Shipping containers are secretly an astounding invention, that can keep tons of cargo safe in incredibly choppy waters, can be stacked and hold several times their own weight, and can be converted into essentially any kind of dwelling or business space.
However, one consideration few people have thought about when looking into a shipping container for sale is how that container was constructed in the first place.
Whilst the construction process itself has only a few steps, a lot of consideration, manpower and technological research goes into the construction of each container.
It starts with the wall panels, which are made by cutting down large sheets of steel. They are then sandblasted and primed to get rid of any contaminating elements before they are corrugated. This wavy texture is one of the central reasons why shipping containers are as strong as they are.
Next is the floor assembly, which is made of two long I-beams and two shorter beams that are welded together to create a flat slab base. After this welding is complete, the floor is sanded to remove any rough joints.
After this, the firmer corner posts and the doors are constructed out of corrugated steel. Once complete, the container can start to take shape.
The doors are fitted first to the floor’s frame, before the wall panels, corner posts, walls and finally the roof are all fitted.
With the box essentially completed, the next vital step is priming and painting the exterior and interior repeatedly to protect the container from the elements, as well as varnish the wooden flooring panels and fit waterproofing to the bottom of the container and rubber seals to the door.
Once that is fitted, the final steps are to fit the floor, affix identification information and decals, before finally spraying the underside of the container with a waterproof sealant and testing for any defects.
Whilst there are a lot of steps, an efficient team can construct a shipping container in just a few hours.