What YOU Should Put Your Shipping Container On!

[@martinr6107]

We put heavy black plastic sheet (visquene?) under ours for moisture control. Total game changer. Covered the edge and base around the container with large crushed limestone. Big gravel keeps the critters from digging under.

[@SandiRose2008]

I love all the information! I was thinking the other day that I have to do something about my container, and here you are today giving me all the info I need! Thank you, Channing! ( Catch your breath! 😍)

[@Isaacmantx]

When my dad built a barn around a container 8 or 10 years ago, he poured a 12 inch wide reinforced concrete bar the width of the corners on each end, and set the container on that.

[@fredio54]

What kind of ground under that concrete and what kind of weight inside? I was thinking similar but 36 inches and an extra 4 inches wider on each side and 12 inch holes filled under each end centred on the mounting feet.

[@TrianaOffshore]

Bro, you are really good at this. Every time I look for container information, I settle on your solutions. Very much appreciated.

[@CornPopMillerJr]

My containers sit on the high plains desert of southern Wyoming. It's not uncommon to see 50-60 mph+ winds and the frost line is 56". I drilled 60" deep by 12" holes at the corners and then every 8'. I set sonotubes and poured 72" x 12" caissons and then wet-set 1/2" thick weld plates with 36" x 5/8" rebar legs into the tubes. Then I had a massive vertical mast forklift set my containers on the caissons. The containers are now welded to the Earth. I don't own a laser and didn't want to rent one so I made my own bunyip with a milk jug, a 100' of clear hose, and red koolaid. Overall I set 58 sonotubes/caissons and my largest margin of error, using the bunyip, was about 3/16th of an inch on one of my caissons.

[@suntz8736]

@CornPopMillerJr shout out to my fellow Wyoming neighbor! I'm thinking about doing something very similar up near Cheyenne. Nice to see others who have done the same.

[@willbowles5551]

Now, what did that cost you...?

[@CornPopMillerJr]

@@willbowles5551 First I need to clarify. When i poured the 58 sonotubes, only 22 of the tubes were utilized for my two shipping containers. The remaining tubes are for future building sites. Anyway, $250 for 1 day rental of a skidsteer with 12" auger. The sonotubes were under a couple hundred bucks. I think it took about 6 yards of concrete and that was about $700 The bunyip was a couple bucks. The weld plates were probably $100 in iron. I wanted to toss rebar in the tubes but I'm cheap.......so, I found a bunch of iron bedframes free on Craiglist and cut them up and used them as rebar. I'd say it's all possible for $2k. Additionally, I gave the guy with the vertical mast forklift $400 to drive his machine 8 miles out of town to lift the boxes. Either way, it can all be done for under $2000. I likely overkilled it, but my containers will NEVER move or shift. That all said, I did all of the work with my own two hands, so there's no labor factor into what I spent.

[@CornPopMillerJr]

@@suntz8736 I'm in Cheyenne 186 days a year. I'm also Wyo Master Electrician. Hit me up if you ever need a hand.

[@suntz8736]

@CornPopMillerJr Hey thank you! It will probably be a year at least until I actually have it all set up to do it.

[@desertedbrundle]

Great editing choices, had a good laugh at a couple sections in here. I’ve heard crushed quarter inch rock is best to keep pests away, we did it under a buddies shop a couple years back. No issues.

[@Dang_Near_Fed_Up]

Small stone like crush and run, will pack like concrete over time and pests do not like having to dig through packed stone. But this packing requires that the stone is moved over by a load, which it does not get under a shipping container. So unless you have the stone packed before placing the shipping container you aren't going to get this benefit. Smaller stone is however easier to move / shift while leveling a container, as opposed to 3 to 4 inch stones, so there is some benefit to smaller stone, but you don't need to go down to 1/4 inch fine, simple gravel should be more than adequate.

[@donaldhoover8095]

It would need to be pretty deep to discourage the groundhogs around here.

[@loridave1962]

Good content here. Thx. Also consider a tilt to the container if u are worried about water or snow melt running off. Nice to not have it drain over the door opening. Consider the door swing with weed growth and with winter snow. Off topic, consider applying silver roofing tar to the roof. Might also apply Ospho first if roof has rust. Anyway, as your vid shows, there are considerations to what to sort your container on.

[@jimh3588]

Great timing for the information.

[@halledwardb]

Hey, that was a great video. Thank you! Look forward to them, I always learn something. !!!!!

[@leepiper4621]

You just answered the question I had thanks so much

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

Glad it helped

[@simonthebroken9691]

Thank you. Very helpful. I'll be leveling mine after Christmas.

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

Merry Christmas!

[@simonthebroken9691]

@TheContainerGuyTV I hope you do as well. I appreciate your content very much.

[@kpbarbee]

Cory, as usual, great info and no wasted time! Thank you!

[@michaelbellamy007]

Awesome video, just to the point, factual, and easy to watch and learn!

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

Thanks for watching

[@MattWeber]

Use white oak when possible if using wood blocking. It is very resistant to compression. That is why it is the only wood blocking that is approved for workholding and blocking up things like forklifts during maintenance work under then.

[@silverbackag9790]

Railroad ties in the eastern half of the US are generally white oak. I seriously doubt that’s the case west of central KS though. Not sure.

[@FourthWayRanch]

Good luck finding white oak dunnage. RR ties are stinky

[@MattWeber]

@embededfabrication4482 quite easy actually. Every trucker I know has it for trailer stacking as 4x4x8ft sticks.

[@FourthWayRanch]

@@MattWeber can't find it in arizona at the lumber yard

[@peteloomis8456]

What about using some good rail road ties to use them to lay the container on ? Where im at in western Wisconsin my land has some sand with clay under it but during the summer months when its hot the ground gets hard .

[@roderickmatheson2770]

Thanks for the info Bro. I'm getting a Seacan for our community hall and was wondering how to block it up, this sure helps out

[@benrichards9667]

Got damn this guys channel blew up! Bravo

[@KilorKavide]

Great video!!. Got damn this guys channel blew up! Bravo.

[@jamesdean8260]

I've been looking through a lot of your vids and have a question I havn't seen answered yet. For a residential can, when you spray foam, do you have to install any vents to prevent carbon monoxide issues? Considering all the precautions with vapor barriers I wonder if that's an issue or consideration.

[@teschvalleyrailroad]

For long-term or even permanent placing, would you recommend a concrete pillar reinforced with rebar? Would that be better than a flat concrete slab, even with the pads you demonstrated?

[@itsruffoutchea6636]

That is a question he should've answered. All these examples he gave just seem like temporary solutions. Should've gave best examples for not worrying about settling happening.

[@fredio54]

He's a container rental agency, that's all he cares about. Pillar under each corner and bridged beam of concrete with steel to tie them together and reduce ground contact PSI

[@costarica6536]

I have a 48 ft container on my hobby acreage in BC that has been sitting on old railway ties for about 13 yrs. Last summer, a wildfire roared through the area, and although I was fortunate not to have the nearby firestorm, the ground fire was whipped by the wind and came into my machine yard. The pine needles on the ground burned like gasoline and spread to the creosote-treated ties. I was not able to come to the acreage during the fire (I live 3 hours away) but the locals who remained behind said they stopped by every day for a week trying to get the ties to stop re-igniting. The professional firefighters wouldn’t come near the container as they didn’t know what was in it and whether it would explode. A local resident finally got the ties extinguished, but only after the fire in them burnt through the floor of the container. The container did not explode, despite there being two construction generators with gas in the tanks, and it getting so hot inside that the Rubbermaid tubs stored up near the ceiling melted and drooped down over the cardboard boxes they were sitting on. Everything inside, including all of my woodworking equipment (table saw, planer, etc) as well as the walls and ceiling, is coated in a sticky black tar-like substance. I think if the floor burn-through had been any larger to allow fresh air in, and the gas fumes from the generators, that container would be in orbit with the space station right now. Note to self: Never again use creosote-treated ties to set the container on, and make sure the crushed rock around the container is kept completely free of needles and leaves. Just those two simple things would have kept the contents of the container safe.

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

Thank you for sharing this. Firefighters love to see aftermarket vents on containers because they know it can depressurize instead of blowing the doors off if fumes were to ignite. One thing you could try now since the floor is damaged or gone is pouring concrete in place of the existing flooring. We did it in a couple containers and it turned out amazing!

[@carycunningham5625]

I need to raisse one end up aprox 32 inches (make it level on sloped property), What would you suggest as a semi-perminant support?

[@grubbb]

Great video! You have really helped me to prepare (and saved me some money)! Thank you!

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

You're welcome!

[@offgridwshernb]

Awesome video thank you for sharing out of curiosity can containers be delivered and set on 18" concrete footers? Or does it have to be crane lifted to set on footers?

[@danhouseholder6784]

Container delivery in 3 days. I was going to use at least two full size railroad ties. If I cut one into four pieces, how do I treat the cut portion so it is more protected from moisture? Great info, thanks video!

[@ForbiddTV]

I understand the need to raise them for airflow. You mentioned rodents, do they chew through the plywood floor? Do other animals also chew through the floor (like beavers/groundhogs)? Do you ever find bees/wasps/hornets making huge nests under the floor? My site is very rural and have had problems with all sorts of critters in buildings and heavy equipment..

[@VanillaCoke64oz]

The bottom of the container is also steel, so nothing is burrowing into it. There is usually a plywood floor on top of the steel floor. IE, "Pest proof"

[@ForbiddTV]

@@VanillaCoke64oz 1-1/4" plywood subfloor over steel structural "floor joists". There is no steel layer on the underside of the plywood subfloor.

[@jimt6151]

I completely understand the loading capacity of the corner castings supporting the entire box, and I understand about buckling the aluminum 53' container by supporting it between the castings in a loaded situation. I'm planning to utilize a pair of 24" wide concrete footings that I originally placed for a house. These are parallel, poured-in-place on top of a compacted, crushed stone base thirteen years ago. They're very stable, and plenty high enough for airflow beneath the boxes. They are 32' outside-to-outside, which would leave 4 feet on each end of my 40' steel boxes (including corner castings) extending un-supported, and 28 feet un-supported between the footings. These two boxes will become a container home, so the weight of contents will be much less than loaded storage units would be. A simple 2" x 6" lumber truss and corrugated metal roof will comprise the entire roof structure on top of the two boxes, again, not a lot of extra weight. Do you think this would work, or do I need to place concrete piers for the corner castings of one end, while the opposite end corner castings rest on one of the footings?

[@DonteeWeaver]

What are the best long term solutions for corners for home conversions and long term storage ? Once the container is placed I'd be less likely to move it

[@oldphart-zc3jz]

Large steel I-beam works a treat. Slide container onto beam, level and square beams, weld beams to container then add more containers (I've two so far) welded side by side. I've a third but may leave a gap between that and the other containers and roof over that.

[@rewster9864]

Great information! You answered all of my questions!

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

Glad I could help. Cheers

[@patrickmckenzie2391]

What if I used a post hole auger on my skid steer and drilled 18 inch holes down 3 to 4 feet to get in past the frost line, then used those cardboard pier tubes and poured 18 inch concrete peers. Then I was thinking of using rebar to reinforce the concrete and welding a twist lock connector to the rebar that was flush with the surface of the concrete so I could literally lock the container down to the piers. And since I live in tornado alley, I was also wondering what kind of wins that might take to move something like that? Also what kind of puncture resistant would there be on a shipping container that is locked down like that.

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

You're gonna want to stay toned to the channel. We are working on a potato cannon to shoot 2x4s 100 mph to test our system for Storm Shelter / Tornado Shelter design. They tip over at 140 mph wind speeds so they need to be anchored to the ground. Pouring concrete in place of the floor changes that to 220 mph by lower the COG. If you frame and insulate it with 2lb closed cell insulation then finish the interior with durable wall covering like 3/4" plywood, it's going to be a lot stronger than a regular container. Our final system and suggestion is going to be much different but that's a good starting point.

[@patrickmckenzie2391]

@@TheContainerGuyTV absolutely. Do you think my pier and twisting locks is a good idea?

[@chrisstockwell9235]

@@patrickmckenzie2391 they sell the locks that lock a container to trl for transport, drop the container on it and twist, this .ight be the most tornado proof concept I've heard of as far as getting blown around, debris is still likely to puncture it. This may be the next best thing to underground

[@ForbiddTV]

@@patrickmckenzie2391 If your auger is 18" diameter and you want 18" diameter piers, you shouldn't need the sonotubes unless your ground is very sandy/unstable. just pour the concrete directly in the holes.

[@glennnewland2971]

I'd rather go a bit shallower on the holes then flare or bell the bottom of the hole. The enlarged bottom gives you a larger weight bearing surface. Even more important that bell shaped bottom guards against frost heave.

[@Dang_Near_Fed_Up]

Does replacing the flooring with other materials like polished concrete make a difference in air space requirement? And can you suggest a material that would eliminate that wicking completely?

[@robertroberts5218]

If you have a can longer than 40 so that you have double set of corner castings for the extensions do you block under the all eight corners then?

[@agomodern]

Very informative videos and well spoken.

[@Wigington24]

The last thing you said was all I was looking for

[@jasonmitchell432]

So in the last few seconds, you recommended against blocking under the container along the length (ie., anywhere but the corners) but in one of your earlier videos, you specifically mentioned having some sort of shim under the length if, for instance, it’s on a concrete pad where the length could sag up to half an inch or so… Which is it?

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

This is a storage container with no walls removed. Nothing will sag. That is for double-wides or modified containers where the floor is going to deflect otherwise. Make sense?

[@jasonmitchell432]

@@TheContainerGuyTV yes, thanks for clarifying.

[@Well_I_am_just_saying]

@@TheContainerGuyTV With my 40 foot high cube, I used four inch thick solid cement blocks. I used 8 blocks with 4 at the corners and four spaced evenly (13 feet) apart from the corners. My main reason for placing the extra 4 blocks was to prevent the container from settling into the ground over the years, but I also figured it would not hurt to put a little bit of extra support underneath a 40 foot container. My pad is 6 inches of crushed stone (no stone dust) on top of geo textile fabric to allow really good drainage.

[@chuckicha]

Good Info i will watch Out for this

[@derekcrowe3999]

Very helpful and informative

[@WilliamMunny-d8s]

HEY GUY I am in saskatchewan, maybe i even bought my c can from you guys about 12 yrs ago, lol. i put mine on one set of railway ties and it was good for a yr or two but it was pretty wet one season and got pretty swampy and it sunk like a foot and i had to spend an entire day trying to jack it up and put another set of ties under it, just to be able to open the doors agin.

[@coynerooski]

When this man sees a shipping container home with stairs it will blow his mind.

[@Comm0ut]

Three of mine sit on horizontal structural steel beams which I bartered for but can be had reasonably as used steel sellers/demolition companies. I stick welded their corner fittings to the beams but one could use bolted mounts or weld simple gussets between corner fitting and beam that are easy to wash off with a torch if you want to change your structure. The integral steel foundation requires no buried footings which I do not want. I do not want them because I'm going to mount either self-made adjustable steel pipe legs or use 18-wheeler landing gear to level the assembly which is not difficult to raise using big truck air bag jacks (KZbin vids show how to make them cheap). My current single bag easily raises one end of a 40ft HC using shop air or my portable CO2 cylinders. Remember the way trucks mostly use landing gear is to raise the fifth wheel by inflating the bags, lowering the jacks manually (easy because they're not loaded) until the sand feet take trailer weight, then unlocking the fifth wheel to detach. This technique works perfectly for air bag jacks.

[@Anthony-bi5ld]

Is reinforcement of the under and upper beam only needed to be supported on the 40ft side/face when the wall panel is removed? Cheers

[@JPerez-no2xr]

For units with 3 or 4 floors. What you recomend, you have a video?

[@TheSaskachewan1]

How do you recommend lifting an existing container that has sat for a while and needs to be adjusted. I'm not going to use the killer jack-all

[@carlbeyer909]

How about ways to lift and move / shove containers

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

Good video idea.. the farmer method all the way up to using our toplift

[@mandown45]

You can use the Egyption method of poles and a bobcat excavator truck etc. Lift up your unit and place a timber pole under it and you can roll the unit. Lifting up once in position then place your pad and blocking back in. 👍Great videos thank you. I share them all the time for their information top work. 🙏 Contain Yourself Aust.

[@mandown45]

Also 8x3 8x2 8ft pressure treated sleepers work great as a starting base before you shim it for level the extra surface area helps keep them stable. And they are the perfect size Bless 🙏

[@marygrogan326]

Where is the best place to buy a quality 1 trip container without overpaying for it. 40 foot. I live in NW Wisconsin. I would like something that is not too damaged or rusted on the exterior. Thank you

[@markbronson4500]

Big blue boxes. Their in MN, deliver to Wisconsin.

[@SJVA]

Great video!!

[@briandietz8270]

Good morning, I have been watching your posts and I think I can use your assistance. I am planning on purchasing a 20' 1 time trip shipping container. I want to convert it into a small office with a restroom. I am planning on an 7'x8' restroom and a 7' x12' office. I am thinking that I need two door on the exterior along where the two walls would meet and have them open into the container. The office will be inside a manufacturing plant and will not be exposed to the weather. I am thinking two 36" door along the joining wall. Two - 3 windows one in each of the three walls of the office. Remove container door and use metal studs to create new wall in it's place. I am planning on a split hvac system for air/heating. I also saw your metal Steel Stud Framing Kit for Shipping Containers/Sea Cans - 2 Corner Casting Covers with Steel Stud Brackets (Aluminum, 2 Corner Casting Covers + 20 Steel Stud Brackets) and the Container Modification World® - Modular Strut Systems (MSS) (1-Way Bracket 10 Pack, Galvanized Finish, 10). What do I really need to create this space? I think your doing a great job on making it easier to do a btter job for really anyone. So I would appreciate any assistance tat you can provide as I am working on a purchase order and need all of the parts and pieces for a successful build. Thanks, Brian

[@seanseoltoir]

I prefer the shipping container to be at least 24" off the ground so that I can get underneath it to remove any pests that might have crawled under there and died. It also makes it easier if you eventually decide to put anything that needs plumbing in the container.. And then there is the issue of keeping it up high enough for any minor flooding...

[@ForbiddTV]

Ever have a problem with wasp/hornets/bees nests attached to the structure bottom?

[@deanharris2240]

Can I place concrete blocks on top on the pads in the video?

[@Lazarus-pt6pr]

Great information, thank you sir.

[@acreageliving]

great video, thank you. Also from Sask!

[@erandalln]

Just went to Container Modification World's site and cannot find those pads (timestamp 3:30). Please post a link to the product page.

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

They just arrived. I think next week they will be public and available for sale. If you want early access, email [e-mail]

[@mckutzy]

So off hand, for a 6 high stack of 20', how thick should be the concrete pad be?

[@phil4483]

Great info, thank you.

[@achristiansilluminosity2596]

i just bought two shipping containers and plan to erect a roof that covers both. i have concerns about movement from frost. what suggestions do you have to prep for my plan. the ground is pretty hard packed but i planed to put 3/4 inch gravel down and 18 inch round 6 inch thick concrete on each corner. should i do more?

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

That'll mostly depend on where you're located. I'd double check with a local concrete company and see their recommendations! - Video Team

[@truedox]

What about setting a container on a layer of plastic pallets?

[@richardprather2900]

How thick should the concret Pad be for a double stack containers?

[@geraldgm1217]

Thanks for everything Awesome 👌 👏 👍

[@Brent-y6n]

What about crushed asphalt compacted

[@FourthWayRanch]

I need to lift one end about 2 or 3 feet. Can you make a pile of gravel and put a block on it? Im afraid stacking blocks that high wont be stable

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

If it's not compacted, it'll settle. You're better off to build up stable blocking by criss crossing 4ft lengths or something.

[@FourthWayRanch]

@TheContainerGuyTV that would make a good video. How to lift and then build cribbing underneath. There's some video of people making cribs for car stands but nothing with 4X6 or 4X4

[@antibodyarmy]

are there any pre made solutions that would be for stem wall/poured foundations that can be cast in place to allow you to take advantage of the existing corner attachment points to secure a container to its foundation in applications like a container wall garage. So far all I've seen is people straight welding it to a steel plate that is cast in the concrete. I kind of want to do a project in the future, and depending on where I do it the only ways the local build codes allow em is if its a temporarily secured structure. the closest thing to "temporary" was a 2 plate system where two plates are bolted together, the bolts are the locking "rebar" the whole assembly is set in concrete and the container is welded to the top plate. I cant see how welding these is a good idea as far as I can tell those corner pieces are cast, at least according to domino clamps, and domino clamps from the people I've talked to are the closest thing but wrong execution and application.

[@ForbiddTV]

In construction we use anchor bolts. They come as thick as 3/4", I would think you could cast those into your reinforced piers/footings and install a steel plate as a washer to fit inside the casting with a 3/4" nut at each corner. Secure and easier to remove than being welded.

[@AkiWataru]

I'm going to set up 2x2s and make a workshop between them, maybe I'll just pour a little more concrete and won't need any washers :)?

[@DavidJones-pn6jm]

I have about 18 inches of drop from the front to the back of where I’m going to put my 20 foot container. I was thinking about putting concrete piers with footings and rebar at all 4 corners. Then put about 3 inches of chat down also to help keep grass and whatever else from growing. What are your thoughts?

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

Is this a storage container or a cabin/home? If for plain storage, that's overkill. Could crib 6x6 blocks 3 courses high at the back end. If you want piles, do you have a local screw pile contractor? Easier to not mix concrete/steel and just stay with steel.

[@DavidJones-pn6jm]

Ok thank you for the advice!

[@popeyeandy959]

So lets say the left door is low where the doors come together. Would you lift the left corner? Can the container be twisted on the back side cause the doors to misalign?

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

Yes and yes. If the left door is low (in the middle), either lift the front left corner or the back right corner to fix. Use your judgement. Sounds like the back right might be the issue otherwise you wouldn't have suggested that.

[@robapel1484]

Will refrigerator container wick moisture If sitting on the ground ?

[@bigdaddysshop8180]

@@robapel1484 YES

[@GregLewisdually]

Awesome 👌

[@gentlemanbirdlake]

what about blocks with container latches embedded in concrete footings? secure to ground for weather, not just sitting unlatched on blocks.

[@petergoodman2778]

Can i put the container on screw piles

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

Absolutely, as long as it's on the four corners. - Video Team

[@paulhepfer8155]

Hey, has anyone ever spray foamed under your container? If only 6” off ground, would that not help insulate and prevent pest?

[@paulhepfer8155]

Maybe not completely, to still allow some airflow

[@TheContainerGuyTV]

Yes, we often do.

[@brockturner1559]

Thank u....good content

[@williamfelts7530]

I set mine on asphalt grindings so it will drain under it

[@Joshuamiro]

Wish I watched this earlier - concrete blocks to allow airflow?

[@dwbro1]

You know weight travels at a 45 degree angle. So say you have a 12x12 and you put it on a 1" thick plate your area only increased to 14x14.

[@leecoleman822]

Happy '24

[@rhinomite5203]

So what you're saying is little house bricks under all sides every 12 inches is perfect.............

[@warrenmarse8680]

while you have it in the air termite treat the hell out the underside trust me

[@JoVeda_xo]

Na I would prefer on a foundation paved , si the house is steady😊

[@JoVeda_xo]

🤔

[@braysive4380]

"Ash-phault"

[@patrickstockton2091]

MINE GONNA HAVE GUNPORTS UNDER IT

[@c.s.herman860]

What about flat stones?

[@extraclip]

You ladies from Saskatoon Ehhhh! RIP

[@suemoore1965]

🎄❤️🎄🧡🎄💛🎄💚🎄💙🎄💜🎄 🎄❤️ THANKS FOR SHARING 💜🎄 🎄❤️🎄🧡🎄💛🎄💚🎄💙🎄💜🎄

[@edwardgilmour9013]

Even at maximum volume this is recorded at too low a volume and is too hard to hear.

[@AkiWataru]

UWU CAT

[@jo199]

Never buy a shipping container to live in it is trash and dangerous

[@brockturner1559]

Thank u....good content