New shipping container shop...

[jinman]

Your roof line has me curious. Why have a flat section? It seems that one continuos slope would mean one piece of metal that you don't have to tie into another piece at a different pitch. If it was me, I'd add some lumber to the far side of the container roof to raise it to the same pitch as the lean to. 1:12 ?

Something else to consider. Even though the container is water tight, or should be depending on the level of abuse it received, allowing water between your metal roof and the container creates a situation down the road for rot to the wood, mold and bugs. Keeping the water out all the time is the only way to gurantee the life of any building and eliminate long term problems.

Eddie

Eddie, I used screws for all Simpson ties and tie-ins to the posts. I also used screws on the the blocks that tie to the container. I only used nails on the flat purlins where I'll attach the metal. I shot three nails into each purlin over the lean-to and two on each one on top of the container.

I'll be putting materials shelves on the back side of the container (see attachment). Those shelves will also have a short roof, 6', and run the length of the container. The flat roof (shown in blue) will actually overlap both sides of the container by 6". There will hardly be any gap between the overhang and the sloped metal, 1/2" maximum.

I'm going to shoot sealing type fasteners in the flat roof, so any leakage should be minimum. At 9' wide, I don't think much water will collect. Even in the heaviest rains, the water will run off before it gets even 1/2" deep.

I failed to mention that this is a temporary structure. I've promised Kathy that I'll tear down the lean-to and move the container after I get my shop built. When I move the container, I'll reinstall the flat roof and give it a 4" pitch by blocking it on one side to allow better water drainage. The roof will stay with the container only to keep the internal heat down. I'll paint the sides white.

If I had run the purlins all the way up and across the container, I'd have to have lumber over 22' long. I hauled all this lumber in my pickup because the longest was 14'. The same will be true for the metal. There's something to be said for being able to haul all your material in a pickup and not even fool with a trailer. I have a trailer, but why bother when I can flag my load and carry it easily?

The nice thing is that most of this will just unscrew and come apart without complete teardown. I can move 10' x 14' sections as a unit or completely disassemble them without too much difficulty. That said, I'd bet this will be just like I build it for at least 3 years. Things have a way of filling up and becoming "needed" space. I may have to alter my roofline slightly if it leaks too much or we decide to make it more permanent.

BTW: The cost of wood for this project is $350 and my metal will be about $750 or less. I'll know more later this afternoon. I could get custom metal, but there is a place nearby that sells precut galvalume panels and I've heard they are very reasonable. I may be pleasantly surprised. All the poles, fastener brakets, screws, and nails for my nailgun I've had for years and finally found a use for them.

 

[jinman]

BTW: The cost of wood for this project is $350 and my metal will be about $750 or less. I'll know more later this afternoon. I could get custom metal, but there is a place nearby that sells precut galvalume panels and I've heard they are very reasonable.

Hahahahaha! Who was I tryin' to kid? A neighbor gave me prices on metal from over 3 years ago. Guess what? The price has gone up. The metal for my project was $1400 ($2.90 per ft), about twice what I expected. Oh well. . . . I'm not the only one who has been shocked by steel prices lately.

 

[Redbug]

Jim, Eddie, Bjcsc, etc...

Another question...Have any of you moved one of those containers to another location on your property? How hard are they to move around? On a 40 footer, can you hook a chain thru the corners and drag it to another location? Does it require a dozer, or can a couple trucks/tractors pull one?

 

[jinman]

Dave, the 40' container weighs about 8300 lb as I remember. Eddie might be able to move it with his New Holland LBH, but it's not a job for a utility tractor. I moved a 20' container that was empty for my neighbor when I first bought my tractor (45 hp NH) and it was all my tractor could handle at half the weight of the 40 footer. I only moved the box about 15 feet. If I had to do it again, I'd jack it up and put it on telephone poles for rollers or use big pipe. They would have to be big or they would just sink into the dirt. I just think you could easily tear up a small tractor on one of these things. An industrial loader backhoe or dozer is my recommendation.

 

[EddieWalker]

Jim, Eddie, Bjcsc, etc...

Another question...Have any of you moved one of those containers to another location on your property? How hard are they to move around? On a 40 footer, can you hook a chain thru the corners and drag it to another location? Does it require a dozer, or can a couple trucks/tractors pull one?

I've only moved them a few feet to get them lined up, which was pretty simple with what I have. With my full sized backhoe and dozer, I don't think I'd try moving one very far.

They are heavy and I imagine you'd have to get it off of the ground somehow. Logs as rollers would work good for a small distance, but if I had to do it, I'd probably try to get one end in the air on an axle and drag it. Might even try welding an axle onto it and put a wheel on it to see if that works.

In the end, it might be cheaper to just hire it done.

Eddie

 

[bigballer]

interesting twist..

Emergency shelter or hunting cabin

 

[Willl]

I'm sorry, maybe it's because I've worked around these 'cans' most of my adult life, but I find them to be butt ugly.

Unless you can 'hide' the shape of it like Eddie or Jinman did, no thanks.

This is how many I see every day.

 

[philbuilt]

I think that I saw someone on extreme home in maine built his house with 8 containers. I tried to google it but could not find a picture.
Nice setup by the way. Hey could you bury it into a hill? How long would it last? Then it wouldn"t be butt ugly anymore.
Phil

 

[WilliamBos]

Looks great!! Keep us posted as you progress along.

 

[jinman]

In the end, it might be cheaper to just hire it done.

Truer words were never spoken. At $150 for delivery, I'm sure I could pay that much or slightly more for them to come and move my container and be dollars ahead in grief and costs. Hiring someone with the right equipment is easily the best choice.

Willl: That picture you posted looks like an aerial view of an Arkansas apartment complex. . . Just kiddin'.