Overview
10ft shipping containers come as standard with a single set of double doors at one end only and a plywood floor, although some of the new Chinese factory built units now come with the option of an eco-friendly bamboo floor. The right-hand door will always open first. Each door has 2 or 4 locking rods or bars to help close them and keep them shut. Whilst factory built new 10ft containers often come with forklift pockets included, most used and refurbished 10ft will not. However, in many cases we may be able to modify the container to give you fork lift pockets if needed, but this will involve more work and an additional cost, so please ensure to make clear to us if you need fork pockets included.
All 10ft containers you can trust to be secure, wind and watertight and long lasting. If you need a small smart unit then the chances are a 10ft shipping container will serve you well. That said, please let us know if you have room for a 20ft container, as in many cases a 20ft will work out at a very similar overall cost, at times even cheaper than a 10ft shipping container.
Construction
As 10ft x 8ft shipping containers are no longer commonly used for shipping use, their construction can vary somewhat. There are a few factories producing slightly different specifications, and then there are also some in the UK building or fabricating their own 10ft shipping containers.
Most 10ft containers are either made from COR-TEN Steel (Chinese factory built units), Galvanized steel (European manufactured units), or a mix or Corten and mild steel (refurbished or fabricated units). All provide good quality units that will last for many years.
Whilst a minority of our refurbished containers will be an old factory built unit, the majority are made from us cutting down much larger used 40ft containers into 4 sections and making 4x 10ft containers up from these sections. As we alter the structure of the container in this cutting process, we do not guarantee these as safe to lift when loaded with goods, and there will also be an approx 4 inch, circa 10cm tolerance in the length dimension only as we need to work with the corrugations when cutting up the larger container. They are perfectly safe to load with heavy weights when static on the ground.
Most of these 10ft shipping container variations will fit most needs well, but there are small differences between designs and this is where we are here to help. If you have a specialised requirement in mind or prefer a particular build or manufacturer then please contact us and we can make recommendations based on your needs. Otherwise we will typically quote on the most cost effective option(s) based on currently available stocks and your location.
Guarantee
All our shipping containers are checked over by a professional before sale. With the repair standard we specify we are confident to be able to offer our industry leading 2 year wind and watertight guarantee on all new, refurbished and used shipping containers. This means if your shipping container has a natural defect which results in a leak or other issue relating to its fitness for purpose as a storage container in its first 2 years we will come out and repair it free of charge.
Lifespan
Shipping containers usually only suffer from wear when they are handled and moved to and from a truck, boat, train or container stack. As most of our customers buy a container that will remain static in one place, aside from the rubber door seal, there is very little to wear or go wrong with it.
We regularly see refurbished and used shipping containers that were supplied as used 10+ years ago performing very well with little to no maintenance. So you should expect this sort of lifespan. The only exception is the rubber door seals that can wear out more quickly if the doors are used frequently.
New or one trip shipping containers should last an extremely long time, but as manufacturing techniques change so frequently (every 5-10 years or so) it is very hard to test the exact lifespan of a container. We know that a typical one trip container is circa 12 years younger than a used shipping container, and as we would expect 10 years solid use from a used container, its pretty safe to assume that a 20-22+ year lifespan for a new shipping container is very achievable.
Container Condition
Shipping containers are available in various conditions which effect their price and lifespan.
New (One Trip)
New (or One Trip) shipping containers are the very best quality option available. Freshly built in a factory (normally in China) they are moved to the UK with freight inside them which helps dramatically reduce the overall cost of the shipping container. These almost new shipping containers may have the odd imperfection consistent with this first trip but they will be in otherwise immaculate condition.
These one trip shipping containers are approximately 12 years younger than the average refurbished or used container we sell (or 12-20 years younger than a used container sold by any other trader) so the container will have a significantly longer lifespan. If these containers are to sit static on your site then they will also remain in very good condition. In 12 years time a one trip container you purchased from us that has sat static on your site will more than likely in better condition than an average used container we are selling at the time.
These containers come in green or blue without any logos and look a lot smarter than a refurbished or used shipping container.
Refurbished
Refurbished shipping containers are the middle ground between new and used shipping containers. We take the best quality used shipping containers and ensure they are of sound construction, leak free, have a good solid floor, a fully operational door and intact doors seals (where applicable). These are a lot neater than basic used containers and a fair bit cheaper than new (one trip) shipping containers.
We also repaint these containers in your choice of basic colour in a marine quality paint and add a high security lock box (padlock cover) to the shipping container. As these are made from used shipping containers there will still be dinks and dents along the frame of the container, but the repaint will give a much smarter appearance when compared to a basic used container.
Sometimes we make a refurbished shipping container by cutting down a larger shipping container to size (for example a 40ft shipping container may be cut down to make 4x 10ft containers). In these cases we typically offer our easy open or flat panel door option. These fabricated doors are much lighter (but still made from steel at least as thick as the steel in the corrugated sides of the shipping container) and much easier to use over a long period of time but they do not come with a rubber seal around the doors.
Used
All our used shipping containers are sourced direct from shipping industry use. We do not offer used containers that have previously bought as ‘used’ as these shipping containers will commonly be of a poorer quality and have a much shorter remaining lifespan.
Used shipping containers will come in their original shipping liveries and will usually have some dents and surface rust. We sell these strictly as ‘cosmetics not guaranteed’ meaning we don’t and can’t guarantee how good they will look. If you require a smart shipping container we recommend looking at our refurbished or new (one trip) ranges. However, your used container will not have any large bows or dents – it will be in the correct overall shape, free of any holes or leaks and in a good stare of repair. Depending on your location and our nearest local depot, we can often offer viewings in our yard or photos of a specific container for your approval in advance of delivery.
Container Types
Information about the types of 10ft shipping container available.
10ft Standard Containers
Standard 10ft shipping containers (AKA dry freight containers, dry vans or general purpose containers).
These are 8ft 6 high externally and have 1 set of double cargo doors at one end only.
| External | |
|---|---|
| Length | 10ft |
| Width | 8ft (2430mm – 2450mm) |
| Height | 8ft 6ins (2590mm) |
| Internal | |
| Length | 9ft 4ins |
| Width | 7ft 8ins (2330mm – 2350mm) |
| Height | 7ft 10ins (2380mm – 2390mm) |
| Door Opening | |
| Width | 7ft 8ins (2330mm -2380mm) |
| Height | 7ft 6ins (2280mm) |
| General | |
| Cubic Capacity | 563.3 cu ft (15.95m3) |
| Weight | 1.1-1.3 tons (1100-1300 Kg) |
| Max Cargo (Export only) | 10160 Kg – 10300 Kg (Different max cargo weights available) |
10ft High Cube Containers
High Cube containers are higher than standard containers. They are ideal to store something too big to fit inside a standard container. They are also a good option if you want to store stacked pallets as the extra height makes it easier for the folk lift to access them.
See High Cube Shipping Containers page for more information about these and other sizes available.
High Cube containers differ only from standard 10ft containers in that they are 1ft / 30cm taller:
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| External Height | 9ft 6ins (2896mm) |
| Internal Height | 8ft 10ins (2698mm) |
| Door Opening Height | 8ft 5ins (2585mm) |
| General | |
| Cubic Capacity | 563.3 cu ft (15.95m3) |
10ft Refurbished Shipping Containers
Made from cutting up a larger used shipping container which is 8ft wide and 8ft 6ins high our refurbished 10fts are a great cost effective storage solution. Painted clients choice of colour and include a lock-box (padlock housing) as standard.
| External | |
|---|---|
| Length (will vary slightly) | 9ft 10ins – 10ft 2ins |
| Width | 8ft (2430mm – 2450mm) |
| Height | 8ft 6ins (2590mm) |
10ft Refrigerated Containers
These are units with temperature and humidity control. Exact specs will vary on age and manufacturer but most will have a set temperature range anywhere between -20 and -30 Celsius, and can go as high as +20-30 Celsius. Humidity can also be set and managed.
10ft refrigerated shipping containers are often used as cheap walk in fridges, freezers or ambient stores, however, as they are not built for this purpose, care needs to be taken to ensure they are suitable for your specific use.
See Refrigerated Shipping Containers page for more information about these and other sizes available.
Other 10ft Containers
There are a number of other types of 10ft container types that are very specialised. Examples include Tank Containers, Cakebox Containers, Offshore DNV Spec Containers for the oil and gas industry and more. Please contact us if you’re looking for something not listed above.