How to Build a DIY Outdoor Garden Scullery (Step-by-Step)

Convert a neglected corner of your courtyard into a prep and wash up area, or scullery. As long as you have a solid wall, a water supply and somewhere for the water to drain away, this DIY project is for you!

Materials You’ll Need for Your Garden Scullery

• 2.2 kg Builders Pride dual crack filler
• 5 litres Builders Pride white undercoat
• 5 litres Fired Earth ‘Severe Weather Blizzard’ white
• 1 plastic wash trough and bracket
• 1 stainless steel shower hose 1.8 m
• 1 x Plumbpride plug and chain
• 1 PVC waste bend 40 mm
• 2 m PVC pipe 40 mm
• 2 m2 vinyl tiles in quartz
• 1 litres contact adhesive
• 30 full threaded screws
• 12 Hilti screws, size 6 x 60 mm
• 4 Rawl bolts, size m6

 

Laminated pine board, as follows

• 1 @ 572 x 460 mm (short shelf )*
• 1 @ 955 x 380 mm (longer shelf )
• 5 @ 900 x 600 mm (‘legs’)
• 1 @ 2400 x 600 mm (countertop)
• 4 @ 50 x 20 mm (cleats)

*Shelves can be the same length if preferred

Tools You’ll Need for Your Garden Scullery

Spirit level, pencil, hammer, paint scraper, sandpaper, skill saw, wood glue, handsaw, Builders Pride paintbrush 50 mm, electric drill plus 6 mm masonry drill bit and Ruwag 14 x 400 mm drill bit.

How to Build Your Garden Scullery

 

Step 1 – Prepare the Walls

Step 1: Prepare the walls where the trough is to be installed by removing damaged plaster and patching with crack filler. Use sandpaper to smooth filler, remove old damaged paintwork and roughen remaining painted surfaces. Ensure walls are clean and dust free and then paint with the undercoat.

Step 2 – Build the Wooden Units

Using wood glue and screws, join the uprights and shelves to form two free-standing units.

Step 3 – Fit the Trough and Countertop

Determine the ultimate position of the trough on the counter top, lay the trough upside down in this position and mark where you will cut through the counter top to accommodate the trough. Use the saw to cut out and remove the marked section. Next, place the counter top in position on the two units and secure it in place with screws and glue.

Step 4 – Secure to the Wall

Four cleats are required to ensure the unit attaches securely to the wall; they are particularly useful if the floor is not completely level. Place the unit in position against the wall and make rough marks underneath the counter top and both shelves. Move the unit and use a long spirit level to draw straight lines on the wall where the cleats are to be secured. Attach the cleats to the wall, place the unit in position and secure it to the cleats with screws.
NOTE: In woodwork, a cleat is a strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping and hold position.

Step 5 – Mount the Trough Bracket

Place the trough bracket in position, make the necessary marks to attach the bracket to the wall, drill the holes and secure the bracket. Rest the trough in place on the bracket.

Step 6 – Install the Hose

The scullery trough is to be used for washing vegetables from the garden so instead of taps we chose to install a hose and shower head. To do this, start by drilling a hole through the counter top for the shower hose. Thread the hose through the hole, connect the shower head above the counter and connect the other end to the water supply.

Step 7 – Connect the Drainage

Working underneath the trough, connect the PVC waste bend and drainage pipe. Using screws attach the fifth ‘ leg’ to the centre front of the unit to hide the pipes under the trough.

Step 8 – Tile the Countertop

Apply contact adhesive to the counter top and glue the tiles in place. Cut 20 mm strips of tile for the edges and glue them in place.

Step 9 – Paint and Finish

Paint the rest of the unit and the walls with Fired Earth ‘Severe Weather Blizzard’. Make sure to cover all exposed wood, to protect it from water damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is a garden scullery?
A garden scullery is an outdoor wash-up and prep area, typically built against a garden wall with a trough for washing
vegetables and garden tools. It keeps garden mess out of the kitchen.

Do I need a plumber to install a garden scullery?
Not for this project — the design uses a shower hose connected to your existing water supply and a simple PVC drainage
pipe. Basic DIY skills and the tools listed are sufficient.

What type of trough works best for an outdoor scullery?
A plastic wash trough with a wall bracket is the most practical choice — it’s lightweight, weather-resistant, and designed
for outdoor installation. These are available at most hardware stores in South Africa.

How do I protect the wood in an outdoor scullery from water damage?
Apply a quality exterior primer to all surfaces, including undersides and cut edges, before painting. Tiling the countertop
with vinyl tiles adds a further layer of waterproofing directly where water contact is highest.

Can I build a garden scullery if my floor is not level?
Yes — the cleat system in this project allows you to mount the unit to the wall independently of the floor level. Use a long
spirit level to ensure the unit is perfectly straight.

What drainage do I need for an outdoor garden scullery?
Connect a 40mm PVC waste bend and drainage pipe to a grey water outlet or a small soak pit. Ensure the pipe runs
downhill from the trough so water drains by gravity.

What paint is best for an outdoor garden scullery?
An exterior-grade, weather-resistant paint such as Fired Earth ‘Severe Weather’ is ideal for South African outdoor
conditions. Apply undercoat first, then at least two coats of your chosen colour.