Keep Your Container Raised!

Tips for Keeping Your Shipping Container off The Ground

When purchasing a shipping container in Charlotte NC, you need to know where you’re planning to keep it so you’re ready for delivery before it gets there.

Planning this out is actually extremely important, depending on where you place it, can greatly effect the effective life span of your container. And I think we all want our shipping containers to last us as long as they possibly can!

How Strong Are They?

Shipping containers have all been designed to withstand the weight of 8 fully loaded containers on top of them. Each of these containers can weigh up to 30.5 tons in gross weight and this equates to 244 tons weighing on the bottom container. A load of this weight will be supported by the four corner posts of the container. The top and bottom of the said corner posts are known as the corner castings. The shipping container should sit on these bottom castings. If the ground is not completely flat, you can keep the container level by using four separate plinths such as wooden blocks, bricks, or concrete blocks. However, there will be more effective when placed on two concrete or wooden railway sleepers placed on each end transversally. After going for shipping containers for sale in Charlotte NC, you have the options of:

–    Placing the shipping container on asphalt directly but with 2×10 wooden planks placed on the corners of the shipping container to prevent it from sinking into the asphalt when temperatures are very high. This will also allow for better cooling of the container.

–    Putting the shipping container on top of a bed of crushed stone

–    Placing the shipping container on top of 6×6 timbers

So, What Do I Put It On?

You should make sure the surface on which you will place your shipping container is firm, smooth, and fairly level. If you are getting an off-road delivery of your shipping container, you are better off discussing the road condition with the involved parties in advance. When keeping in mind the resting location for your shipping container, concrete, earth, grass, and gravel are all acceptable. Shipping containers for sale in Charlotte NC are self-supporting at the corners. If the site has a soft and unstable surface, it is advisable that you get each corner casting supported with a bed of gravel, asphalt, railroad ties, or a concrete footing to help in distributing the weight evenly. This is crucial as it allows the doors of the shipping containers to operate smoothly. Making sure the container is level helps in keeping the shipping container ends in a square configuration. This helps in making sure the doors are easy to open and it also ensures tightness of the door seals to the frame thus keeping water from entering the container. The floor of the shipping container is typically made of thick laminated plywood and keeping your shipping container off the ground generates an air flow beneath the container. This helps to make sure the container is dry and prevent the formation of rust on the steel understructure. It is also advisable to keep your shipping container out of wet dirt and mud to help them last longer.

If you follow these steps and are careful in all aspects of caring for your shipping container, it should last you for a very long time to come! If you have any questions or want to get a container for yourself, go ahead and contact us now!

For more information on shipping containers in general, contact All States Containers at 704-802-7700 today.

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