Shipping Container

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Burgerman

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
2,148
Location
NW Washington
Just got a 40ft shipping container at the farm for storage. Need to fix the ceiling holes first. Could cut and weld, or maybe build a roof over it. Also need proper ventilation. Welcome ideas on how to do this on a budget. Thinking run 220 in there now, build small secure shop.
 

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Here are a few of the holes on top. Price was right on this older container.
 

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Could you build a frame over the top and use the corrugated galvanized panels from Home Depot or Lowe's? Frame could be PT wood or metal with a slight peak. Jim
 
I would close the holes, whether by welding or some other method, but a separate roof would really help reduce the heat level in there. But you cannot beat one of these for security.

My grandpa had large a steel tank on the farm that he had converted into a small grainery. (He had put an old refrigerator door into the side of it - the old type that latched mechanically.) When the tank got rust holes on top, he patched it with oil-base paint. First he'd lay a thick layer of paint over the area, then lay on a piece of heavy cloth, paint over that till it was soaked, do another layer, etc. Sort of like fiberglassing, only with paint & cloth. That survived the Oklahoma sun quite well.
 
I was thinking little pieces of tin and lots of roofing tar. Cheap and easy. I don't know how well these things do runoff. A separate roof would likely be helpful for that and the other reasons mentioned.
I wish I had one. Sadly, my fair city would frown upon such a thing in my front yard.
 
I was thinking little pieces of tin and lots of roofing tar. Cheap and easy. I don't know how well these things do runoff. A separate roof would likely be helpful for that and the other reasons mentioned.
I wish I had one. Sadly, my fair city would frown upon such a thing in my front yard.

I would have one already at our future residence if my father-in-law didn't frown on them even stuck back in the woods. (Later this month it will be 1 year since he passed away, at 99 years of age, and we are working of fixing up his house, and will be moving out there. But I don't expect that to change the possibility of having a container, as my wife feels the same about them as her dad did, partly, I suppose, because she thinks I keep too much "junk".)
 
I'd weld them up, then cover the top with something like mobile home roof coating, Cool Seal is one brand name. That semi liquid Flex seal would work, too, but probably more expensive.

If you do run juice to it, make sure it's WELL grounded. Be bad to touch the side and get shocked, or worse!
 
Appreciate the ideas. Just got dad's stout workbench. I tried to buy a 20 ft conex, can't get one, only rentals at $100 per month. Went to the store yesterday and priced metal for a roof skin, 36" by 8' cost $29 per., figure 14 of them would do it., then a wood frame also. That's my grand dog in the photo😁
 

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Put an exhaust fan where the holes are, weld up the rest of the holes and put a coat or 2 bed liner on it, I did the bed liner on a motor home roof and it never leaked the whole time I had it.
 
If you want to use it as a shop you'll need lots of ventilation. Mine is for storage. I put a moisture absorbent in a bucket in there and it seems to get saturated quite quickly. It gets hot and moist in there, trying to find a good solution for static ventilation.
 
I'd pay attention to which side would be the cooler side most of the day and find the tallest part of the structure. Place a low vent on the cool side and place a vent at the tallest part of the structure. Hot air rises. It will draw all by itself. If you want some improvement to that, the high vent could be one of the "turbine" styled vents. imho!
 
I've seen large vents specifically made for shipping containers, with mesh to keep rodents out and matching the countours of a container. They're pretty expensive, though.

If you planned to use one as a workshop or something similar, I think in addition to venting that insulation would be your friend as well. Mostly to keep the heat out, and in cooler weather to keep it warm. If you google, there is lots of information about converting shipping containers into workshops.
 

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