Shipping Containers-If you did it again, what would you do differently?

[Rustyiron]

I have 3 20' cans that I previously used for jobsite storage, ie; temporary and movable. Now I use these for general storage and they pretty much suck. They are very easy to secure in a remote location, but for your house, take the $2000-$2500 and build a shed. Now their not bad if you add a lean to on each side using it as support, but alone everything you put in it is in the way of what's behind it unless you build shelving and have boxed or small items.

 

[crlf]

I have a 40 foot high cube. It sits on a gravel base and l have a crushed stone ramp. If I had a 電o over I would put two foundation pads, one at each corner where the doors are to prevent settling and the twisting of the structure which causes the doors to bind. I can still do this but it will be a pain to empty the container and push it back.

View attachment 671899

A neighbor with a dozer helped out with a similar correction by lifting one corner at a time with a chain hooked to the blade, and then we slid in some concrete squares to true up the doors and reduce settling. Worked nicely, did not need further adjustments.

First post; hello from the Selkirks of NE Washington.

 

[AWSubie]

A neighbor with a dozer helped out with a similar correction by lifting one corner at a time with a chain hooked to the blade, and then we slid in some concrete squares to true up the doors and reduce settling. Worked nicely, did not need further adjustments.

First post; hello from the Selkirks of NE Washington.

Yes, a dozer is a preferred tool! I use farm jacks ( hi-lift jacks) and sections of telephone poles for rollers.

 

[MHarryE]

My question is why pics show so many supports across the bottom of people’s containers? I did what they said - support the ends so I have a gap over the full length. They are supposed to bear the entire load only from the ends but do people have problems when using for storage?

I have 2 large buildings but added a container primarily for rodent protection of stuff the mice, birds and squirrels love to feast on - seed, some straw and hay that doesn’t get sold before winter, etc. Inconvenient, yes, but stuff for next season goes in first and stuff moving out during the winter near the door. Just need to make sure we don’t move rodents in with the produce.

 

[buck12]

My shipping containers have worked out great. My biggest mistake was buying a regular height container several years ago. When I bought a new tractor last year my new tractor was too tall so I had to add a high cube container. The other thing is to make sure you have plenty of space in front of where you want the container. The guy who delivered mine had a difficult time unloading mine because there just enough room in front of the container.

I now use the regular height container for ATVs, golf cart, etc..

 

[Mat4644]

Place on wood such as RR ties and a compact 4x4 tractor can slide to make adjustments. Two 3 ton auto floor jacks on planks will easily and safely lift an end or side for final leveling and support placement.

 

[bdog]

I have a single door 40’ and a double door 40’ high cube. The single door 40’ my wife uses for storage of who knows what. I never go in it. The double door high cube I bought three weeks ago. I bought it for the sole purpose of storing the things from my deceased parents house as we are closing on it Friday.

Both were bought as single trip containers and look brand new to me.

The key I think to them is a good foundation to set them on. I put down a semi load of crushed concrete and leveled it using a laser to within 1/8”. I then wetted and compacted the pad with a vibratory roller. The pad is basically perfectly level and hard as a rock. The doors work perfectly.

 

[PILOON]

Buddy owns a public storage facility.
He imported building materials and used one time containers to do so.
He placed the 2 containers on concrete bases and now has 2 additional storage lockers that his contractor clients love.
The cost per foot was less than his traditional lockers but he gets the same rental income.

 

[Texasmark]

Moisture inside is a physical element of atmosphere....my definition. As a body (your container for one) sits out in the weather, changes bring on humid and dry conditions. Humidity is sucked in when the container cools during the night. The next day the container gets hot....but not that hot, and the air expands inside and "exhales"....but it exhales dry air. Next evening it cools and inhales more humid air. Before long you have sweating.

My advice would be to figure out a way for the container to breathe. Whirling roof vents are one answer with pickup vents somewhere along the sides. Think about attics in houses as an example...gable ends have peak of the roof vents. Hipped have whirly birds, flat covered square vents near the peak, or peak vents with input vents under the eaves. Attics that aren't vented will mildew. Vented won't. Your steel container is much more susceptible due to being steel (higher cycling temp due to material), not insulated, and closed. That's the way I see it.

 

[Industrial Toys]

As for why so much support? I was so excited to get this, that I went a little bit overboard. But, it's also an issue of supporting the weight on the ground and it not sinking back to China, where it's probably been already.

When I moved it, it was such a job to get it positioned in a pine forest, that we only had time to put support under each end, intending to add more later. It hasn't happened yet. Getting everything level is a lot of work.

enroute, pulled by JD 6200