Containers move. Containers make great, green, building blocks. But what about containers making great, gree building blocks that move? Well, for those of you who want to take your container building on the road, we have some ideas for you!
La Boite's open design
Container Café
Austin, TX is known for doing things their own way and food trailers, enter a great combination of both – La Boite café. It is a movable restaurant made from a 20’ container. The café incorporates green practices, down to the spray insulation in the container. Not only is it a fun, clean design, they have really maximized the space available to them to make an inviting café. Check out these links for pictures of how they made the café, what it looks like now and more information on the spray insulation. Spray insulation is a great option when using building with containers. The insulation can get into the corrugation to provide extra insulation throughout and is also a great way to control the r-factor of the insulation without having to give up interior space in the container.
Micro-living
Cargotecture in Menlo Park
HyBrid Architecture’s Cargotecture series is a wonderful example of micro-living. Bringing designs down to smaller sized structures idea for remote areas such as cabins, backyard retreats or offices or anywhere you want to have a temporary or permanent structure. They were recently in the news for partnering up with Sunset to becomeSunset’s Cargotecture® home. HyBrid is really doing things right with these efficient designs that can are mobile, easy to install and come in a range of sizes to fit various budgets and needs.
Mobile Wildlife Clinic
Dwyer Technical Services designed a wildlife heath care for Massey University. The unit is made from a 40’ container and is a mobile unit that can move to where oil spills affect wildlife. The mobility allows experts to reach wildlife quickly and onsite, making it that much easier to help animals in need. Dwyer Technical Services announced their first international export – to Maritime New Zealand, where a similar unit will help Australian wildlife.
Containers are becoming a more common office for more and more workers. But we mostly think about those offices on jobsite or other places where the offices are mobile. Here are 2 examples of some more unusual offices:
World Rally containers have many uses
1) Mobile rally car shop and mobile team headquarters. The teams for the World Rally Championship use shipping containers as their shops, as well as other items they need for their hospitality teams when they get to their location. They transport their marketing materials so they can create their own unique space at the rallies.
Each team has their own area which can move with them throughout the season.
Character Project container theater
2) Theaters. We have not one, but two examples of using containers as theaters.
USA’s Character Project has traveling storage containers that are modified to be a full movie theaters that are customized to fit the films they are showing. They are screening 8 original short films in various cities throughout the country.
Cardiff is getting its own 40’ storage container theater for the play The Container. It is a play that explores the journey of Somali and Afganistani refugees coming to the UK for asylum. The container-theater is one component in bringing the story home to theatergoers.
3) Radio station studio. Radio Free Libya in Masrata has outfitted a container as a studio for guests who cannot come to the radio station’s offices for security reasons.
Containers are a great option for any mobile space. They can be modified easily, moved easily and are flexible enough to turn into whatever you can imagine.
Taking a cargo container and turning it into something else – living quarters, emergency relief shelters/centers, storm shelters, etc, is a very popular idea. You can picture what you want it to look like in the end, but how do you get started on your project?
Inside a refrigerator/insulated container
1) Standard or Insulated/refrigerated? Containers come in either standard steel box or insulated/refrigerated box. In order to pick the best one for you, think about what you are going to do with it. If you are going to modify it (add doors, windows, or any other cut outs), then steer clear of the refrigerated/insulated containers. They are difficult to modify due to the loose insulation in between the container walls. Standard steel containers can easily be framed and insulated to provide the necessary insulation once your other modifications are done.
Cargo-worthy containers can handle being stacked
2) Shipping overseas or not? If you are shipping the container overseas, then you will want to plan your modifications accordingly. Containers that are being shipped on cargo ships must be cargo-worthy or sea-worthy, meaning they are structurally sound enough to handle having other container stacked on top of them. If you cut up a container, you reduce the structural integrity of the container, so you want to make sure you are keeping that in mind with your plans, or plan on modifying the container once it arrives at its destination.
Open-top 40' container has a tarp roof
3) Is there a container already designed for your need? There are specialty containers – containers without a top or with removable steel top, 20’ containers with doors that open the full 20’ side of the container or flat-racks, containers that have no long walls or roofs. While these containers are generally more expensive than standard containers, you may find that they fit your need so well; it is worth the extra money. However, be warned that some of these containers are not all that plentiful, so you may also end up paying for shipping long distances.
20' open side container opens on one full 20' side of container
4) How complicated is your design? If you are planning on creating a home or living quarters complete with electric and plumbing, stacked containers or other complications, be sure to get an architect or engineer involved. Even though containers make great building blocks, you are still creating a living space that needs to be safe and up to code. They may up with structural issues you have not considered which can save you headaches down the line.
5) Are you doing to modify the container yourself or have it done? Containers are easy to modify yourself if you have the right tools. Primarily, it requires a cutter and welding tools and the know-how to go with them. Kits are available for adding on basic additions like doors, windows, AC/heat, skylights, etc.
40' office and storage
If you don’t want the hassle of doing the work, have it done for you by a qualified container shop. Then your container can arrive ready to go (or at least part-way there) depending on what your plans entail.
Containers are incredibly flexible building blocks. Let your imagination loose to come up with fun ideas. Share them with us! Or share pictures of projects you have already done to inspire others!
Containers provide a secure, easy way to install a temporary building just about anywhere. They are easy to modify to personalize to your needs. Some uses include:
Any time you need a roof over your head – quickly.
Container buildings can be as fancy or as basic as you want. Currently they are a popular, green building material in the architectural world. But they can also be as basic is throwing a door and window on a container and calling it the office.
A couple of things to think about while you plan
Large shop made with containers stacked 2-high to accomodate trucks and containers
1) Do you need an architect or engineer? If this is housing and you are removing large portions of the container or you are stacking modified containers, then YES. Don’t risk it, make sure your plan will work once you pull that wall off the container and avoid disaster. If you are living in the container, you will still need electricity, plumbing and all the other features you expect from a tradition building. That takes some know-how.
2) To insulate or buy insulated? As a general rule of thumb, only get an insulated container if you are using it to keep something at a steady temperature. If you are modifying it, get a non-insulated container. Insulated containers are expensive and very hard to modify. Save your wallet and a headache by modifying a standard container and insulating once that is done. Don’t forget to insulate the flooring and roof!
Inside the shop
3) Modify yourself or have someone else do it? If you can weld, doing some easy modifications yourself is a great way to save money. Use container modification kits to add doors, windows, skylights, AC/Heat or other basic additions. If you have more complicated modifications – taking out container walls and adding in extra support, adding in industrial flooring, etc – bring in the pros. These are headaches or possible structural problems you don’t want to handle on your own. Have a container shop take care of doing that for you.
You are only limited by your imagination – and the laws of physics – in coming up with the container building of your dreams.
The most common request I get with containers is to modify them – add doors, windows, partitions, etc; followed closely by people who want to turn them into storm shelters or root cellars by burying them. Now, I have covered these issues in the past, but it never hurts to revisit the basics.
Modified container
Modifications. Containers are great building blocks. You can use them as is, or you can simply cut a few holes and add a few modifications and you can drastically change the purpose of a container. Extra doors and windows are the most common modifications, but some people get very fancy and will build homes out of them.
AC Heat Kit with cage
We can help you with your modifications in two ways: 1) have your container provider modify them for you; or 2) purchase a kit so you can modify it yourself. Modification costs and options will vary depending where in the country you are located. In some locations you can get electric work installed, in others that has to be done after the purchase. Kits are another great for adding doors, windows, AC/heat, skylights, partitions, etc. Specialty kits are available as well if you already have a feature you want added on, but just need a frame to install it.
Container Office
Storm shelters/root cellars. This is a very common use for containers. People either bury them completely in the ground or put them into a hill. There are pros and cons to either option. Not the least of which is if you have a hill handy! Some things to keep in mind when creating your storm shelter/root cellar is 1) to protect the container from the elements, 2) to protect the container structurally,3) to follow local zoning.
Protect your container from the elements. This can be adding a protective moisture barrier and providing proper drainage so your container isn’t sitting in an underground puddle. Also, protect your container structurally. They are designed to bear enormous weight on the four corners of the container, not directly into the wall and roof of the container. Please keep in mind local zoning rules may also dictate how you install your storm shelter/root celler.
For a video of how one person solved these issues, watch this video:
For more detailed information on both of these topics, also see our previous posts:
Containers are becoming the “it” thing in architecture these days, but sometimes it helps to take a step back to get a fresh perspective. Sometimes that step back actually looking in an unlikely direction – Sudan.
Container Hotel Room
The Economist featured container architecture in a piece about Sudanese architecture this week. As foreign correspondents have been flocking to the country for their vote for splitting the country in two, journalists naturally needed a place to sleep. Enter storage containers. In a country that has very difficult roads, transporting building materials can be nearly impossible. But the container provides a ready-made box to modify and make your own. Perhaps instead of walking a mile in someone’s shoes, journalists just needed a couple of nights in a container hotel.
These hotels, homes, stores and other structures may not have the “industrial-chic” look of fancy architecture, but they do perform a wide variety of functions at a reasonable cost for many people. But is it comfortable? According to the author of the blog, he “spent New Year in his container and slept rather well.”
The weather is starting to change and hunters’ thoughts turn to opening day. But what does the hunter who has everything really need? More storage! From basic storage for hunting gear and ATV’s to complete cabins, containers offer a wide variety of solutions.
A lockbox and tab are welded to the doors of your container for additional security.
Containers all-steel construction makes them a wind- and water-tight, insect- and rodent-proof, secure solution for storage. Your ATV’s, boats, snowmobiles, hunting gear and other supplies will be dry and safe in a container. Your stuff will be safe from pests large and small since insects, rodents, menacing teenagers and potential thieves can’t get past the steel, water-tight construction. For additional security from potential intruders, add a lockbox for additional protection. They protect your padlock from being cut off.
Make your container into a cabin
Take things one step further by modifying your container to act as a cabin. Doors, windows, skylights, AC/heating units can all be added either before it is delivered or by you. You can turn your container into your perfect hunting getaway. You can go rustic with just the basics, or frame it in with electricity to make a snug retreat for all weather. If you keep adding containers and/or kits, your container cabin can grow over time as well.
Skip over building or assembling a shed or cabin. Have a container delivered right to your property and start using it right away.
You have a great idea. You are going to transform a cargo container into your workshop, cabin or home. You can visualize what it will look like. But before you start cutting up a container, here is some information on how containers are made to make sure you are making the most out of your container.
Exploded view of container
Basic Frame
Design - Containers are designed to filled, then stacked on ships, then removed. Containers hold all their weight in the floor of the container and the four corner posts. Those corner posts are what the cranes connect to when moving full containers around. These corner posts are slightly higher than the roof and slightly lower than the floor of the container.
What this means for you – When you stack containers, make sure that you always have corner posts resting on corner posts. If you can’t do this, make sure those corner posts have extra support. Also, do not remove these corner posts unless you have designed to support the container in another way.
Corrugated walls and roof
Walls and Roofs
Design – Containers are made of corrugated steel. The walls and roofs are made of the same material. The walls support the roof of the container.
What this means for you – You can cut holes for doors and windows in the side of containers. But just make sure you don’t remove the whole side of a container without providing support for the roof. Also, the roof is not strong enough to handle heavy loads. If you are planning on burying the container or making a balcony on top of a container, make sure you create a platform that distributes the weight back to the four corner posts.
Container doors
Doors
Design – Container doors are attached to corner posts.
What this means to you – They work well they way they are designed. If you want a different type of entry, add extra doors on the other 3 sides of the container.
Insulation
Design – Standard containers are made of corten steel and are not insulated. Refrigerator containers are steel containers with insulation and an interior wall added onto the container. The insulation used is loose between the walls. Also, refrigerated/insulated containers are generally sold with cooling units still included.
Inside refrigerated container
What this means to you – If you are looking for a container that is insulated, the first big question to ask yourself is if you are going to modify the container further. If you are, the standard containers will be much easier to work with. Once you cut into an insulated container, you will have a mess on your hands and the insulation will be reduced. Instead, go with a standard container, make your modifications to suit your needs and then frame the container like you would a traditional home. You will lose the same amount of container width as you would with a refrigerated container, but will skip a large headache.
For more questions on do-it-yourself modifications, please call us!
You know you need a lot of dry, safe storage, but just how much is enough? Ask yourself these questions and you’ll know:
1) How much stuff do you have? Size up what you actually need to store. The most common sizes of containers are :
20’ – 20’ x 8’ x 8’6” – or 1,169 cubic feet
40’ standard – 40’ x 8’ x 8’6” – or 2,385 cubic feet
40’ high cube – 40’ x 8’ x 9’6” – or 2,690 cubic feet
High cubes are nice if you are thinking about living in a container. The internal height of a standard container is 7’8.5”, and a high cube is 8’8.5”. Over time, you will feel that height difference.
Do one of these seem like enough to fit what you have? If not, think about specialty sizes, but keep in mind that the cost on those containers adds up – bigger, more specialized trucks are required to deliver them and they may have to come from further away.
Used 20'
2) Are you going to move the container around? If the answer to this is yes, think small. A 20’ container weighs 5,000 pounds when it is empty, but is still small enough and light enough to be mobile. 20’ containers can be moved on a variety of trucks and even when they are full, can be moved by very heavy duty forklifts.
Once you jump up to a 40’ container, you will need a larger truck for moving it and when they are full, you will need a crane to lift the container on and off the truck. Cranes mean money. So even if you need the space of 40’s, think about 20’s.
3) Are you going to ship the container overseas? If yes, even though the container is moving around, think about the 40’ or the 40’ high cube. Usually there is a minimal extra cost to the larger size and you get to send more per cubic foot. However, the delivery issues listed above still apply. To get around this, most freight forwarders will pick up your container from a depot, bring it to you for loading, you load it while it stays on the truck, then they deliver it to the rail or port to ship.
40' container on a truck
4) Do you have enough space to accommodate the size you want? Containers are delivered on tilt-bed trucks when you ask for ground-level delivery. This means that the truck will back into the spot you want the container. The back of the truck tips down and there is a winch on the truck to lower the container off of the bed of the truck and start setting it on the ground. Then the driver pulls forward and finished setting the container on the ground with the winch. All of this works beautifully – if you have enough space. For a 40’ container, you will generally need 110-120’ of a straight, relatively flat area. For a 20’ – 100’. And don’t forget that the truck has to get to that spot. Make sure you think about how the driver will pull in and pull out of your site. Think about how firm and flat the ground is because delivering a container involves more physics than driving a truck across a ground.
Used 45' container
5) Do you still need more or less space? If you need more space, there are larger containers – 45’, 48’ and 53’ containers. They are not available in all markets and require larger trucks than 40’s, so be prepared for additional costs.
10' with roll door added
If you need less space, containers can be cut down for an additional fee. Generally this process will add an extra $2000 dollars and the containers will still be delivered on the same truck.
If course this won’t answer everyone’s question on sizes. Give us a call if you want to discuss it further!
Edit: Please note that Super Cubes does not recommend burying containers without work with an engineer to ensure your container remains structurally sound when in place and complies with your local zoning. Also, please test buried containers for radon.
Here’s your idea: Get a steel container and bury it as a root cellar, storm shelter, or both. You have the land. Now you need a plan. Here are the 5 things you need to consider to make your container cellar or shelter a reality:
1) Zoning. Are there any state, county, or city zoning laws that would restrict where or how you bury a container? This may vary depending on where you are, what the ground is like in your area, and how far into the ground you want to go. You can go the range from buried underground, nestled into a hill or embedding the container just far enough into the ground to be secure. Either way, zoning rules may apply. Start with a quick search of your city and county websites, then follow up with phone calls to offices listed on the sites. Take notes on the calls—and as decisions are made, “get it in writing” if you can.
2) Placement. Is your plan to bury the container completely? Just far enough that a tornado won’t send it to Oz? In working out placement details, be sure to think through how you will use your container. If it will be a root cellar, will you build your container into a hill with steps and a door? If it will be an underground storm shelter, how will you provide access in and out? Keep in mind that the more deeply a container is buried, the greater the planning.
3) Structure. If you will bury your container, even partially, how will you ensure that it withstands the pressure of earth? Containers were made not to be buried, but to be stacked on a ship. Only the four corner posts of a container are load bearing, with the sides strong enough to support only the roof. You’ll need to plan on building a retaining wall around the container location. Be sure to include drainage so that heavy rains won’t leave your container submerged in water. If your cellar or shelter calls for completely covering your container’s roof, you’ll also need to build a platform to push all the weight to the 4 corner posts (products are on the market to do this). Never simply bury a container or it will collapse.
4) Moisture. Containers are wind and water tight, but think about how you will prep your buried container against earthen moisture. The container floor has treated plywood on steel cross-members. You will want to seal under the floor—and probably will want to set it on a cement slab foundation. In addition, you will need to seal your container with roofing tar, plastic tarps, or truck bedliners (such as RhinoLinings). A little research will help you find the most cost-effective solution for your container use and location.
5) Ventilation. If you’re turning your container into a storm shelter, you’ll want to make sure it will have good ventilation and air flow for the people who will use it. You’ll also want to add an extra door—ideally a man-door with a panic bar so it can be opened safely from inside and so that no one can be accidentally locked in.
For an example of one being installed, see this video. They approached some of the issues listed above a little differently, but it still provides some great ideas. It appears that they put the container in an area with solid rock, so the rock walls provided the support that most people would have to build in place.
Once you have your container cellar or shelter in place, the rest is pretty easy—making sure your root cellar has the right humidity level for vegetables or that your shelter is outfitted to work well as a storm refuge. If you’re just beginning to start your cellar or shelter project, please keep in mind that SuperCubes offers a variety of kits to help you modify your container—and we’re always happy to provide friendly advice as well.
