My Container Barn

[EddieWalker]

I bought the land in June and needed a secure place to store my stuff until I had the money to build a barn. My house is about 15 miles away from my land and things like tractors and ATV's have a way of disappearing in the country.

 

[EddieWalker]

My inside dimensions are 24 feet by 39 feet. I had to bring in the ends 6 inches on each side to handle the curve and design of the containers.

I used 14 foot 2X6's for the truss's that are 4 feet apart.

 

[EddieWalker]

After reading Spencer's and Henro's discussions on their barns and doors, I've decide to put in a roll up door. The dimesions are 12 feet wide, 10 feet tall.

 

[EddieWalker]

Outside of each container I'm building a lean-to. This side will be open on two sides with 10 feet between each post.

 

[EddieWalker]

On this side I'm enclosing it on three sides. The front will stay open for now. I placed my posts 4 feet apart for the siding I'm going to use, and to handle the shelves I'll build on the inside.

 

[EddieWalker]

Climbing up and down ladders was killing me. While driving past a discount tool store I saw this sitting in front. Both section came to $350. It really made life much better!

 

[CTyler]

Where did you get the containers and how much are they? Don't know that I want one, just curious.

 

[JazzDad]

Looks good, Eddie.

Is there some type of foundation?

Be sure to update us with your progress.

 

[EddieWalker]

I found the containers in Dallas, about 100 miles west. They were $3,030 for both delivered.

Prices really depends on who you talk to and what the other guy is charging. I started out at $3,000 each, then the next guy said he'd do them for $2,700 each. I kept looking until I found the best price.

I have 4 inches of limestone under the containers and as a floor of the main barn area. I will poor concrete in this area in the future.

The side lean-to sections will be just dirt floors.

 

[gws]

Any zoning/inspection issue to work around being that its non-traditional work?

 

[Gatorboy]

How did you attach the headers onto the containers for the the trusses to set on?

I've got a 20' container, and am thinking of getting another and doing a similar thing.

Keep the pictures coming.

 

[EddieWalker]

In my part of Texas there are no building codes outside city limits. Anything goes.

I put the truss's on 2X12's that I bolted onto the sides of the containers. I used 3/8 bolts every 2 feet.

I had the pad level when they arrived, but when I adjusted them to line up perfectly even 24 feet apart, one sank a couple inches on the back side. I stopped messing with them and installed the headers to keep everything level.

The trusses sit on top of the 2X12's and are blocked in with 2X4's on both sides.

 

[Smithla]

I've been checking into containers lately, and find that they are fairly reasonable.

Gregg@OnSiteStorage.com

Email Gregg at www.onsitestorage.com and if you close to a major hub, as I'm clsoe to Atlanta, then the 40ft unit was $1200 plus $200 to deliver. Supposed to be garenteed to be air and water tight.

Les

 

[raynman]

Eddiewalker,

Interesting idea /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I like the fact that you get the extra secure storage area. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

keep us posted /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[SPIKER]

Boy what a good idea!:

I think I've got to call my sisten - n - law now and tell her I came up with a great idea /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif for a storage barn on her inherited property that is 300 miles away to put in a mower ect. lol I love the odea of using two of them and some trusses between for sides.

keep the photos comming.

SPIKER /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[fractal]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Where did you get the containers and how much are they? Don't know that I want one, just curious. )</font>
I priced used shipping containers a coupla months ago. Local place wants 1450 + tax and delivery for an unpainted 20 ft container, 1750 + tax and delivery for an unpainted 40 ft container. They also offer 10 ft for 1350 and 15 ft for 1600. The shorter ones are cut down from the longer ones, have a rollup door instead of container doors, have a hardwood floor and are painted. They sell them as storage units.

I have been thinking of a 20 ft'er. Pretty durned cheap for an 8x20 watertight, rodenproof, varmit resistant storage box.

 

[PineRidge]

I was watching a program on TV several months back talking about the subject of a business in NY that sells lots of the shipping containers. Folks use them for all kinds of applications. I like the idea myself, and If I could get away with it in my area I would more than likely have two 20 footers for my inventory storage.

A guy can buy a brand new pallet dolly at Harbor Freight for under $200.00 and stack a lot of merchandise in those 20 footers.

 

[EddieWalker]

The only real negative was having to lower my ROPS to store my CUT.

We had a 20 footer on another ranch I worked on and it was just big enough for one ATV and some tools. The extra 20 feet really makes a huge difference.

I've seel quite a few containers converted into hunting cabins and job site offices.

 

[Glenn9643]

The only problem that I'm aware of with using these containers for long-term storage is mildew. The "sea-land" vans that we used had vents in the front that could be opened to allow some ventilation, but even with that mildew was a problem in the south. Maybe just the humidity here.

 

[Dave___in___CT]

Hi...


Yep... moisture buildup inside the enclosed container can certainly be an issue... best to have ventilation...


Dave...