Over the last few years exports in the U.S. have dropped off. This has left many shipping yards and shipping container retailers with extra used containers. Surplus shipping containers, known for their cheap prices, are reusable in a multitude of ways. Here are six of the best uses.
Shipping containers of any size make a great place to store items for either your business or your home. Solid steel containers are known for their ability to protect goods. When they were used for overseas shipping they had to endure harsh seas, corrosive salt water, being stacked upon one another, and even strong winds. So their use on dry land is perfect for ensuring that your most valuable of items are safe from Mother Nature. You can even have a locking door mounted to keep potential thieves from stealing your belongings. Using a container for item storage is as simple as purchasing one, having it delivered and moving your items in.
Surplus containers are also great a great low cost way to move or ship your personal belongings. Maybe you just got a new job in Paris and you want to take along your grandmother's antique desk. Buying a used container can be a great way to get your items safely to your destination. They are also great for land based moves. You can rent or buy a container and even rent a chassis to carry it on. Once you fill it up and attach it to the back of your truck you are ready to go. This is great if when you get to your new location you do not want to unpack everything at once. You can just leave the items in your container until you are ready for them.
Small businesses and offices can also benefit from the utilization of various shipping container sizes. These sturdy boxes make great office space. You will, of course, have to make some changes such as adding electricity and windows. This would even be a great idea for your new pyrex glassware store. With a few container modifications, you can set your container up anywhere and start selling your products. This is good because if you find one location does not work for sales, you can move to another location.
Containers also provide the option for extra room in overcrowded schools. They can be a cheap way for schools to get by until they can afford to build an addition. Shipping containers, with windows, power, and heating and cooling installed, can provide comfortable classrooms. In schools, containers can also be used to keep harmful cleaning chemicals or equipment away from children.
One area that is an unknown use for containers is in wilderness areas. Because some containers are refrigerated units run by generators, they can keep large food supplies safe from the elements and from wild animals. Containers can also be used for forest ranger sheds and rest areas.
Perhaps the best use of surplus shipping containers is for cheap shelter. This is especially beneficial in areas with a high homeless rate. Those who need shelter can use an insulated container to keep warm in the winter. Usually, though, containers are converted to permanent houses with electricity, running water, and heating. Use in this manner provides lost cost homes for many people.
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Monday, 31 October 2011
Shipping Container Foundations: Part 2, Concrete Footings
Concrete footing are another option for the foundation for your used shipping container. Building concrete footings are more complex and involved than the wooden beam option, but if you're planning on keeping your container in one place for a long period of time it may be worth the investment.
Materials Needed:
- Premix Concrete - total amount depends on your geographic area
- Loose stone or gravel
- 1/4" plywood to construct the form
- 2"x2" or similar wood planks to construct the form
Using concrete footings as a foundation for your shipping or storage container falls in the middle cost range of the three options. It's cost effective, durable, but requires more time and attention when building the container foundation.
Before you being to build the concrete footing foundation for your container, you need to decide how deep the footing must be. If you live in an area with no frost this decision may not be necessary. However, if your area is prone to frost the freezing of the ground can shift your foundation and cause problems later on. The only way to prevent "frost heave" is to build your footing at least 6" below the frost line. The frost line is the maximum depth where the ground will freeze in the winter and this depth varies from 50" in North Dakota, to 0" in Florida. To learn more about the frost line in your area you can refer to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
The second step is to decide how large your footings must be. As a general rule, one or two stacked 40' ISO containers will require 10" deep, x 20" wide, by x 20" wide (not included the extended frost footing). The chart below offers suggestions on how large your footings should be.
| Footing Size | Cubic Feet | Cubic Yards | 80lbs bags |
| 8" x 16" x 16" | 1.2 | .044 | 2 bags per footing |
| 10" X 20" X 20" | 2.3 | .086 | 3.8 bags per footing |
| 12" X 24" X 24" | 4 | .15 | 6.75 bags per footing |
The third step is to mark off the area that the storage container will take up. Measure the area out, making sure that all corners are square so that your footings are in the correct place. It's a good idea to post the area with stakes, and then tie them off so you have a strong visual idea of the size and space required.
Decide which is the highest of the four corners and begin the process here. Dig out an area wider and slightly deeper than required by the footing and compact the soil in the bottom. Follow this up by adding a 3" base of loose stone. Using the plywood and planks, construct a concrete form to the dimensions decided earlier. If you're going to reuse the same form for each footing it's better to assemble the form with screws so that it's easier to take it apart and reassemble it for each footing. Lining up the footings properly is key to this project, and the first footing will be the point from which the others are built. It's also advised to add rebar to increase the strength of your footings and prevent them from cracking. Rebar should be cut 8" longer than the depth of the hole, and driven into the ground so they are flush with the top of the footing form. The rebar should be a few inches apart in each footing, and the amount of rebar depends on the size of your footing.
Once the form is placed in the hole and the concrete poured, allow it to set for 48 hours before removing the form.
The next footing must be measured and placed based on the height of the first one. To do this accurately you'll need a laser level with which to measure the height. With the proper height and distance lined up, you're ready to pour your final three footers or more if you require the added security. Repeat the same process of digging the area out and installing the stone and concrete form, and pouring the concrete until all footers are in place.
Ideally, this should be complete several weeks before the container is due to arrive. The actual time may vary depending on the heat and humidity in your area, and it's best to ask a professional the appropriate time to allow the concrete to cure.
Monday, 24 October 2011
Storage Container Foundations: Part 1, Wood Beam
Once you've decided to purchase a shipping container and convert it into a storage unit, it's important to decide where it's going to be placed. A solid foundation for your container isn't an absolute requirement for your container, along with making keeping it stable and square, it can greatly reduce your storage units exposure to moisture and the corrosion that follows. Depending on your budget and the length of time that you expect the container to remain in it's place there are several options available to you. The three most common are: wooden beams, concrete slabs, and concrete footings. In this article, we will discuss wood beam footings.
This article provides a general outline for building a suitable foundation. Before you undertake a project like this on your own it's always important to check with a professional to make sure that there are no environmental or other issues that must be considered in your planning.
Materials Required:
Begin to build your foundation by laying out your area and digging a 4" to 6" gravel bed at each end, the length of the end. The gravel bed will provide necessary drainage to keep the beams dry and prevent any premature rotting. Once the gravel beds are in place you can lay out your beams accordingly. It's best to have your container at least 6" off the ground to allow for air circulation. Skirting or fencing can be installed later if you are in an area where there are small animals that may decide to take residence under your storage unit.
Once your container arrives the lift or truck can place it on the ties, however it may require some adjustments to keep your foundation in the proper place.
Part 2: Concrete Fotting Container Foundation
Part 3: Concrete Slab Container Foundation
This article was contributed by ContainerAuction.com, where you can find shipping containers for sale.
Link to article: Storage Container Foundations: Part 1, Wood Beam
This article provides a general outline for building a suitable foundation. Before you undertake a project like this on your own it's always important to check with a professional to make sure that there are no environmental or other issues that must be considered in your planning.
Wooden Beam Footings
Materials Required:
- Rail road ties, treated 4"x4" Wood beams, or similar skids.
- Loose stone or grave for a gravel bed.
- Spade shovel, gloves, etc.
Begin to build your foundation by laying out your area and digging a 4" to 6" gravel bed at each end, the length of the end. The gravel bed will provide necessary drainage to keep the beams dry and prevent any premature rotting. Once the gravel beds are in place you can lay out your beams accordingly. It's best to have your container at least 6" off the ground to allow for air circulation. Skirting or fencing can be installed later if you are in an area where there are small animals that may decide to take residence under your storage unit.
Once your container arrives the lift or truck can place it on the ties, however it may require some adjustments to keep your foundation in the proper place.
Part 2: Concrete Fotting Container Foundation
Part 3: Concrete Slab Container Foundation
This article was contributed by ContainerAuction.com, where you can find shipping containers for sale.
Link to article: Storage Container Foundations: Part 1, Wood Beam
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Shipping Container, Bunkhouse, Cargo Container
Used shipping container modifications have become a very popular, cost effective, and environmentally friendly way to construct new housing, livable and usable structures, or storage units. All that it takes is someone with a creative mind take an every day issue and apply a modified shipping container to it.
Shipping Containers
The shipping containers are carried by a truck, boat or airplane and are used to transport goods from one place to another. As shipping containers travel in a variety of ways, they can be used for land shipping and air shipping as well as marine shipping. The goods can be transported overseas also with the help of shipping containers. There are multitudes of sizes and types available in shipping containers and the type or size you choose while transporting goods depends on the type of goods you are transporting. Thus, shipping containers have become popular in freight industry because of the facility it provides while shipping the products. There are 20 feet containers as well as 40 feet containers available and you need to choose depending on the quantity of goods you are transporting. Before buying a shipping container, you also need to check that the shipping container should be space efficient. Shipping containers are not only used for shipping cargo, but they are also used for storage purposes by making some adjustments. A used shipping container can be used as a storage space, office or even a house. A 10 foot long container is about 80 square feet, so it can be very well used as a storage space or even a ticket booth. Now this sounds interesting isn't it? Below given are the possible uses of a shipping container:-
Kitchen Bunkhouse
An aesthetic look kitchen bunkhouse can be designed using a used shipping container. There are different kitchen bunkhouses available in the market like furnished kitchen bunkhouse, luxurious kitchen bunkhouse, kitchen bunkhouse with sink etc. There are also kitchen with office bunkhouses, computer workstation bunkhouses which are an excellent idea for people wanting to open their own restaurant but don't have enough funds for investment. These bunkhouses are available with total electricity wiring and plug in to insert external.
Office Containers
The office containers are furnished with cabinets, tables, chairs etc. and are perfect choice for construction sites, domestic rental Government agencies etc. These office containers include portable cabins, portable office containers, office portacabin, furnished security office cabin etc.
Lodging Containers
Lodging containers are the pre fabricated units which are furnished with beds, tables, chairs etc. There are also windows and good ventilation system in the containers so that the sunlight and air can enter the unit. These lodging containers are waterproof with proper electricity and water supply.
Sanitary Containers
The sanitary containers are fully furnished containers which offer toilet services. These sanitary containers are used in public areas like parks, trade fairs, seminars, exhibitions, events etc.
PUF Insulated Portacabins
The PUF insulated portacabins are prefabricated PUF/polystyrene insulated cabins and portacabins that are extensively required for sheltering telephonic equipments. These fabricated structures help in reducing the transportation costs as the equipments can be stored in these PUF insulated portacabins near the working sites.
There are many uses of these shipping containers and bunkhouses which are made of sturdy and finest quality rugged steel that is procured after rigorous testing of chemical and physical attributes.
Shipping Containers
The shipping containers are carried by a truck, boat or airplane and are used to transport goods from one place to another. As shipping containers travel in a variety of ways, they can be used for land shipping and air shipping as well as marine shipping. The goods can be transported overseas also with the help of shipping containers. There are multitudes of sizes and types available in shipping containers and the type or size you choose while transporting goods depends on the type of goods you are transporting. Thus, shipping containers have become popular in freight industry because of the facility it provides while shipping the products. There are 20 feet containers as well as 40 feet containers available and you need to choose depending on the quantity of goods you are transporting. Before buying a shipping container, you also need to check that the shipping container should be space efficient. Shipping containers are not only used for shipping cargo, but they are also used for storage purposes by making some adjustments. A used shipping container can be used as a storage space, office or even a house. A 10 foot long container is about 80 square feet, so it can be very well used as a storage space or even a ticket booth. Now this sounds interesting isn't it? Below given are the possible uses of a shipping container:-
Kitchen Bunkhouse
An aesthetic look kitchen bunkhouse can be designed using a used shipping container. There are different kitchen bunkhouses available in the market like furnished kitchen bunkhouse, luxurious kitchen bunkhouse, kitchen bunkhouse with sink etc. There are also kitchen with office bunkhouses, computer workstation bunkhouses which are an excellent idea for people wanting to open their own restaurant but don't have enough funds for investment. These bunkhouses are available with total electricity wiring and plug in to insert external.
Office Containers
The office containers are furnished with cabinets, tables, chairs etc. and are perfect choice for construction sites, domestic rental Government agencies etc. These office containers include portable cabins, portable office containers, office portacabin, furnished security office cabin etc.
Lodging Containers
Lodging containers are the pre fabricated units which are furnished with beds, tables, chairs etc. There are also windows and good ventilation system in the containers so that the sunlight and air can enter the unit. These lodging containers are waterproof with proper electricity and water supply.
Sanitary Containers
The sanitary containers are fully furnished containers which offer toilet services. These sanitary containers are used in public areas like parks, trade fairs, seminars, exhibitions, events etc.
PUF Insulated Portacabins
The PUF insulated portacabins are prefabricated PUF/polystyrene insulated cabins and portacabins that are extensively required for sheltering telephonic equipments. These fabricated structures help in reducing the transportation costs as the equipments can be stored in these PUF insulated portacabins near the working sites.
There are many uses of these shipping containers and bunkhouses which are made of sturdy and finest quality rugged steel that is procured after rigorous testing of chemical and physical attributes.
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Shipping Container Modifications: Types of Doors
It's very common for a person buying a used shipping container to request to have a door installed. The first question volleyed back is, "What type of door do you need?" Invariable, the response is always "What are my choices?" The most common types of doors installed on shipping or storage containers are roll up doors, and standard "man doors". Depending on what you intend to move in and out of the container, you'll need to decide which is the better option for you. Also, it's important to note that shipping containers, by design, are wind and water tight. Modifying a shipping container in any way can compromise the integrity of the box and special attention should be made to insure that the modification is properly sealed.
Roll Up Doors: Roll up doors do just what they claim to, and that's roll up and out of the way. These doors are typically made of aluminum, or in some cases vinyl, and are very convenient if you have limited space available inside of your storage container. The main concerns with roll up doors are security and durability. They tend not to be as secure as a man door or standard ISO door, and because of the moving parts they are exposed to more wear over their life time. Roll up doors typically range from 6' to 12' wide.
Man Doors: Man doors are the convetional swinging style door. They require more room for movement, but in return the can offer greater strength and security. A standard man door is 84"x36", and there are also industrial grade, heavy duty man doors available at some depots. Industrial grade doors are also 84"x36" and can be 3 hour fire rated. Many depots also offer custom door sizes to better meet your needs. It's best to have an idea of the approximate dimensions when contacting the seller or depot about what type of door you'll need.
If you intend to have a door installed it's best to communicate with the person or company selling the shipping container, or the staff at ContainerAuction.com. In many circumstances the modifications can be done at the depot before it's delivered to your location, however prices for services and modifications vary from depot to depot.
Roll Up Doors: Roll up doors do just what they claim to, and that's roll up and out of the way. These doors are typically made of aluminum, or in some cases vinyl, and are very convenient if you have limited space available inside of your storage container. The main concerns with roll up doors are security and durability. They tend not to be as secure as a man door or standard ISO door, and because of the moving parts they are exposed to more wear over their life time. Roll up doors typically range from 6' to 12' wide.
Man Doors: Man doors are the convetional swinging style door. They require more room for movement, but in return the can offer greater strength and security. A standard man door is 84"x36", and there are also industrial grade, heavy duty man doors available at some depots. Industrial grade doors are also 84"x36" and can be 3 hour fire rated. Many depots also offer custom door sizes to better meet your needs. It's best to have an idea of the approximate dimensions when contacting the seller or depot about what type of door you'll need.
| Door Type | Size | Description | Approximate Cost | Picture |
| Roll Up | 6' - 12' wide | Aluminum or vinyl, requires little room and leaves more room for storage. | $650 - $850 |  |
| Man Door - Standard | 84"x36" | Standard type swining door. More secure than a rool up, but requires room for movement. | $650 - $850 |  |
| Man Door - Industrial Grade | 84"x36" | Stronger and more secure than a standard door, can be fire rated. | Varies |  |
If you intend to have a door installed it's best to communicate with the person or company selling the shipping container, or the staff at ContainerAuction.com. In many circumstances the modifications can be done at the depot before it's delivered to your location, however prices for services and modifications vary from depot to depot.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Refrigerated Containers – An overview
One of the most popular containers searched for on ContainerAuction.com are refrigerated containers, or 'reefers'. The questions that we receive have all been fairly consistent, so we decided to write an overview of reefer containers and some facts and uses of them.
Just as the name implies, refrigerated containers are capable of keeping goods cool, but they don't stop there. Reefer containers can be set to maintain temperatures between -13F (-25C) to 77F (25C). They are heavily insulated and can keep products frozen, refrigerated, or at a consistent temperature.
The exterior dimensions of a reefer container are consistent with the standard container sizes (40', 20', and in some cases 10'), this makes them easier to transport and integrated into existing intermodal transport methods. Due to the insulation reefer containers have interior dimensions that are a few inches smaller than standard dry containers.
Refrigerated containers are typically equipped with a three phase electrical supply to power the generator and refrigeration unit. Once loaded on-board the ship they are connected to an on-board power supply to maintain the desired temperature. If the on-board power supply isn't enough to meet the demands of the reefer units an additional "power pack" that's equipped with a large diesel generator may be used to keep the system charged. While at the terminal the ship and containers are connected to the terminals power supply. Once the container transported in some intermodal (road or rail) method it is powered by a generator set, commonly called 'genset'.
ContainerAuction.com regularly has refrigerated containers available on the auction and they're typically purchased by farmers, hospitals, or even ice cream producers. It's important to check the description before you decided to purchase a reefer container as some are listed with 'non-working machinery'. These are still quality containers, and even though the refrigeration unit isn't working they are still well insulated and have many good uses.
If you have any questions or need further assistance regarding refrigerated containers don't hesitate to contact ContainerAuction and we'll gladly provide insight with the experiences that we've had.
Just as the name implies, refrigerated containers are capable of keeping goods cool, but they don't stop there. Reefer containers can be set to maintain temperatures between -13F (-25C) to 77F (25C). They are heavily insulated and can keep products frozen, refrigerated, or at a consistent temperature.
The exterior dimensions of a reefer container are consistent with the standard container sizes (40', 20', and in some cases 10'), this makes them easier to transport and integrated into existing intermodal transport methods. Due to the insulation reefer containers have interior dimensions that are a few inches smaller than standard dry containers.
Refrigerated containers are typically equipped with a three phase electrical supply to power the generator and refrigeration unit. Once loaded on-board the ship they are connected to an on-board power supply to maintain the desired temperature. If the on-board power supply isn't enough to meet the demands of the reefer units an additional "power pack" that's equipped with a large diesel generator may be used to keep the system charged. While at the terminal the ship and containers are connected to the terminals power supply. Once the container transported in some intermodal (road or rail) method it is powered by a generator set, commonly called 'genset'.
ContainerAuction.com regularly has refrigerated containers available on the auction and they're typically purchased by farmers, hospitals, or even ice cream producers. It's important to check the description before you decided to purchase a reefer container as some are listed with 'non-working machinery'. These are still quality containers, and even though the refrigeration unit isn't working they are still well insulated and have many good uses.
If you have any questions or need further assistance regarding refrigerated containers don't hesitate to contact ContainerAuction and we'll gladly provide insight with the experiences that we've had.
Thursday, 6 October 2011
ISO Containers, Shipping Containers, and Storage Containers
A shipping container is a container with strength suitable to withstand shipment, storage, and handling. Shipping containers range from large reusable steel boxes used for intermodal shipments to the ubiquitous corrugated boxes. In the context of international shipping trade, "container" or "shipping container" is virtually synonymous with "standard intermodal container" (a container designed to be moved from one mode of transport to another without unloading and reloading). The general Storage Containers are great for storing personal effects, business documents, sporting equipment, tools, machinery and just about anything else. These Storage Containers are available as new, used or refurbished units.
For the storage of paint, thinners, oils, diesel, chemicals, class 3 flammables & any other potentially dangerous substance, Royal Wolf's dangerous goods Storage Containers offer the perfect solution.
The range of refrigerated containers offers cold storage for catering support at functions, additional cold storage for the busy season & temporary cold storage space during renovations.
When you need a storage container but have no land to store it, companies' self storage offers a great solution. They offer affordable self storage solutions where you can hire a storage container & store it at our branch.
An intermodal container (also container, freight container, ISO Container, shipping container, hi-cube container, box, conex box) is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system. Lengths of containers, which each have a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark, vary from 8-foot (2.438 m) to 56-foot (17.07 m) and heights from 8-foot (2.438 m) to 9 feet 6 inches (2.9 m). There are approximately seventeen million intermodal containers in the world of varying types to suit different cargoes. Aggregate ISO container capacity is often expressed in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU / teu) which is a unit of capacity equal to one standard 20 × 8 ft (6.10 × 2.44 m) (length × width) container. For air freight the alternative and lighter IATA-defined Unit Load Device is used. Non-container methods of transport include bulk cargo, break bulk cargo and tankers/oil tankers used for liquids.
A typical Shipping Containers has doors fitted at one end, and is constructed of corrugated weathering steel. Containers were originally 8 feet (2.44 m) wide by 8 feet (2.44 m) high, and either a nominal 20 feet (6.1 m) or 40 feet (12.19 m) long. They could be stacked up to seven units high. At each of the eight corners are castings with openings for twist lock fasteners.
Each container is allocated a standardized ISO 6346 reporting mark (ownership code), four characters long ending in U, J or Z, followed by six numbers and a check digit. The containers flex during transport.
Container capacity is often expressed in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU, or sometimes teu). An equivalent unit is a measure of containerized cargo capacity equal to one standard 20 × 8 ft (6.10 × 2.44 m) (length × width) container
For the storage of paint, thinners, oils, diesel, chemicals, class 3 flammables & any other potentially dangerous substance, Royal Wolf's dangerous goods Storage Containers offer the perfect solution.
The range of refrigerated containers offers cold storage for catering support at functions, additional cold storage for the busy season & temporary cold storage space during renovations.
When you need a storage container but have no land to store it, companies' self storage offers a great solution. They offer affordable self storage solutions where you can hire a storage container & store it at our branch.
An intermodal container (also container, freight container, ISO Container, shipping container, hi-cube container, box, conex box) is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system. Lengths of containers, which each have a unique ISO 6346 reporting mark, vary from 8-foot (2.438 m) to 56-foot (17.07 m) and heights from 8-foot (2.438 m) to 9 feet 6 inches (2.9 m). There are approximately seventeen million intermodal containers in the world of varying types to suit different cargoes. Aggregate ISO container capacity is often expressed in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU / teu) which is a unit of capacity equal to one standard 20 × 8 ft (6.10 × 2.44 m) (length × width) container. For air freight the alternative and lighter IATA-defined Unit Load Device is used. Non-container methods of transport include bulk cargo, break bulk cargo and tankers/oil tankers used for liquids.
A typical Shipping Containers has doors fitted at one end, and is constructed of corrugated weathering steel. Containers were originally 8 feet (2.44 m) wide by 8 feet (2.44 m) high, and either a nominal 20 feet (6.1 m) or 40 feet (12.19 m) long. They could be stacked up to seven units high. At each of the eight corners are castings with openings for twist lock fasteners.
Each container is allocated a standardized ISO 6346 reporting mark (ownership code), four characters long ending in U, J or Z, followed by six numbers and a check digit. The containers flex during transport.
Container capacity is often expressed in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU, or sometimes teu). An equivalent unit is a measure of containerized cargo capacity equal to one standard 20 × 8 ft (6.10 × 2.44 m) (length × width) container
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