed until emptied at a dump station).

The top section normally features a manual piston pump to release the flush water. The bottom section should also have a holding tank level indicator so that you know when to plan a visit to the dump station.

Most people choose to store the porta-potti in a dedicated cupboard or slide-out drawer inside their campervan.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to porta-potti campervan toilets:

• Compact (can be stored in campervan cupboard)

• Portable (can be used outside)

• Flushable

• Waste tank prevents leaks and traps smells

• Some models chemically control odours

• Has to be manually emptied at dump point

• Not as comfortable as toilet chair

Our pick of porta-potti campervan toilet: Thetford Porta Potti 365 Toilet

Campervan toilet chair and bucket

Toilet chairs consist of two main sections. The seat section is similar to that of a camping chair with a hole in the centre. The lower section consists of a bucket with a bag in it to catch and hold waste.

The chair can be folded up and stowed away, whilst the bucket and bag can be contained until you are ready to dispose of it at the next designated dump station. These features make this a portable and comfortable option for those who are happy to use the toilet outside of their campervan.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to campervan toilet chairs:

• Compact (can be stored in cupboard)

• Portable (can be used outside)

• Bucket prevents leaks and traps smells

• Toilet chair is comfortable

• Have to dispose of waste bag at dump point

Our pick of campervan toilet chair: OZtrail Toilet Chair

Portable Composting Toilet

Although composting camping toilets are usually the most expensive option, they are also the most eco-friendly.

Modern composting toilets have three sections that combine to form an almost full-sized toilet: the seat, the urine bucket and the solids bucket. When you sit down to use the toilet, you open a hatch to either the urine bucket or solids bucket (depending on what you need to do).

The urine bucket is simple - once it is nearly full of urine, it can be removed and emptied at a dump point.

However, the solids bucket is different. Before using the solids bucket, you have to half fill it with a composting agent such as peat moss, sawdust or coconut core. Once you do take a poop in the solids bucket, you must turn an agitator on the side of the toilet that mixes the composting agent with the solid waste. This essentially starts the composting process. When the solids bucket is ready to be disposed of, you can empty the waste into a compostable bag and throw it away at a composting dump point.

Installing the composting toilet is more complicated than other campervan toilet options. If it is being used inside, you will have to cut a hole in the side of your campervan, through which you can run the ventilation hose. You will also need to connect the 12V fan to your campervan's power system.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to composting campervan toilets:

• Eco-friendly

• Portable (can be used outside)

• Buckets prevent leaks and traps smells

• Comfortable

• Have to dispose of waste at dump point

• More difficult to install than other option

• Not as compact as other options

Our pick: Nature’s Head Self-Contained Composting Toilet

Test a campervan with a toilet and shower

Still not sure whether you want to build a campervan bathroom? Want to try out different camping showers and toilets?

Hire a campervan with a bathroom and toilet on Camplify. See for yourself how much it improves your camping experience!

Camplify makes it easy for holidaymakers to arrange campervan hire in Australia.

Simply enter your pickup location, adjust the optional filters and within seconds, you will find the perfect motorhome, caravan or campervan for your camping trip!

Make money from your campervan conversion

Now that you know how to set up a campervan toilet and shower in your DIY conversion, you’re all set to hit the road and get things flowing!

But what about when your road trip comes to an end and your campervan is sitting idly in the driveway?

Earn a return on your investment by hiring it out through Camplify - holidaymakers love campervan rentals that include a toilet and shower!

Why Camplify?

Each year, heaps of Aussies earn up to $10,000 by hiring out their campervan through Camplify. It provides a quick and easy way to generate long-term passive income and earn a return on their investment.

And the best part is that Camplify takes care of many of the expenses involved in hiring out your vehicle, including:

• Comprehensive hire insurance.

• 24/7 NRMA nationwide breakdown cover for hirers.

• Dedicated customer support.

If you’re interested in joining Camplify as an owner, try our earnings calculator and see how much income you could generate each year by renting out your unused campervan!

Disclaimer: This article is intended as a general guide only. Please do your own further research before building your campervan bathroom.