Connex (or conex) boxes make great hunting cabins

Camoflaged 20'

You have used containers at work or during building a home.  You love to hunt.  You don’t have a cabin on your land.  Enter – the connex box.  Drop a container on your land, add in a door and some windows and you have a perfect hunting retreat.  Whether it is just a basic spot to base camp, or a complete man-cave, conex boxes offer all the flexibility and ruggedness to be a perfect hunting cabin.

You can insulate them, add in heat (or cooling, or both), add in features that make the cabin perfect for you.  It might be the ultimate get-away cabin for the guys or it might be a snug, welcoming place to bring your kids and grandchildren to teach them how to hunt.

Here is a series of my new favorite hunting cabin.  I got these by email from a colleague.  If you know anything more about this cabin, please let me know!

It starts with 2 used containers

Seal up between the containers

Archway in the living room

Use cut outs as overhang

Interior work

More interior work

Living room and bedrooms

Living room and kitchen

Finished Exterior

Insulation, refrigeration and the container. What is best for you?

Refrigerator 40' container

So you want a container.  You know it needs to be insulated, but what exactly will fit your needs?  Containers come in two styles – standard shipping container and refrigerator (reefer) containers.  Here are some general rules of thumb that might be helpful.

1)      Refrigerator containers are ideal when you need to store items at a particular temperature year round and you have a power source to run the container.  They are considerably more expensive than standard containers, which may play a role in your decision-making.

Inside refrigerator container

2)      If you are storing general items, the standard containers are great.  Standard containers are used around the world, year round for transporting the vast majority goods manufactured year round.

3)      If you are modifying the container, standard containers are much preferred to refrigerator containers.  Refrigerator containers have loose insulation between two walls, which makes modifications a huge headache.  Also, if you are using the container for living space, you will be very disappointed with a refrigerator container floor.  They are grooved to drain any liquid away from items being stored.  While that is great if the container isn’t plugged in and you are storing ice cream.  It is not as great if you want to live in the container.

Inside used 40'

One other consideration for those who are modifying containers – if you plan on adding electricity or plumbing, you will want to insulate the container once you have added those and done all your modifications.

If you still have questions about which is the right one for you, please call us and we can discuss your needs further.

Easy Access – 4 variations on container doors

Inside a Double-door 40'

Standard ISO shipping containers come with two swing doors on one short end of the container.  But that doesn’t work for everyone.  Today, we are going to cover some different options you have when purchasing containers.

1)      Double-door containers.  These are containers with standard swing doors on both ends of the container.  Because these are not as common and are so useful, they are generally only available as “one-trip” containers, meaning they are manufactured in Asia, make one trip to the US and then sold to you.  Since they are one-trip containers, they are freshly painted, have no markings and are a great option.  But they are also more expensive.

Open-roll-up door on container

2)     Roll-up doors.  If you want a used container and need the access, but not the price tag, consider adding a roll-up door on the opposite end.  Roll-ups can be added either to the end of the sides of containers to add extra access to the container.  The only place we do not recommend putting it is where the original doors are located.  Those doors are connected into the corner posts that support the container, so you do not want to mess with that.  You can have the door added on before it comes out to you, or use a kit to add the door on yourself.  You get the same access at usually half the price.

3)      Personnel –doors.  So you don’t need a full roll-up, or you just don’t want to deal with bigger doors.  Maybe a personnel door is the right option for you.  Like roll-up doors, these can be added on before you get it or by a kit where you add on the door yourself.  This is great option if you are going to be going in and out of the container often and want to have access just like you would to a building.

Man-door on container

4)      Open-side containers.  These great containers are only available in 20′ long, one-trip containers.  They feature doors that open on the 20′ side of the container.  These are a great option for retail containers, industrial applications and so much more.  But they also come with a pretty large price tag.

5)  Open-top containers.  These are a great option if you have to load the container from above.  They come with a tarp to function as the roof.  So these, are for those people who simply need to have this design, but it is not ideal for the person who wants a nice, basic container.

Containers are so flexible.  Even if they don’t come the way you want them, they can easily be changed to fit your needs.  We can help you add doors, windows, etc. so that it works for you, just the way you want, or we can help you to do it yourself.

20' Open side

Open-top 40' container

Shipping Container Barn – A Flexible Storage – 4 different uses

You own a farm.  You don’t have enough storage space.  You see containers around, but keep asking yourself if they really are as great as they seem.  Here are 4 uses for a container on your farm that will last the lifespan of your container.

Containers with a roof between them

1) Container Barn. For this barn, you get two different types of storage – indoor storage inside containers and a covered area between the containers.  You place two containers down with space between them.  Install a roof between the two containers.  You have wind and water tight, insect and rodent-proof storage inside the containers and a covered area for equipment that you want to keep snow and rain from damaging.  You can also use the area under the roof for doing work when the weather is not cooperating with you.

2) Hay/feed/manure storage. Store hay bales, feed or manure in storage containers.  Since they are wind and water tight as well as insect and rodent proof, they are a great way to keep what you want in inside the container and what you want out can’t get in there.

Great extra storage for equipment, feed, etc.

3) Equipment storage. Do you have some equipment that just doesn’t fit in your other buildings?  Put it in a container.  You can even add roll-up doors on the container for access from multiple sides of the container.

4) Lean-to. So your container isn’t so new looking any more.  You teenager ran some equipment into it and now it isn’t as water-tight as when you got it.  But you know there is still some life left in it.  Cut and finish off larger openings in the container and set it next to a pole barn or other building.  You may have to do a little reinforcing to make sure the roof is still sturdy, but the container can still provide some shaded storage area, without actually leaning into your exising building.

A cut up container provides additional storage attached to existing building

Containers can be moved around so you can keep changing how you use them to fit your changing needs.  The 20’s weight 5,000 pounds and the 40’s just under 10,000 pounds, so you can drag them around with your existing equipment if you have some chains to attach to the container.  They can easily be modified with extra doors for easier access as well.

Modifying Containers – 5 questions to get you started

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!

Farmers – What’s in your container?

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
• Provide the base for a root cellar or storm shelter
• Store flammables away from other items
• Provide temporary sow barn during farrowing.

Great, dry storage

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.

Farmers – Do you have a container yet?

Great year-round storage

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
• Provide the base for a root cellar or storm shelter

Can you ever have enough storage space?

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.

Shrimp Farm in the Desert

Super Cubes is excited to be assisting with a prototype of a shrimp farm in Las Vegas.  While the brand name of the company is still being figured out, Super Cubes has provided specially modified containers to the farm location.  After 8 years of engineering, the farm is close to becoming a reality.

This week we went to see what a shrimp farm in the desert looks like!  Enjoy the pictures.

If you have a large project that involves modifications, we can help you too!

Containers make up the tanks

Getting the tanks ready

The great team that is making the farm happen!

Container Construction 101

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!