Cargo Container Footings

[RedRocker]

I can't find any info on how to go about building some footings for a 40' container, it's my understanding you only need to support them at the corners. I'll have maybe a foot difference in elevation from front to back. If anybody has any ideas I'd like to hear them. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Highbeam]

I just put it on the ground. If the ground isn't flat (not the same as level) then you'll need to smooth it to prevent twist up of the box which will make opening doors difficult. I have found that the box will readily flex to conform to the ground and won't be rocky.

A guy could use railroad ties for a footing. I have seen pier blocks used on the corners too.

Not sure I would want it perfectly level. I think I would aim for tipping slightly towards the door and slightly to one side. Sideways so that water runs off of the side of the top and not dribbling over the doorway. Towards the door so that if you spill a gallon of water, AF, diesel, it will run out the doorway since ther are no drains in the back.

If you want a foundation, I would go buy a half dozen concrete blocks, the 4x8x16 size and make them level. A gravel bed beneath the container would further improve drianage and aior movement.

 

[jinman]

Mike, I think concrete blocks would work fine, but I'd put them every 10' for long-term setup just like a mobile home. I think up on top of your hill I'd want some piers and MH tiedowns too at the corners with straps to the lift points. I don't think you'd need much more than that, but you are pretty exposed up there on that hill top.

 

[EddieWalker]

When I had two of them, I just smoothed out the ground, got it pretty level and spread 4 inches of rock for a base.

Cheap, easy and simple.

Eddie

 

[RedRocker]

Thanks for the help, I'm headed up there this weekend to clear off a spot, then I can see what I have to work with level wise.

 

[Cord]

Concrete block when stacked core side up will sink into the ground. Concrete block when stacked on the side are weak and prone to collapse. Padio blocks won't be strong enough and will break in half. Timber cribbing is proably the best way to go. Don't just stack the timbers. Build them up with 4 sides like a log cabin. They'll be much more stable when things start sinking into the ground.

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

I used cap blocks. (I think they were 4x8x16) I know they were solid. Here's how I did it... Level site prior to container arriving. Push container in place. Lift one end and put cap blocks under corners and set container down. Go to other end, lift it up and put blocks under it so it was pitched towards the other end where the doors are. Set container down, watch cap blocks disapper into the non-compacted soil. Lift and put more cap blocks under. Set container down and watch cap blocks disappear. You see where this is going dont you /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Eventually one of two end points will happen. 1. You will run out of cap blocks and abandon this idea, or 2. you will eventually make a piling made out of cap blocks that will support the container. I was just about to run out of blocks when it finally held firm. That was 2 years ago and it hasn't moved since then. BTW all the heavy work was scheduled when some dozer work was being done. A Deere 750 had no problems pushing or lifting a 40' container.

Mike

 

[leeinmemphis]

I have a 40' and a 20' at my farm. Both of them are just sitting on the ground. I have a d4 dozer and it will just barely pick up the end of a 40' container.

 

[RedRocker]

I've got no way to pick up the end, I was thinking of a poured footing that wouldn't get knocked over when they slid the container off the truck. That's why I didn't think any kind of stacked brick would work very well.

 

[EddieWalker]

RedRocker,

Has the container been delivered yet??

If not, it's realy easy to for the driver to put it exactly where you want it. He tilts the truck bed and lowers on corner to the exact spot you want it.

On mine, he nailed it to the inch!!!

Once the one end is down, then he drives forward and the container slides off the truck to the exact place you want it.

Just make sure he has room in front to pull forward.

And to add to my earlier post, gravel works really well for a base. If you start putting down concret blocks or some other material, will you also be creating homes for rodents, snakes and insects???

When my containers were in place, I poured cement under the ends to keep the critters out.

Eddie

 

[Highbeam]

This is how you move them. I see no reason that you couldn't use a manly floor jack to lift one end of the container. Heck, my cheap finger smashing 2-ton floor jack should have the power to lift one end. The 6-ton big dog will do better.

 

[Cord]

And to think I bought a box blade to grade my driveway...

 

[BarryinMN]

I lifted a full container by digging a hole at each end, then cribbed up with 4X4 & 6x6 blocking, put a 20 ton bottle jack on top of this and put some 1" plate between ram & bottom of container to distribute the load & lifted.

Did a combination of putting RR ties under the ends & slid the whole thing 6" sideways.

Slow but still faster than unloading the container.

It has settled about 6" over 3 years but still level.

 

[RedRocker]

Highbeam, I'm amazed that you would offer to bring your dozer down to Texas to help me out, you truely are a good guy. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I don't have one yet, I'm headed up there this Saturday and clear off a spot and see what I have to work with. I went to the Dentist yesterday and found out the cost of a container could fit easily in my mouth, so it may get pushed back a month or two. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Highbeam]

Oh yes the road looked nice but I shaved the crown off of it and found out that zero crown on a clay road is a loser.

 

[tommu56]

I moved out chicken coop with 2 4" pipes a little longer than the with of coop and my jd 212 and the wife and kids.

I jacked up one end and put one pipe under it put a chain around whole coop and hooked to tractor pulled it till it just tipped down in front had wife and kids walk to back of coop front tipped up put 2nd pipe in pulled till 1st pipe came out back brough it around to the front had family walk to back rolled under again angled the pipes a little to turn it 90 degrees and in to place the kids had fun with their enclosed sesaw had to do this qute a few times to move the 150 or 200ft

tom

 

[terry.dinerman]

I agree with Eddie Walker....nothing fancy...

I just moved 4 containers (old truck bodies) on to a packed gravel bed at my property...used treated 2x6 "sleepers" layed flat under the boxes to maintain alignment and allow me to slide the boxes into position...

This keeps them a bit higher than the surrounding ground, promoting drainage and air circulation, allows easy routing of utilities and gives the skunks somewhere to live...

Be Safe...

T

 

[clayj]

We just had a 40' container moved in - before it arrived I built two 9' x 1' boxes with 2 x 6 boards, dug out about a 3" strip in the ground and then used the boards as frames, spaced EXACTLY 40' apart. I also bought 6 10' 3/8" rebars and cut 'em down to 8'. Borrowed a friend's cement mixer and put 12 60# bags of QuickCrete in each frame, did 6 bags, then put the rebars in, then did the remaining 6 bags. Let it cure for about 2 weeks and pulled the boards. Not EXACTLY level on top and level between 'em only to about 1/8", but "good enough".

Container Lifters NW did the "lift" from our old place (after we filled the container with the contents of a 3 BR house ) to our new farm, and he dropped it right on both ends - they settled about 2" (no worse than railroad ties); but it's stable now. Next step is to get it cleaned up and painted before the neighbors complain about the "K-LINE" on the side.

If I can figure out how to get the video off my iPhone, I'll post a video of the delivery. Container Lift NW (out of Portland) did a GREAT job of lifting the container FLAT, and dropping it the same; NOTHING inside shifted - including even a stepladder we mistakenly left in the back. The whole thing, INCLUDING the cost of the container, 4 "professional" packer/loaders AND the "lift" cost less than 25% of the bid we got from a "real" mover AND will be paid for after 12 months of not having to pay "rent" for an 8x10 "storage locker".

 

[newbury]

This is how you move them. I see no reason that you couldn't use a manly floor jack to lift one end of the container. Heck, my cheap finger smashing 2-ton floor jack should have the power to lift one end. The 6-ton big dog will do better.

That's impressive -
But shouldn't you drag it so the long axis is perpendicular to your path? And don't you need some scarifiers?

 

[john40981]

Nice and easy and free foundation is to use old truck tyres, your local tyre shop will give them to you for nothing and happy to get rid of them. Use 4, one under each corner for a 20' and 6 for a 40'. they work well the container will find it's own level as it sinks into the tyre and holds it up for good air flow under it. Maintance free, easy to move, they won't break and don't seem to sink into the ground under the weight. I have two 40' and one 20' done this way now for a few years with no problem.