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Shipping container homes and commercial structures such as restaurants and coffee shops are becoming popular all across the world. And while many newcomers to the shipping container construction movement believe that their almost modular frames are too confining for architects and designers, we’re here to show you some examples of just how unique and creative a shipping container interior can be. Bottom line, you can do anything with a shipping container. Let’s take a look at some of the top interior designs you won’t believe until you see! The Shipping Container Coffee House If you want an example of a relaxing and rustic atmosphere, check out this open-air container coffee shop. It’s a small space, with only enough room on the inside for the barista and POS, but the interior is expertly crafted to allow doors to be drawn on any side. It’s both cozy and airy at the same time. Source: DesignBoom Photographer: lllooimage Seriously, A Cargo Container Medical ICU COVID-19 has rocked the economy from top to bottom. But shipping containers are, once again, showing their versatility. These units’ interiors have been redesigned to become portable ICUs for treating coronavirus patients. Their portability means they can go anywhere that’s necessary for the doctors on the front lines. Source: DesignBoom Photographer: Max Tomasinelli Shipping Container Hotel: Lodging With A View Some entrepreneurs are using shipping containers to jumpstart new businesses. This particular shipping container design is used for a variety of hotel rooms on the former California Vineyard. The spacious interiors and high ceilings almost make you forget that the structures used to be used for shipping goods! Source: DesignBoom Photographer: Paul Vu Big Windows For A Spacious Feel Many of the best shipping container homes make use of the containers’ ability to be modified with a ton of windows. This home lets in tons of natural light and doesn’t take up tons of space in the neighborhood. Nonetheless, it’s both stylish and comfortable and allows one or two people to live a relaxed, carbon-low lifestyle. Source: Curbed and Alternative Living Spaces Shipping Container Home: Wood Siding and Beautiful Greenery This shipping container home features a notable exterior and interior. The interior makes use of wood-colored walls and wide windows that showcase the stunning terraces and staircases that connect between different structures. It’s a perfect getaway spot for a vacation or a summer home. Source: Curbed and DesignBoom  Photographer: river and rain The Guest House Sometimes shipping containers are best used as guesthouses instead of primary abodes. In this case, the wide windows attached to this shipping container illuminate a spacious living area and a long hallway that leads into a small kitchenette and sleeping area. With plenty of sunshine and lots of green surroundings, it offers a natural-focused aesthetic that few other homes can emulate. Source: homedit Architect: poteet architects Multi-Story Shipping Container Dream Home Most shipping container homes are assumed to be small and cramped. This collection of several shipping containers proves that assumption wrong. Built by welding multiple containers on top of one another, this multi-story structure is a wide-open home with several levels, balconies, different rooms, and even certain windows that can be opened to allow in a fresh breeze. An attached patio completes the structure. Source: homedit Architect: Adam Kalkin Colorful, Open, Yet Simple Container Home Design Sometimes simplicity is the way to go. This complex of multiple shipping containers is used to demonstrate art and gives students a place to let their imagination run wild. By combining multiple shipping containers into a single complex, semi-open hallways and various rooms run into each other, affording an ironically flowing aesthetic despite all the walls. Source: homedit Shipping Container Home With A Spiral Staircase Here we have another multi-story shipping container structure. This home is designed to offer all the functionality, open-space, and creature comforts of a modern home, but it’s made from several shipping containers welded together. Of particular note is the spiral staircase in the corner, which allows easy ascending to the second level. Source: HomeDSGN Architect: Patrick Partouche Sliding Doors in Your Container Home For Luxury Entryways This shipping container home takes advantage of the natural flexibility of shipping containers and uses a sliding glass door to allow occupants to enjoy the patio just outside or let a nice breeze into the main home’s space. Smartly chosen decorations (many of which are made from secondhand materials) emphasize the authentic and unique aesthetic of the place – there’s nowhere else quite like it. Source: Archello Architect: Infiniski + James & Mau Industrial Container House For The Minimalist Some folks like the minimalist style, like the occupants of this complex shipping container home. Check out this kitchen, which has all the bells and whistles you would expect, but a rather ruthless and industrial style that harkens back to the origins of the shipping containers themselves. A snugly installed stove and oven round out the space, and wide windows allow plenty of visibility to the surrounding mountains and Mojave Desert, plus the plants just outside. Source: Inhabitat Photographer: Jack Parsons Architect: EcoTech Great Design For A Single Shipping Container Wide Kitchen This kitchen is made out of a single shipping container but, through smart interior design, still fits all of the modern amenities you could want in a family’s cooking space. The drawers are rather plain, but open up much farther than you would expect to provide tons of storage space and enough room to keep ingredients and tools to make a meal worthy of anyone. Source: homedit Start Using Shipping Containers in Your Construction For The Ultimate Curb Appeal All of these shipping container interior designs showcase the creativity and originality of occupants and business owners. More than that, they prove that shipping containers can be used for any structure you can imagine – there’s no limit to the versatility and functionality of these flexible storage solutions! If you’d like to start sourcing shipping containers for your next building, home, restaurant, or office building,

Yeah, they are a type of quote on quote, “shipping container,” even though they don’t necessarily look it. And you most likely won’t be building your house with one of these. These specialized containers have open sides that allow for the easy loading and unloading of cargo. From their dimensions to their primary uses, let’s take a look at whether or not a flat rack container just might be an unsung hero for your next project. What Are Flat Rack Containers? A flat rack container is a type of shipping container that has a higher than average loading capacity. That’s because it’s based on an open-wall and open-top design (see image above) where it has: A steel frame, normally in the shape of a rectangle like a traditional shipping container A pair of end walls at either shorter end – these can be fixed or or are collapsible depending on the container model Open space on the long sides and top Primary Function of a Flat Rack Container  As you can imagine, flat rack containers are perfect for shipping and storing bulkier than average cargo that would be difficult to load into a traditional, four-wall shipping container. This might include buses, boats, other shipping containers, heavy machinery, pipes or logs among other things. Does a Flat Rack Container Have Sides at All? It does, just not for the longest sides of the rectangular shape. In order to prevent cargo from moving around while in transit, lashing rings can be installed in the side rails or corners of the flat rack container. These allow shipping experts to secure loads using chains and large straps. Most Common Flat Rack Container Dimensions Like their closed counterparts, flat rack shipping containers commonly come in 20’ and 40’ lengths.  The dimensions for a 20’ flat rack container average out to: A payload capacity of 31,000 kg or 68,580 pounds 32.7 m³ or 1154.3 ft.³ of capacity About 5.6 m or 19.4 ft in length A 40’ flat rack container has dimensions that average out to: 47,300 kg or 104,278 lbs in payload capacity Cubic capacity of 62.2 m³ or 2195.7 ft.³ An internal length of 11.7 m or 38.3 ft Considerations when Using a Flat Rack Container? The design of flat rack containers makes them quite useful, but it also presents some challenges when it comes to moving these containers and the cargo they hold. Strap Your Cargo Down to the Container Because they don’t have a top or sides, the cargo within is much more exposed to the elements and potential thievery or damage. You should focus on belting down or otherwise securing the cargo to the container such that it would be difficult to steal and won’t be tipped off the container from wind or poor road conditions during transport. Additionally, this will prevent any of the cargo from moving and damaging other cargo or injuring nearby people.  Cover Up Your Cargo Sensitive cargo on a flat rack should also be protected from the weather via tarps or other protective barriers that can easily be removed for unloading. Waterproof covers are particularly good, especially when flat racks are in transit. Varying Flat Rack Container Models Allow for Versatility As we mentioned above, different models allow your flat rack container to behave in specialized ways. The two endwalls of the container can come fixed or foldable (fixed-end vs. collapsible flat rack containers).  And certain models of flat rack containers may have forklift pockets. This allows you to move the flat rack conveniently to another location without having to unload the cargo and move the flat rack separately. Measure Twice, Transport Once When using a flat rack container to move large items, remember to pay attention to the height and width of your final cargo once loaded on a truck. You’ll want to be sure you’re within the legal recommendations in order to prevent fines and vehicle or overpass damages. Specialized Containers From Rent-A-Container Flat rack containers are primarily a shipping and transportation solution for large, awkwardly shaped cargo, aka material that is unable to fit in a standard shipping container or that would be too hard to load and unload with side walls. If you or your company are in need of a specialty shipping container solution, like a flat rack container, contact us, today. Shop Rent-A-Container!

  We get it. Steel shipping containers are no different than your other essential business assets and tools. And containers are a significant investment. Worth every penny? Yes. But due to their cost and their importance, we get this question all the time: “How long will my shipping container last me?” So whether they’re functioning as a storage solution or they’re about to become the internal structure of your next home building project, let’s talk about the average shipping container lifespan. *Note: The following numbers represent averages and each container’s lifespan will be different depending on their specific condition, usage, and environmental variables. What Shipping Container Lifespan Can You Expect? A standard steel shipping container will, if left to its own devices and not overly exposed to the elements, last well over 25 years. Some suppliers estimate that 25-30 years is a reasonable estimate if your container has been maintained and experienced minimal use in the shipping and transport industry.  The initial phase of use for used shipping containers that are now available for sale can be about 10-12 years in the shipping and transport industry. If you’ve purchased a significantly used container, you might expect to get another 10-20 years of usefulness from it depending on what condition you purchase it in.  *Always consult with the shipping container supplier to get their best estimates and recommendations before you make your purchase. The length of time a container has been used in trans-oceanic shipping can greatly affect the lifespan of a container due to the salt water and harsh conditions experienced in ocean environments (see more on this below). In contrast, shipping containers that have been used in shipping but experienced minimal ocean transport tend to be in better condition. If you want one of the longest-lasting containers for sale on the market, especially if you’re planning on constructing a modern home, you should look into what are called “one-trip” containers. These are containers that are exclusively sold for consumer use after only being loaded with cargo one time (more on these from our buying guide for shipping containers). Such containers can easily last for over 25 years if you take care of them properly and place them in a generally calm and temperate environment. Top 3 Things That Affect A Shipping Container’s Lifespan 1. Exposure to the elements, but especially moisture and seawater Shipping containers, at least the most popular ones on the market, are made from weathering steel, also sometimes called COR-TEN steel.  And while they are wind and water tight, they are still susceptible to rust.  That means climates that experience heavy rains, extreme moisture / humidity, and exposure to sea water will be more quickly impacted by rust. Salt water, in particular, eventually becomes quite corrosive even with the use of anti-corrosion coatings. If you’re familiar with living in the northern regions of the U.S in which winter road maintenance crews utilize salt to melt ice, your old car is an excellent example of what can happen with your shipping container. 2. The beating your container has taken in the past, aka prior damage The life of a shipping container is sometimes akin to that of an ex-NFL linebacker. Containers sometimes experience falls and tumbles, transport mishaps, and collisions with heavy machinery on construction sites. All of this damage – weakened walls and doors, holes in floors or ceilings, and chipped protective coverings – can shorten how long your container is expected to last. Most shipping container suppliers will inspect your container for you. It never hurts to request an inspection on your behalf to take stock of any possible damage the shipping container has experienced.  If you can’t be onsite, be sure you are working with a reputable company who prioritizes customer satisfaction before making a purchase. 3. Your shipping container was used in the international modal container industry This third point is simply for emphasis as it bears out what has largely been stated in this post already. That is, shipping containers that have been carted around the ocean to transport heavy goods for many years, usually at least a decade, have experienced all of the above conditions.  Shipping containers on ocean freighters will get sprayed with salty ocean water. They will experience high humidity and storms. And they’ll be exposed to direct sunlight and UV radiation. Additionally, these containers have been carted around, lifted up, set down, and stacked. They’ve been loaded, unloaded, transported by crane and truck, and then reloaded onto ship decks. If you’re worried about acquiring a container that looks pretty, be sure to purchase the newest container available to you. The largest pro to buying a heavily used container, however, is that it will be significantly cheaper than a newer, one-trip container. And they’re estimated to last another 10-15 years! So how are you going to extend the shipping container lifespan? Invest in insulators and dehumidifiers Insulators, as we mentioned in our previous blog post (insert link once this blog is live), help to protect your container and your storage items. This includes the use of blankets, BATT materials, and specialized foam boards and sprays to help control the temperature and moisture inside your container. In conjunction, try to utilize dehumidifiers to remove excess moisture from inside your container. These are useful in preventing unwanted condensation from forming on the walls, your moisture-sensitive goods, and in preventing “container rain.” Cover it up Try and protect the outside of the container as best you can from UV exposure and moisture. For storage uses, most containers will come pre-coated or can be covered with special coatings to prevent corrosion and protect against the direct sunlight. In other cases, you could spray foam or apply foam boards to the outside of your container to keep the harmful sun, extreme temperatures, and moisture from the metal surface.  Some less effective, but other uses include the use of found materials such as hay bales or large tarps. For homes and offices, consider both

The quick answer is that your shipping container will hold 32.6 cubic meters or 1,172 cubic feet worth of material, but likely you will want to factor in room to maneuver stored materials. The key to using your 20 foot shipping container to its storage capacity potential is understanding how much it can actually fit inside of it. Perhaps you’re trying to load it with vehicles, construction equipment, furniture, or you’re using it as a multi-functional storage space.  Let’s take a look at some common ways to better understand what you can fit into one of these containers. Figure out the Internal Dimensions If you want to figure out how much can my 20-foot shipping container hold, you first need to determine the internal dimensions of the container. As we have mentioned before in other posts, this will vary by a few inches from container to container depending on which company manufactured it. But in general, a 20-foot shipping container’s internal dimensions will measure as follows:  In imperial or US customary units: 19’4”L x 7’9”W x 7’10”H In metric units: 5.898 m L x 2.352 m W x 2.393 m H Area: Square Feet and Meters So how much space does that really add up to? It translates to about 32.6 m³. Put in other terms, it translates to 146 ft.² or 13.86 m² of total space you can use on the floor. Volume: Give Yourself Some Wiggle Room While the above overall volume of 32.6 m³ or 1,172 cubic feet is a good rule of thumb, keep in mind that you won’t fill this full space unless you were to transport pallets or boxes that fit perfectly snug against one another. Even if you were to do this, the shipping container will need a little bit of wiggle room for vents, tools, mats, desiccant materials to prevent container rain (i.e. ambient water buildup over time), and room for you and any helpers to unload materials. Your stuff, too, will take up more space than you might imagine when you factor in bubble wrap, packing materials, and irregular shapes (like most furniture). It’s always best to plan to leave a little bit of space even if you try to pack the shipping container as tightly as you can. So, How Much Does a 20-Foot Shipping Container Hold? Now comes the real question: what does this translate to in terms of actual goods? As always, the answer is highly dependent on what you want to pack, but below we’ll give you some estimated ideas. As mentioned, you can transport 10 standard pallets in a 20-foot shipping container provided that you don’t stack the pallets. It’s not unreasonable to assume that you could transport the entire contents of a one or two-bedroom apartment in a single unit. The trick is that furniture and other common household items often have irregular sizes and may vary drastically. Roughly speaking, beds can be measured at: 1.7 m³ 0.85 m³ 1.25 m³ And so on Let’s be safe and assume that you have a 1.7 cubic meter bed. That means, you could fit roughly 19 beds. Bookcases often measure at 1.1 m³ or 1.4 m³. And the average TV is somewhere near 0.75 m³. That is 23 book cases and 43 televisions respectively. Still, the contents of a one or two-bedroom apartment are a good estimate. If you’re shipping for business, go with the 10-pallet rule and try to estimate your shipping needs using that baseline. How Many Cars Can A 20-Foot Shipping Container Hold? If you’re storing or packing your shipping container with a vehicle, know that you should be able to fit most standard cars in a single 20-foot container with a little bit of space left over. We wouldn’t recommend trying to squeeze two cars into a single 20-foot container. Aside from the space issues, the two cars might also be too heavy for the container’s structural integrity. Good Shipping Practices Can Maximize Your Space You can always maximize your space inside a 20-foot shipping container by practicing good moving or shipping rules.  Using easily understandable units such as boxes and pallets For example, always try to break down any goods or furniture you want to move before loading them into a shipping container. Placing things in boxes allows you to stack all those goods atop one another on standard or Euro pallets. And they allow you to more easily understand how much volume you have. Standard vs Euro Pallets Chances are that, if you use a shipping container of any size, you’ll probably place your goods, products, or moving stuff on pallets. However, there are two main types of pallets you can place in shipping containers – Standard or Euro. The standard palette has a size regulated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which many shipping companies use to keep their palette sizes standardized for easy transitioning from container to truck and so on. Standard pallets are 1200 mm x 1000 mm while Euro pallets are 1200 mm x 800 mm. Practically, this means that you can hold 10 standard pallets or 12 Euro pallets in a 20-foot shipping container. Which one is better depends on your needs, although most people choose standard pallets by default. Note that these values are assuming you won’t be stacking the pallets. Have a plan before you load the container Always try to have a plan when you load the container to save time with the loading and unloading process.  Consider the door arrangement and placement There are plenty of great tips and tricks to loading your storage unit. We recommend either creating walking lanes (if the shipping container will be stationary) to access all of your packed items, or be sure to pack the things that you won’t need access to immediately in the back. If you have two sets of doors, one set on each end, then place the items that you won’t be needing urgently in the center of the container. 

“A good rule of thumb is to assume that you’ll get around 2300 ft.³, or about 68 m³, of space on the inside of a 40-foot shipping container.” If you’ve been hunting for a shipping container, you’ve probably noticed the 40-foot container is an extremely common size. But the real question is, how much stuff can you really fit in a 40-foot shipping container?  Let’s find out. What Are the Actual Dimensions of a 40-foot Shipping Container? Hopefully it’s obvious that 40-foot shipping containers don’t give you 40 feet of space in both horizontal and vertical directions. Instead, you have to calculate the actual interior and exterior dimensions to get a good sense of how much it really holds. A standard height 40-foot long container’s exterior dimensions are: 40’ long x 8’ wide x 8’6” high, with mild variations depending on the shipping container manufacturer In meters, a 40-foot shipping container’s dimensions are 12.192 m long x 2.438 m wide x 2.591 m high. Again, you’ll find small variations from company to company. Doors are around 7’8″ tall and 7’5″ wide for 40-foot shipping containers. The interior dimensions will vary depending on how thick the doors are and how thick a container’s steel is. In general, however, interior dimensions are: 39’6” long x 7’6” wide x 7’10” high 12.19m long x 2.44m wide x 2.59m high A good rule of thumb is to assume that you’ll get around 2300 ft.³, or about 68 m³, of space on the inside of a 40-foot shipping container.   How Much Can You Move or Store with a 40-foot Shipping Container? A 40-foot shipping container will likely be able to hold the contents and belongings of a 3 to 4-bedroom family home. Irregularly shaped items or certain types of furniture may take up more space than equally sized boxes. Put another way, you’ll be able to fit between three or four cars in a standard 40-foot shipping container depending on each car’s size. Or you can fit up to around 400 mattresses! Don’t be fooled by the outside dimensions of a shipping container. The internal dimensions are what you truly want to understand when it comes to efficiently packing and storing. In addition, you’ll want to consider how many non-boxed items you place inside, and whether you’ll truly be able to utilize the entire height of the container (consider shelving, stackability, etc.).  It also depends how well you organize the materials you plan to put into the container. Aka, please don’t close your eyes and toss your belongings into your 40-foot shipping container and wonder why it won’t hold as much as you’d like it to.  In fact, when you start to pack your container just think about it like real life Tetris. Think: Not Like: A Few Considerations When Packing a 40-foot Container   2300 Cubic Feet is Wishful Thinking Don’t assume that the earlier quoted interior capacity estimation of 2300 cubic feet will be possible. Some of that space will be needed for accessibility lanes, the inclusion of anti-humidity tools, or will manifest as wasted overhead space.   Stack lighter items on top of heavier items Avoid crushing your lighter materials by stacking them on top of your heaviest items. Additionally, should you need to move the container, this will help keep the base of the container stable during transportation.   Use Pallets We recommend packing your boxes and materials on other standardized platforms that will make the loading and unloading process easier (with the use of a dolly or pallet jack). In addition to easier maneuverability, the smaller platforms such as pallets will give you another way of understanding and measuring the size of your container. Know that pallets come in two types: Standard and European. Standard pallets measure 1 m x 1.2 m while European pallets measure .8 m x 1.2 m. (Hopefully you’ve recognized by now that the international use of shipping products will require some understanding of the metric and imperial systems of measurement). In general, ISO containers or shipping containers that follow the International Organization for Standardization guidelines, make use of standard pallets more often than European pallets. ISO guidelines indicate that you’ll be able to fit between 20 and 21 standard pallets in a single 40-foot shipping container in most cases.   Consider the Doors The variety of door styles that you order your 40 foot container in will impact the order in which you load your materials into your container.  If you have a single set of cargo doors on one end of the container, make sure anything in the back is either accessible by an established walk-way or you won’t be needing access immediately.  Double door containers will give you more access from each end. This means it is wise to consider putting unneeded storage or shipping items toward the center of the unit. This also makes the storage of vehicles and trailers of goods easier to drive completely through. Side-open doors give you access to your container along the length of the unit. For this style of container, pack unneeded materials along the long wall that does not have the door. It can also be useful to put pallets that can be easily moved by heavy machinery vehicles along the doorway side.   Always Protect Items – Use Shipping Materials It’s always a good idea to use shipping materials like bubble wrap, newspaper, masking tape, and other essential materials if you’re loading up a shipping container with fragile items especially if you plan on moving the container.  If you’re running short or simply don’t want to purchase standard packaging materials, make good use of towels, blankets, and rugs to avoid scratching surfaces of tables, wooden frames, and mirrors.   Disassemble large awkward materials that can conveniently be reassembled later While not always possible, if conserving space is important and will save you money, try taking things apart that can be reassembled later. You’ll save countless cubic feet by disassembling that bed frame

Sure, the primary use of shipping containers is in their name: they ship things. But shipping containers, far from being hunks of steel only good for one job, serve a wide variety of purposes and can be reused in tons of creative ways.  Here’s a handful of alternative ways shipping containers can be used for your next home or business project!   Make a Home Out of Shipping Containers We’ve all seen some great YouTube videos of homes made out of shipping containers. You don’t have to be rich or have a background in architecture or engineering to make it a reality for your next house. Even now, you can create a unique and energy-efficient home out of one or more shipping containers depending on how much space you need! Reusing these containers is a much better alternative to building a new house from scratch. Plus, building a house from shipping containers means you get more opportunity to customize its look! And did we mention that expanding your new home is as simple as adding another container or two to the mix?   Create a Shed or Garage! Similarly, you can add some valuable space to your existing property by using a shipping container as a shed or garage. Need a spot to park your car or just a place to store all your tools and garden supplies? A shipping container can fulfill its original purpose without being expensively shipped around the world. Plus, you can keep shipping containers dry and cool (add link to humidity blog) which is ideal for a lot of volatile materials or sensitive compounds.    Use as a Workshop  In keeping with the general theme of adding to your existing property, consider using a shipping container to serve as a workshop. You don’t have to keep it closed; getting rid of one or more of the walls will let you create an open-air workshop where you can set up workbenches, tool chests, cabinets, and more.  This is a particularly good idea if you want a workshop for tinkering with automobiles or motorcycles, as you can roll the vehicle in question up to the shipping container workshop without things being too crowded.   Make an Outdoor Movie Theater It’s hard to get to the movie theater these days, but you can use a shipping container as an outdoor movie theater for yourself!  For this idea, you’ll want to keep all the walls intact except for a single door to get in and out. Then set up a sound system and some comfy couches and you’re good to go. With a little soundproofing, the shape of the shipping container will make any sound from the film echo all the more powerfully. It’s a great way to lose yourself in your favorite movie for a little while.   Start a Food Truck Business In One If you have a more entrepreneurial spirit, you can make a food truck business out of a shipping container (or several). Getting rid of one or more walls is a necessity since you need a place for your guests to line up and order some of whatever food you decide to make.  But a shipping container serves well as a food truck base because of their portability and size. Simply haul it to different places around the city and watch the people line up.  And it’s just about the perfect size to host a small kitchen and a few talented chefs without having to take out a big loan on traditional restaurant space.   They Can Serve as Emergency Medical Centers More medically minded people might see the potential for shipping containers to serve as emergency medical centers or clinics.  In fact, this strategy can already be seen in countries around the world as organizations like Clinic in a Can, who use shipping containers as mobile clinics ideally suited for serving hard-to-reach populations or people without access to quality medical care.  If you already work for a hospital or are looking to expand the capabilities of your organization, consider shipping containers as a cost-effective way to bring medical care to underserved communities.   Make a Sauna From One Another great potential use for shipping containers is to build your very own Sauna. That’s right; you can make a home sauna out of a shipping container if you have a little bit of creative talent and a willingness to put wood strips over the interior.  You’ll definitely want to cover everything in wood and will have to do some plumbing work to make sure that you can feed steam into the sauna reliably. But once all that’s done, you’ll have a perfect sauna all to yourself.   Use as Student Housing Many colleges are looking into collections of shipping containers as affordable student housing solutions.  You can stack these on top of one another and give students the communal experience of living in close quarters in communities while avoiding the high charges of traditional new structures. Even better, shipping containers allow you to organize how the living spaces are set up because of their simple, standardized, volumetric shape.   A Shipping Container Can Serve as a Swimming Pool Dig a hole in your backyard that’s big enough and you can set the shipping container down inside it. Fill it up and you’ve got yourself a perfectly sized swimming pool for one or more people.  In fact, it’s already suited for laps or back-and-forth swimming, so it’s even better if you primarily swim for exercise purposes. Remember, you will need to hire someone to do extensive piping and filtering work for the new pool, or otherwise handle this aspect yourself.   What About a Garden or a Grow Room? Similarly, you can use a shipping container as a large garden. You can remove as much of the wall height of the container in question as you like. But in the end, you’ll have an enclosed space that’s perfect for a garden of your own