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ISO: The International Organization for Standardization creates standards for a huge number of industries and uses, including shipping containers. There are several standards relevant to containers, but ISO 668 and ISO 1496 cover the size and strength requirements relevant to our discussion here. You may see containers referred to as ‘ISO Boxes’, ‘ISO Shipping Containers’, etc. This just means that the container in question conforms to the ISO requirements and isn’t a non-standard container.
Intermodal: This just means that a container can be used on multiple types of transportation infrastructure, such as rail and truck in addition to the various sizes of container ships. All ISO standard containers with the familiar corner castings are intermodal shipping containers too.
CONEX: Conex (sometimes spelled connex) is an abbreviation for container express, a name for the overall shipping system enabled by containers when they were invented several decades ago (read our article about shipping container history for more information). A ‘conex box’ is just another name for a shipping container.
High Cube: A shipping container that is one foot taller than a regular container.
TEU: Twenty-foot equivalent unit. When talking about things like container ship capacity, the sizes of smaller containers, etc. the unit of measure is a TEU. One 20ft container is a TEU, while a 40ft container is two TEUs.
General Purpose (Dry Storage): The typical shipping container you are used to seeing and what is normally used for container construction. This is in comparison to tank containers (for liquids), bulk storage containers (for particulates like grain), and flat rack containers (for large objects that won’t fit in a regular container.
Tare Weight (Empty): The weight of an empty shipping container.
Max Load Capacity (Net): The maximum weight or payload that can be safely carried in a container. May be called the net weight, as it is the difference (net) of the Maximum Gross Weight minus the Tare Weight. This max load must be distributed fairly evenly across the entire floor area of a container. Small but especially heavy items may require additional workarounds.
Maximum Gross Weight (MGW): The maximum weight of a fully loaded container. This is the sum of the Tare Weight and the Max Load Capacity.
Volume: We’ve given interior and exterior measurements of containers below, but not volume as it feels a bit redundant. If you’re looking for the volume or cubic capacity of a container, just multiply the length, width, and height together to get either cubic feet or cubic meters.
Non-Standard Containers: Most of the containers we share here are either built to ISO standards or at least some other international standard of uniformity and performance. However, there are also factories that make boxes that look like shipping containers yet have different sizes and strengths. For instance, if you see a 10ft or 12ft wide steel box, it may sound great for a wider room width, but you’re giving up a lot of other capabilities potentially, and it’s definitely a buyer beware situation.
Dimensional Accuracy: The ISO Standards governing shipping container sizes typically specify the minimum or maximum values for a particular dimension. This effectively means there can be some variability in the dimensions of shipping containers that are the same nominal size and type. In most cases, the differences are no larger than ½ inch or so, which is pretty small given the large size of a container. However, reefer or refrigerated shipping containers have more variability in their dimensions as they are not all designed for the same temperature requirements and thus have different amounts of insulation. In general, exterior dimensions are less variable as ultimately all containers need to be able to attach together. Also, note that there are some oddly-sized containers that are not made to ISO container dimension standards.
Weight Accuracy: Another area of variability is in the weights. For instance, some container manufacturers choose to exceed the minimum required strength, and in doing so their ISO containers may weigh more to account for additional materials. With that in mind, you may come across containers with differences in gross, tare, or payload weights that differ by hundreds or even thousands of pounds. As we discussed above, the ISO requires minimums for strength, but manufacturers can exceed it.
Door Height: The height of the container cargo doors is generally less than the interior height because of the door header, a piece of steel that spans across the top of the door opening and adds strength to the container. It’s kind of like walking through a doorway in a regular house: right above the door is a little shorter, but the rest of the room has a higher ceiling.
Refrigerated Container Length: Refrigerated containers usually have about two feet of their length dedicated to holding the refrigeration equipment that keeps them cool. For this reason, their interior length is about two feet shorter than you would otherwise expect.
A good understanding of these basics will clarify the opportunities that come with shipping containers, help you speak a common language with suppliers and building professionals, and ensure you understand exactly what you need to achieve your goals.
As you’ll see below, there are MANY possible container configurations. We can’t cover every option, so we’ll focus on the most commonly used shipping containers.
For each container we feature, we’ll highlight the exterior dimensions, interior dimensions, cargo door sizes, and weights. And, we’ll always provide both US units and metric shipping container dimensions for our readers around the world.
Finally, if you’re looking for the specifications of the small components that make up containers (like the corner fittings, corrugated steel panels, etc.), head over to our article Shipping Container Standards, Components, and Classifications.
20ft General Purpose Container Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
The standard 20ft shipping container, known as a General Purpose (GP) container is popular due to its ease of maneuverability and lower weight. There are some people that make tiny cabins out of a single 20ft container, but more often than not, they are used as part of a larger build.
While 20ft containers are overall cheaper than their corresponding 40ft alternatives, their price per square foot is actually more expensive. For the size of the same building, you’d need twice as many 20ft containers as 40ft ones. So you’d be saving money on each container while actually spending more in terms of overall project costs.
So unless your design actually requires 20ft containers, using 40ft boxes is usually a better way to get more floor space.
You’ll sometimes see cargo ship capacity or trade volumes stated in TEUs. This stands for twenty-foot equivalent units and just means the volume of freight that could fit in containers just like this.
20ft General Purpose High Cube Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
20ft high cube shipping containers are similar to standard 20ft shipping containers but with the added room of an additional 12 inches of height. This makes it easier to have interior insulation and light fixtures while still maintaining a normal ceiling height. It also opens up your whole design, and oftentimes higher ceilings will help to make the entire interior feel much larger overall.
20ft Reefer Container Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
Sometimes known as a reefer container, the 20ft refrigerated shipping container is a regular 20ft container with the added benefit of insulation. If you’re planning to insulate anyway, this could be a shortcut depending on some of your other design choices. We’ve written an article on the things to think about with refrigerated containers to help you.
In another article, we spoke about how insulation is usually integral to keeping your home at a comfortable temperature. Unless you live in a ‘perfect’ climate, insulation will probably be necessary. Therefore, if you can find a good deal and work around the tradeoffs, a refrigerated container might be a great way to save some money by eliminating the work of insulating the shipping container yourself.
40ft General Purpose Container Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
If you’re curious about the size of the average shipping container, this is it! A 40ft shipping container is the most common container you will find. They are big enough to allow sectioning them off multiple rooms (for example, a one-bedroom home) but they can also be combined into a home of any size. Like the general-purpose 20-foot shipping containers, their lower ceiling height could be an issue for those that want interior insulation while still having a reasonable ceiling height.
When your design calls for more than one 20ft container, it’s worth taking a closer look at your requirements. You may be able to achieve the same goals by buying 40-ft containers instead and subdividing them up into two spaces.
If you’re ok with narrow rooms, 40′ container dimensions will certainly support a smaller container home or cabin. There are studio apartments in large cities that are about this size, and while cozy, it’s liveable if you don’t have a lot of ‘stuff’. This is why they are such a popular choice in the container architecture world.
40ft General Purpose High Cube Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
If you like the size of a 40ft container but need a bit more vertical space, a 40 ft high cube container offers you the same floor area with an additional one foot of overhead room. This gives you the extra volume for insulation, wiring, and fixtures while still being able to have a normal interior ceiling height in a container home.
One extra foot of vertical space may not sound like much, but with container homes, it can make a big difference. Not only will the rooms _feel_ better, they actually _are_ bigger and thus more capable of holding your possessions.
40ft Refrigerated Container Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
With a 40ft refrigerated or reefer container, you get the benefits of the 40ft shipping container capacity along with built-in insulation. However, in most cases, this also includes an industrial refrigeration unit that you’ll want to get rid of, and you’ll have to patch over the hole it leaves. For this reason and others, you should learn more about the pros and cons of building with refrigerated containers.
40ft High Cube Refrigerated Container Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
If you love the size of a 40ft container and the included insulation of a refrigerated container, but you want a bit more headroom, a 40ft refrigerated high cube container might be the right choice. It won’t offer you the ability to easily embed your wires behind the ceiling like you could with a regular container where you add insulation later. But if you like an industrial look with surface-mounted conduit and high loft-esque ceilings it could be a great fit.
These refrigerated high cube shipping containers are a quick passport to a roomy, temperate living space with the least amount of work. It goes to show that you don’t always have to sacrifice space and open-concept design when you are building with storage containers.
45ft General Purpose High Cube Container Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
The 45-foot containers are a bit different than what we’ve previously discussed. They have the normal container corner castings 40 ft apart, but then they have two equal ~2.5ft extensions on each end of the container. These extensions also have corner castings at the actual corner extents of the container. Having multiple sets of corner castings allows 45ft containers to be stacked with 40ft containers.
Most 45ft containers you see are high-cubes with the additional benefits that an extra foot of room height brings. Thanks to their added five feet of length, 45-foot containers allow you to have a container home with slightly bigger rooms. It’s even possible to make a two-bedroom unit if you can be space-efficient.
48ft General Purpose High Cube Container Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
A 48ft container is the first container we’ll discuss that has a different width than all containers previously mentioned. With an additional 6in of width, a 48ft container is 6.25% wider than a 40ft or 45ft container. It doesn’t sound like much, but this extra width gives you just a bit more breathing room for insulation while not feeling like your rooms are too narrow. Most 48ft containers are also high cubes, so they have an extra 12in of height as well.
Much like 45ft containers, 48ft shipping containers have multiple sets of container corner castings: one set at the actual corners, and one set 40ft apart. This enables it to be stacked with 40ft containers. The two ~4ft extensions on each of the 48ft shipping containers are similar in design to those of the 45ft container, just a bit longer.
With an additional 8ft of length and 6in of width, a 48ft shipping container makes having a second bedroom or just bigger other rooms possible. The ~4ft extensions on each end are also possible candidates for cantilevered areas on the upper floors.
53ft General Purpose High Cube Container Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
The 53ft container is the largest mass-produced container that you’re likely to ever see. Like a 48ft container, it is also 6in wide than a 40ft container and a foot higher seeing as it’s a high cube. And like a 48ft container, a 53ft container has corner castings at 40ft, followed by two equal extensions that bring the length out to 53ft. However, the extensions on a 53ft container are about 6.5ft long each.
If you want to build something using only a single container, a 53ft container gives you the largest possible interior volume. However, depending on where you’re located, it may be cheaper to buy multiple, small containers instead of one large 53ft container. More importantly, 53ft containers have limited availability and are predominantly used in North America.
Initially, 53-foot containers weren’t built strong enough for ocean travel, as they were only intended for domestic shipments in the United States. However, some companies eventually created reinforced 53-footers that were up to the task of ocean voyages. It’s something to keep in mind when you’re shopping if you’re thinking about structurally taxing designs like bridging.
The ISO standards don’t really address 53-foot containers since they are not really a worldwide standard. However, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) does provide standards for 53-foot containers in their Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices: Section I (Intermodal Equipment Manual. This document includes standards and guidelines including ‘Standard M-930 Containers for Domestic Intermodal Service‘.
As you can see from these larger 48ft and 53ft containers, you don’t always have to make as many sacrifices as you think when building with containers. There is a tendency to believe that container homes are cramped and bare, but that doesn’t have to be the case! With some creative usage of these massive high-cube containers, you can build a home that has all the size you desire while letting your creativity shine.
53 Foot Shipping Container (Source: JOC)
40ft General Purpose High Cube Pallet Wide Container Dimensions (Click Image to Expand)
Pallet wide containers are just a bit wider (roughly 2in) than regular width containers but not as wide as 48ft and 53ft containers. The extra width is to accommodate ‘euro pallets’.
Standard pallets in the United States and some other countries are 48in (1219mm) by 40in (1016mm). In contrast, Euro pallets are 800mm (2ft 7.5in) by 1200mm (3ft 11.2in). The slightly wider size of a pallet-wide 40ft container allows it to hold 30 euro pallets, while a regular 40ft container can only hold 25.
If you aren’t planning to store euro pallets, this extra width just gives you a tiny bit more space for your interior walls, insulation, etc. Whether it’s worth paying extra for this small bit of additional width really depends on your design. But for people, if you’re going to pay extra, you might as well go for a longer 48ft container where you also get six more inches of width.
You’re most likely to find pallet wide containers in Europe, where euro pallets are prevalent. But they may pop up in other locations as well that trade with Europe.
Our number one tip is to simply familiarize yourself with the wide array of cargo container options. And the shipping container sizes chart we provided earlier in the article is a good way to start to do that.
You need to be aware of the shipping containers that are available to you, and we mean that in two ways. First is knowing what shipping containers are actually being manufactured in the world. And second, you must determine which shipping containers can be economically sourced in your geographic area.
A big takeaway from this article is understanding that your location has a large effect on the availability of different types and sizes of containers. Just because someone, somewhere manufactures a certain size and type of shipping container doesn’t mean you can actually find any close to where you live. If you can’t, you may need to hire someone to ship your container unless the seller can do it for you.
Once again, remember that the ISO grants a bit of tolerance on the measurements they specify. And, some other measurements are up to the manufacturer. If you need to know a near-exact dimension, it would be best to field measure it on the actual containers you purchase.
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