Container shelving layout suggestions

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johnpenn74
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Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by johnpenn74 »

Containerville shelving suggestions:
Can anyone recommend good shelving solutions for inside of a 40' cargo container? I was planning on ordering some industrial teardrop shelving and stack 2 high.

Which side to put the track on? Put trains under the shelves, or just roll em out when I need the space? What has been tried and what does and does not work. etc..

JP
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wmegilljr
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by wmegilljr »

Here is what a friend and I did in our container. All made out of 1" square tube and 1/4 flat stock for feet. The single track rack on the right only goes back 3/4 of the way leaving room for a work bench and storage behind it. One tip is when setting the container make sure it is JUST out of level (low to the rear) this way your equipment rolls in easily and stays in.
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Glenn Brooks
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Have you,bought a container already? If not, you might want to check into what sizes are available. containers come in several different heights and lengths. You may like a 45' container for the extra space.

Also, I see you are in the South (Georgia).. These things can become very hot in the summer. Maybe think about installing a couple of air vents in the roof- maybe even put a solar power fan in them to circulate air better.

In Alaska, we used several containers for storage and temporary, summer time workshops. Positioned side by side, with a roof over the middle gives a Lot of extra room...

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steamin10
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by steamin10 »

Be sure to check your building regulations, truck bodies and containers are forbidden except in industrial zones here.
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SteveM
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by SteveM »

steamin10 wrote:Be sure to check your building regulations, truck bodies and containers are forbidden except in industrial zones here.
We had someone here bury one in the backyard and put a small shed on top with stairs going down into the container.

Kinda line something you would see on "Get Smart".

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redneckalbertan
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by redneckalbertan »

Another thing to keep in mind, they rain inside.
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steamin10
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by steamin10 »

Red: I beg to differ: they breath inside. That causes condensation problems. By themselves, a container is miserable for long term storage. with a little help from an air conditioner, or de-humidifier, depending on location, they can be great for storage, a shop. It just depends, and I dont want to be a naysayer. Not all answers are sweet, some must be tweeked. I honor your horizon, with a dose of reality. Thanks.
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redneckalbertan
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by redneckalbertan »

Rain may have been too strong of a word, I should have said water condenses on the roof and then falls from there.
GS14403
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by GS14403 »

If I recall correctly the shipping container my dad has shows no signs of condensation on the inside. He lives just South of Sacramento, California. Our club, Sacramento Valley Live Steamers Railroad Museum, has at least three containers on site and the next time I am out there I will ask if any modifications to prevent condensation have been made to them.

Recently ran across some photo's of people who have used shipping containers for homes and the such. Here is one link but a Google search for container homes should yield a lot of good information. Some of these buildings are quite impressive.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/fifte ... ner-homes/

I would think that climate and type of container would be the deciding factors of whether condensation would be a problem.

Good luck with your project.

Donald
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by chooch »

All this "condensation", Maybe a bucket of " Jack" --black roofing cement would take care of the problems.
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Harold_V
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by Harold_V »

chooch wrote:All this "condensation", Maybe a bucket of " Jack" --black roofing cement would take care of the problems.
chooch
Trust me----black roofing cement won't do a thing towards eliminating condensation inside containers. I own three of them, and can speak first hand about their less than desirable quality of "raining" inside.

Sure, it's not really raining, as there's not all that much that drips, but it will create problems in given areas, where the moisture accumulates and then drips.

A lot depends on temperature swings, and how quickly the container can warm up. Here, we get cold weather (typically above freezing), followed by a "pineapple express", a warm, moist air mass off the Pacific. When that happens, we get serious condensation.

Keep the container slightly warmer than the outside air, and provide air movement inside and you should be ok. Also, be aware that containers are generally sold because they have outlived their useful life. Left exposed to the elements, it's entirely possible for the roof to start leaking, where the container has been damaged and water puddles. I've had to do repairs on my 40' steel container as a result, and that's where black roofing cement can help.

Trusses are made, but I ran out of time to get them installed (we are now in our rainy season). It's going to receive a shingled roof. .

Harold
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f350ca
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Re: Container shelving layout suggestions

Post by f350ca »

Blocking them a foot or so off the ground seams to make a big difference. I had a 20 footer in Alberta elevated on RR ties and had no problems, but the air is generally dry there. When I moved to Ontario I bought a second one and loaded the house and shop in them then had them trucked here. They sat flat on the ground for a year before I had a shop built. The condensation was incredible. I moved them and put them up on blocks and the moisture problems stopped. The floors were tight, the second one I bought had some grease on the walls and floors so I washed it out with a pressure washer, the water would not drain out, had to squeegee the floor to drain it. I think what was happening was during the day the air would warm up and expand in them, as they cooled in the evening warm moist air would get sucked in at the bottom door seal. The process repeated and moisture would continue to build. Once they were elevated the door seal was above the moist ground and the cycle stopped.
Now they're 24 feet apart and have a metal roof over them giving me 3 - 8 foot wide storage bays and a 10 foot bay at one end for the saw mill.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0666 ... G_0106.jpg

Greg
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