Here are 4 things to think about when planning your office container:
1. How do you want to use the space? Think about how many rooms you will need and what configuration will work best for your needs.
2. What modifications will you need for your office? Some typical modifications are: doors (service doors and roll-up doors), windows, partitions, HVAC, insulation/paneling. Do you have any special modifications, such as specialty flooring, venting, etc?
AC Kit with cage
3. Who do you want to do the modifications? If you can weld, you can do a large amount of the modifications yourself. If you don’t weld, think about having some of the modifications done for you.
4. What about electricity and plumbing? You will probably need electricity to run office equipment. Depending on your location, you may also need to provide plumbing. Think about when will be the best time to add that into your modifications. Sometimes it is easier to have the basic modifications done for you, then have an electrician and plumber come in before insulating and finishing the container.
Epoxy floor with drains and service door
Container offices can be as simple or as elaborate as you want or need them to be. Check out our other postings on our blog for ideas on the kinds of modifications others have done either by clicking through the topics on the right side of this page or just scrolling through. You might find a great solution to your office needs.
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 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.
As we have mentioned on this blog before, containers have an endless list of uses for farmers and land-owners. If you haven’t thought it before, do you have any of these needs? Spring is coming and no doubt you’ll be busier than ever. Containers:
Storage in and near containers
Provide insect- and rodent-proof storage for hay and grain
Provide dry storage for equipment
Offer extra storage space without the hassle of getting another building approved for your property
Can be moved from location to location as your needs change
Provide shade for livestock if you cut out holes or sections in the walls
Wind and water tight containers provide a unique solution to keep items free from pests and moisture and those larger nuisances – like trespassers, pesky teenagers, etc. And they are fairly indestructible!
However, if you want to cut them up, they can be great options for outbuildings, hunting cabins, etc without all the fuss of getting permits. Modify them with a kit to add in doors, windows, or pretty much anything else you would want to add to a container.
48' containers are longer than standard containers
I don’t normally do blatant advertising in this forum, but given the scarcity of containers these days, it is just fun to have a lot of containers to sell. So please indulge me.
48′ Domestic containers are containers that are only used within the United States by rail and truck. They are not used for international shipping. Currently, we have a large number of 48′ long units available in Chicago, IL. As you can see from the pictures, these are in great condition.
Containers this size do not come up on the market in this kind of quantity very often, so it is a great time to take advantage of a nice, secure, extra-large container! Perfect for on-site storage, extra inventory, shop for inclement weather, and much more! Call today for more details.
48' interior - in good condition
Just a few of the 48's we have available
Sample plate for this series
More interior shots
Call today to find out more about these containers – 877.374.5452.
Farmers, as a group, have some of the largest storage needs of everyone. Equipment, livestock, feed, grain, not to mention all the other stuff and toys that seems to accumulate on a farm! Containers are a great addition to a farm because they can grow with your needs. Containers can:
Provide insect- and rodent-proof storage for hay and grain
Provide dry storage for equipment
Offer extra storage space without the hassle of getting another building approved for your property
Be moved from location to location as your needs change
Have holes sections out and put out in pastures as shade for livestock
The sky is the limit! Wind and water tight containers provide a unique solution to keep items free from pests and moisture and those larger nuisances – like trespassers, pesky teenagers, etc.
Even storage for those out of the way places
Whether you have a large farm or just a hobby farm, we’re asking – What are you using containers for? How would you like to use one? If you have one, did you modify yours? Here’s a great chance to share with others.
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 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.
You’ve got the plan in your head – get a container, add doors, windows, or other simple improvements, and then you have your container office, shop or cabin. You’re handy, know your way around a do-it-yourself project, but where to start?
Inside modified container part 1
No need to reinvent the wheel—container modification kits will come with everything you need to install a door, window, partition, AC, insulation or even a sky light. See the pictures below for ideas. You provide only the cutting and welding skills.
1) You configure the kits that suit your plans. The basics include a lockbox, man-door (steel, 3 feet wide), a roll-up door (6’, 7’ or 8’ wide), windows, insulation, AC with a cage, etc. Order them from your friendly container store (Super Cubes has all the kits and free DIY support).
Inside modified container part 2
2) When the kit arrives, it will include the parts you ordered along with installation frames (not needed for insulation or partitions).
AC in kit
3) Cut a hole in the container to the size noted in the instructions. (Tip: Borrow or rent a plasma cutter, which whirs though steel using only air and electricity.)
Instant shelving organizes a container quickly
4) Weld in the frame, which fits neatly to the container’s corrugated steel.
Cage for AC
5) Install the door, window, skylight, or whatever.
Kits take all the guesswork out of framing a wind- and water-tight add-on into your container. Container kits also solve problems you might not have considered.
Roll-up door with lockbox
For example, the AC kit comes with a frame, air conditioner, and a cage to weld over the AC so that no one could pull it out and potentially gain access to your container.
Roof between containers
With kits providing everything you need, you can have exactly the container office, shop, or cabin you imagine—foolproof and frustration free.
